The 3rd Zhongguancun West District Forum at Tianjin University

On June 15, 2018, the 3rd Zhongguancun Western Forum was held at Tianjin University (TJU). "Large enterprises taking the lead in high-quality development through open innovation" was taken as the theme of this forum. Focusing on the theme of achieving rapid development in the new era, participants, from multiple perspectives and different dimensions, discussed in depth the pivotal roles that large enterprises play in the strategy of high-quality socio-economic development. Representatives from national prominent enterprises exchanged their successful experience in their open innovation practice. The attendees also discussed how to promote intensive cooperation among governments, enterprises, universities, social organizations and innovative entrepreneurs to achieve open innovation.

A total of more than 400 people attended the forum. They included officials and guests from government departments, enterprises as well as universities and research institutions such as the CPPCC Tianjin Committee, the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), Peking University, Tianjin University, China Chengtong Holding Group and Tianjin SASAC. The forum was presided over by Bei Zhijian, Director of the Asset Management (Beijing) Co., Ltd. Zhao Zhonghua, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC Tianjin Committee, Li Jiajun, Party Secretary of Tianjin University and Ke Yang, former Executive Vice President of Peking University spoke at this event.

Open innovation is the key for large companies to build their core competitiveness for high-quality development. We are now living in a time where we are witnessing constant integration of social development factors, rapid integration and iterative development of innovative concepts, technologies, human resources, capital, industrial capabilities and market demands. In this context, it is more imperative than ever before that large companies adopt ‘outside-the-box’ thinking, integrating innovation resources from within and without. It is a systemic project for China to go from “made-in-China” to “created-by-China”, from “China Speed” to “China Quality”, from being a big manufacturer to being a strong manufacturer. If large enterprises are to adapt to changes in the new era, they must surrender old concepts and technology and move their business models with the times so that they can provide quality products and services to meet market demands.

As key players in the social economy, large enterprises have considerable advantages in numerous aspects regarding innovation resource integration. Big companies, taking the leadership in this way, collaborate with universities and research institutes to shape a platform economy and a shared economy. By combining online and offline businesses, collaborating industries, research institutions and universities and integrating small and medium-sized enterprises, they form a new innovation and entrepreneurship setup. Through intensive all-win cooperation, big enterprises are able to promote industrial optimization and upgrading. These are the ‘must-take’ steps that guarantee high-quality development. As mutual facilitation and support among partners bring about new ideas and sparks, new actions are taken accordingly to seek greater development.

The “launching ceremony of open innovation platform of large enterprises” was held at this forum. Officials and guests from CNNC, Peking University, the China Chengtong Holding Group, TJU, Tianjin SASAC, the China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city Management Committee, and the Beijing Science and Technology Park Construction together witnessed this important moment.

A case in point is the cooperation between BAIC and Peking University in open innovation. The first “Peking University-BAIC Innovation and Entrepreneurship Camp” attracted more than 200 project applications from around the world. Under the guidance of an entrepreneurial tutor, the trainees took the required courses in general management knowledge for a few months and participated in different kinds of training courses such as “Lean Startup Workshops” and “Innovation Work Labs”. The entrepreneurial atmosphere of “Peking University-BAIC Innovation and Entrepreneurship Camp” also brought new vitality to BAIC. From the users’ point of view, seeking innovation through entrepreneurship can help break through the “innovation dilemma” within large enterprises and foster an innovative corporate culture.

Another key topic on open innovation for large enterprises at this conference was how to promote regional cooperation and broaden the cooperation scope. Guests from the Tianjin SASAC, the China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Management Committee and the Beijing Science and Technology Construction Group shared their experience in this regard.

Tianjin, in the grand strategy of coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, is now focusing on advancing collaboration in various fields including industry, innovation, institutional mechanisms, environmental protection and infrastructure construction. Tianjin is accelerating construction of high-level platforms such as the Binhai-Zhongguancun Science and Technology Park and the Future Science and Technology City (the Beijing-Tianjin Cooperation Demonstration Zone) to attract high-tech enterprises. Tianjin will concentrate its efforts on innovation collaboration and the establishment of a technology transformation base, getting prepared to receive universities and research institutes from Beijing and facilitate innovation incubation within Tianjin. For example, the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City is a strategic cooperation project between China and Singapore. It has shaped a well-developed and eco-friendly local economy that provides enterprises with innovation opportunities and residents with jobs as well as a community that is harmonious and inclusive. Sound environmental technologies were applied to build a habitable and attractive city with a high quality of life and to promote sustainable development.

In the round table session, various aspects that are pertinent to the theme of the forum including the integration of innovation elements, personnel training, capital operations and social influence were given great attention.

This is the third summit of the Zhongguancun West District Forum. The forum aims to bring together frontier science and technology as well as economic ideas to serve the country’s development strategy so as to build an innovative ecosystem and procure high-quality development driven by innovation. Committed to coordinated regional industrial innovation and the city-industry integration, the Nengtai Environmental Protection Group and the Grehar Emerging Industry Group have given great support to this event. Both enterprises are controlled by alumni of TJU.

The successful sharing of experience and ideas, which were discussed at this forum, will help large enterprises further promote open innovation in the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei project.