An aerial view of Hangzhou. [Photo/VCG]

Innovation has defined Hangzhou's development over the past decade. From an e-commerce hub to a leading digital economy city, the city is now seeking to become a national leader in AI innovation, with scientific and technological advances increasingly driving high-quality growth.

Over the past 10 years, Hangzhou has ranked 13th among the world's top 100 innovation clusters, 10th among global cities for scientific research, and fourth among China's innovative cities. Fiscal spending on science and technology rose from 7.49 billion yuan ($1.11 billion) in 2016 to 31.16 billion yuan, while the number of high-tech enterprises increased from 2,324 to more than 16,000.

The city has also strengthened its research infrastructure, with its laboratory system now including one national laboratory, two major scientific facilities, 33 national key laboratories, seven provincial laboratories, and a range of new research platforms.

At Zhijiang Lab, more than 20 AI models have been deployed in orbit as part of an emerging space computing constellation, reflecting the city's efforts to connect basic research with emerging fields such as AI and commercial aerospace.

Hangzhou is also promoting deeper integration between technological and industrial innovation, advancing digital transformation in manufacturing and using AI models to address specific business scenarios, while building support systems for technology startups.

Technology transfers have become another priority, with Hangzhou establishing 43 municipal-level proof-of-concept centers that have evaluated 1,443 projects and helped 645 projects reach commercialization, attracting more than 7 billion yuan in financing.

The city has also established four national industry application pilot platforms and six additional platforms selected for national-level development. Together, these efforts are building a more complete pathway from basic research and technology validation to industrial application, strengthening Hangzhou's innovation ecosystem.