In October, the Haihe River sparkles underneath the autumn solar; the sycamore leaves on Weijin Road rustle, telling the tales of the years.
On October 2nd, Tianjin University, a prestigious establishment that has witnessed the glory of recent increased schooling in China, celebrated its one hundred and thirtieth anniversary. Since its institution as the Peiyang University in 1895 by Sheng Xuanhuai, this “first modern university in China” has all the time been pushed by the spirit of “promoting education for national prosperity”. It has unfold the seeds of science throughout the battle – torn years and nurtured skills for nationwide building, writing an epic of transferring ahead with the nation with the spirit of “seeking truth from facts”.
When it involves enterprise tycoons, Tianjin University might not be as properly – generally known as another universities. There are few legends about the “richest alumnus” on campus, and the “Tianjin University – related capital” is never extremely uncovered in the monetary part. However, few folks know that this low – key college is deeply concerned in the period’s transformation in one other manner: when “the transformation of scientific and technological achievements” turns into a key nationwide strategic time period and “hard – tech entrepreneurship” turns into a new engine for financial progress, Tianjin University is quietly weaving a community for innovation providers in the enterprise capital subject, changing into an necessary power in selling the in – depth integration of science and expertise with industries amongst universities.
In 2024, this “low – key progress” is especially distinguished. In this yr alone, Tianjin University, with the cooperation between the college and native governments and the linkage amongst alumni, has made two important strikes in the enterprise capital observe: In September, it collectively launched the “Tiankai Jiuan Haihe Haitang 5 – billion – yuan Science and Technology Innovation Mother Fund” with Jiuan Medical, Haihe Industrial Fund, and so on., specializing in onerous – tech fields resembling synthetic intelligence, biomedicine, and excessive – finish tools, and primarily supporting the incubation of early – stage initiatives in the Tiankai High – tech and Education Innovation Park; In November, it collectively established a 1 – billion – yuan particular fund with the Haihe Laboratory of Brain – Computer Interaction and Human – Machine Integration, concentrating on reducing – edge fields resembling mind – pc interfaces and neural engineering, and selling the transformation of scientific analysis outcomes from “laboratory samples” to “market products”. Behind these two funds, there’s not solely the technical assist from Tianjin University’s scientific analysis groups, but in addition the industrial assets from alumni – owned enterprises, and the excessive expectations of native governments for the “university + capital + industry” mannequin.
From “cultivating engineers” to “incubating entrepreneurs”, from “outputting scientific research results” to “cultivating an innovation ecosystem”, Tianjin University’s enterprise capital format is not at all unintentional.
Tianjin University Alumni Queuing for IPO
Over the previous 130 years, Tianjin University has all the time been pushed by the spirit of “promoting education for national prosperity” and has nurtured generations of scholars with the spirit of “seeking truth from facts”. Now, in the IPO observe of the capital market, the “Tianjin University – related group” is rising in a low – key however agency method. From synthetic intelligence to clever manufacturing, from industrial software program to large – information providers, many enterprises led by Tianjin University alumni are queuing as much as enter the inventory market, writing their capital tales with onerous – tech power.
On June fifth, an announcement on the official web site of the Shanghai Stock Exchange attracted consideration: the software for the itemizing of Easy Vision (Hangzhou) Technology Co., Ltd. on the Science and Technology Innovation Board was accepted, with Guotou Securities as the sponsor. This enterprise, specializing in industrial visible clever inspection, has its core expertise originating from the scientific analysis accumulation of the Precision Instrument self-discipline at Tianjin University, and plenty of key members of the founder staff are Tianjin University alumni. Coincidentally, in May this yr, Deep Intelligence Technology, a supplier of huge – mannequin synthetic intelligence software options, submitted its prospectus to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. This enterprise, collectively based by Zhao Jiehui, an alumnus with each undergraduate and postgraduate levels from Tianjin University, and his former colleagues at Huawei, has seen its valuation soar to six.8 billion yuan inside 4 years of its institution, and is backed by greater than a dozen prime – tier establishments resembling Hillhouse Capital, IDG Capital, and Wuyuan Capital.
