How does the University Science Park promote win-win cooperation among enterprises- String beads into chains + mend chains, strengthen chains, extend chains
On October 17, during a visit to the Tongji University Science and Technology Park in Jiading, Shanghai, I had the opportunity to speak with Gu Wenjie, the park’s leader. He emphasized the park’s commitment to promoting innovation in mechanisms and systems, which play a crucial role in the regional economic development and technological advancement.
“Our focus has always been on creating an environment where technology innovation companies can collaborate effectively and thrive together,” Gu explained. “After several years of exploration, we’ve developed a clear approach to enhancing new productive forces. When we bring in companies, we prioritize industry focus, aiming to connect various players in the supply chain to form a vibrant industrial ecosystem, much like a beautiful necklace made of individual pearls.”
Gu mentioned that efforts to strengthen, extend, and complete the supply chain have become a regular part of operations at the Jiading Tongji Technology Park. He added, “Once companies settle in, our immediate goal is to ensure their technological achievements are successfully transformed into real-world applications.” To support this, the park has established a 5,000-square-meter technology transformation base, a center for innovation and entrepreneurship services, and collaborations with local government and institutions to create shared laboratories and proof-of-concept centers.
Zhang Zhiqiang, the head of the park’s industry-academia-research cooperation department, highlighted the initiative’s importance. “Since 2020, we’ve been hosting small salons for smart transportation industries, bringing upstream and downstream companies together to facilitate collaboration. We also support businesses in navigating administrative processes like registrations, intellectual property, talent applications, and securing funding.”
During my visit, I inspected three companies within the park. Tonglu Cloud (Shanghai Tonglu Cloud Transportation Technology Co., Ltd.) specializes in road data collection and operation, providing digital services for vehicle-road collaboration. Tongzhi Ruida (Shanghai Tongzhi Ruida Transportation Technology Park Co., Ltd.) is a high-tech firm capable of conducting deep road surface surveys up to 5 meters. Meanwhile, Bind (Shanghai Bind New Materials Technology Co., Ltd.) focuses on developing and promoting new technologies, materials, and processes for road maintenance with an emphasis on sustainability.
Notably, all three companies originated from the Tongji University School of Transportation, with some founders having studied together. They have carved out their niches within the road management and maintenance sector. Zhang described their roles: “Tonglu Cloud assesses surface damage, Tongzhi Ruida specializes in underlying issues, while Bind develops solutions to address these problems.”
Zhang Xiaoming, the general manager of Tonglu Cloud, shared insights into their collaborative approach. “These three companies are keenly aware that when a project needs it, we can team up effectively. For instance, we’ve provided our services in the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, Xiong’an, and Shenzhen. As our business deepens, Tongzhi Ruida and Bind naturally follow our lead because they are strong players in the industry. Working with them streamlines our processes and enhances our results.”
Gu Wenjie concluded with a vision for future collaborations: “We aim to foster deep partnerships and industry-academia synergy through more collaborative service cases like those involving Tonglu Cloud, Tongzhi Ruida, and Bind, as well as other excellent companies. By integrating these top-tier firms into a cohesive, effective ecosystem, we are exploring innovative productive forces and fulfilling our responsibility to the companies within our park. Our mission is simple: to create an environment where every enterprise can thrive and win together.”
