The technology start-ups service center of Zhanjiang Economic and Technological Development Zone (ZETDZ), the first high-tech business incubator in western Guangdong province, recently became the first national-level incubator in Zhanjiang.

The center was set up in December 2012, aiming to provide whole-process services for high-tech enterprises in technological innovation and entrepreneurship, promote the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, as well as cultivate more high-tech enterprises and entrepreneurs.

Since its establishment, the center has cultivated 112 small and medium-sized enterprises in science and technology, including seven national high-tech enterprises and 23 undergraduate entrepreneurship teams. It has achieved a total turnover of 326 million yuan ($46 million) and a total tax payment of more than 13 million yuan, as well as registered 468 pieces of intellectual property rights.

That the technology start-ups service center became a national incubator is beneficial to integrating innovation and entrepreneurship resources, supporting the high-quality development of the internet plus industry in the western part of Guangdong, said Lin Zhihui, the person in charge of the center.

The technology start-ups service center of Zhanjiang Economic and Technological Development Zone recently becomes Zhanjiang's first national-level incubator. [Photo/zhanjiang.gov.cn]

The center has greatly helped start-ups resume work and reduce the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.

The city and ZETDZ have launched a series of supportive policies, including reducing or exempting social insurance, offering subsidies for employment and job skills training, as well as providing start-up guaranteed loans to help enterprises reduce labor costs and financial pressure.

The center held several online live streams to give detailed interpretation of relevant supportive policies for start-ups in ZETDZ amid the COVID-19 epidemic.

The center reduced the rent for enterprises from January to March this year, saving them more than 320,000 yuan in payments, as well as helped them prepare sufficient epidemic prevention materials, according to Lin.