After graduating with each undergraduate and postgraduate levels in Electrical Engineering and Automation from Tianjin University, Zhao Jiehui labored as the head of the core router staff at Huawei after which transferred to Alibaba Cloud, serving as a senior technical professional and the basic supervisor of the enterprise enterprise division, experiencing the implementation of the “data middle – platform” from idea to actuality. In 2018, Zhao Jiehui and his former Huawei colleague Yang Lei collectively based Deep Intelligence Technology, with the mission of “making technology accessible to all”.
After its institution, Deep Intelligence Technology rapidly targeted on the “full – link data intelligence” observe, offering full – cycle providers from information assortment, governance to evaluation and software for enterprises in the manufacturing, retail and different industries. Based on its income in 2024, Deep Intelligence Technology ranks amongst the prime in the Chinese enterprise – stage giant – mannequin synthetic intelligence software answer market. Its self – developed giant mannequin is the first basic enterprise operation choice – making giant mannequin in the trade to finish twin regulatory filings for deep – synthesis algorithms and generative synthetic intelligence providers. Currently, the firm has initially began its world format, with its enterprise protecting a number of vertical fields resembling consumption, manufacturing, medical care, and transportation, and has established a subsidiary in Hong Kong, planning to increase to necessary areas alongside the “Belt and Road” resembling Southeast Asia and the Middle East in a structured manner.
Now, Deep Intelligence Technology has initiated its itemizing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and is only one step away from getting into the capital market.
If Deep Intelligence Technology represents Tianjin University alumni in the subject of AI purposes, then Easy Vision demonstrates the core power of Tianjin University’s “Precision Instrument” self-discipline.
The core staff of Easy Vision comes from the State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments at Tianjin University. The founder, Guo Yin, and the core technical members have all been deeply concerned in the subject of machine imaginative and prescient for a few years. Among them, Guo Yin holds a doctoral diploma from Tianjin University and has served as a lecturer and a grasp’s supervisor at the School of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering of Tianjin University.
The prospectus exhibits that Easy Vision focuses on the R & D, manufacturing, and gross sales of machine imaginative and prescient tools for vehicle manufacturing, offering machine imaginative and prescient options for numerous technological processes in the manufacturing of vehicle automobiles and components. After years of in – depth growth, the firm has developed greater than a dozen merchandise, reaching giant – scale and systematic purposes in six main technological processes together with stamping, welding, portray, meeting, battery manufacturing, and die – casting, and has develop into a provider to most home car and components producers. In this try to checklist on the Science and Technology Innovation Board, Easy Vision plans to boost 1.2 billion yuan for the building of an industrialization base for industrial visible clever tools and the improve of its R & D middle.
Through the Tianjin University alumni – owned enterprises queuing for IPO, it’s not troublesome to see Tianjin University’s lengthy – time period efforts in the transformation of scientific analysis outcomes and the cultivation of an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Looking again at the 130 – yr milestone, the “alumni IPO group” of Tianjin University could not have the aura of Internet giants, however they’ve the down – to – earth perspective of onerous – tech entrepreneurs.
Tianjin University Enters the VC Field
When “the transformation of scientific and technological achievements” turns into a key nationwide strategic time period and “hard – tech entrepreneurship” turns into a new engine for financial progress, Tianjin University, properly – recognized for its spirit of “seeking truth from facts”, can be getting into the enterprise capital subject in a low – key however agency method.
From the “Beiyang Haitang Fund” spontaneously initiated by alumni in 2017 to the “Brain – Computer Haihe Laboratory Fund” led by the college in 2024, from the 5 – billion – yuan science and expertise innovation mom fund to the particular fund specializing in new vitality, Tianjin University is utilizing the energy of capital to attach laboratories, enterprises, and industries, changing into a “pragmatic school” with distinct engineering traits in the wave of college enterprise capital in China.
The story dates again to 2017. That autumn, the eleventh World Alumni Congress of Tianjin University was held in Changsha. Alumni gathered at the 1895 Coffee Shop to debate innovation and entrepreneurship. Liu Yi, then the president of the Tianjin Alumni Association and the chairman of Jiuan Medical, put ahead a proposal: “Can we set up an alumni fund? Support the entrepreneurship of Tianjin University teachers and students when they are in great need of funds, resources, and connections. Every year, there are many hard – tech entrepreneurship projects at Tianjin University. It’s not easy at the beginning. Are you willing to support them together?”
This proposal was rapidly responded to. Wei Hongkun from Tianchuang Capital, Yang Xiaofeng from Fruit Technology, Su Zhen from Siwen Technology, and He Yongjun from the Science and Technology Innovation Center have been the first to reply. Soon, properly – recognized alumni resembling Ma Ruren from Ren’ai Group, Li Haiping from Lianlong, and Wang Renda from Jiuan Medical additionally joined in… The Beiyang Haitang Venture Capital Fund was thus established.
As acknowledged on its official web site, the Beiyang Haitang Fund is a enterprise capital fund primarily established by Tianjin University alumni entrepreneurs in Tianjin, in cooperation with different alumni entrepreneurs. It focuses on investing in onerous – tech initiatives of, however not restricted to, Tianjin University academics, alumni, and college students. The Beiyang Haitang Fund is dedicated to selling the building of an innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem by means of the fund, discovering, empowering, and investing in a variety of scientific analysis outcomes with industrial and industrial worth, serving to the industrialization of scientific analysis outcomes into merchandise that meet market demand, and selling the formation of the “Stanford + Silicon Valley” mannequin in Tianjin.
Currently, the whole administration scale of the fund exceeds 7.5 billion yuan, and its funding fields embody onerous – tech, synthetic intelligence, organic manufacturing, new vitality, new supplies, and medical and well being – care sectors. It has invested in greater than 50 onerous – tech initiatives primarily based by Tianjin University academics, college students, and alumni, with direct funding and pushed funding totaling practically 5 billion yuan.
On January 20, 2024, the 5 – billion – yuan science and expertise innovation mom fund collectively established by Tiankai Group, Jiuan Medical, Haihe Industrial Fund, the Tianjin University Beiyang Education Development Foundation, and the Beiyang Haitang Fund was formally launched.
It is known that the Beiyang Haitang Fund will intently cooperate with the advantageous disciplines of assorted universities in Tianjin, choose properly – recognized enterprise capital establishments at completely different phases and in completely different fields throughout the nation to arrange seed, angel, science and expertise innovation, and progress sub – funds, and type a fund group with a scale of 15 billion yuan by means of capital allocation, enjoying a important function in elevating funds, discovering initiatives, nurturing initiatives, attracting initiatives, and selling innovation.
Regarding its future blueprint, the fund acknowledged that “in the next five years, we will strive to build an innovation and entrepreneurship carrier of no less than 400,000 square meters, attract 500 science and technology innovation enterprises to settle in, attract and incubate 30 growth – type science and technology enterprises, incubate 10 unicorn enterprises, and gather more than 10,000 young students with dreams and aspirations to start businesses in Tianjin, creating an innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem model with Tianjin University’s characteristics.”
What is much more noteworthy is the launch of the first home particular fund specializing in the growth of the mind – pc interface trade in 2024. This first home particular fund for the growth of the mind – pc interface trade was established by Tianjin University, in cooperation with a number of events resembling the Binhai High – tech Zone Management Committee, the Hexi District Government, China Electronics Data, and the Haihe Industrial Fund, aiming to ascertain an modern funding mannequin of “scientists + entrepreneurs + government + investors”, leveraging social capital to assist the growth of the whole mind – pc trade chain and empowering the speedy progress of begin – up enterprises.
Tianjin University’s enterprise capital format is rarely an remoted motion however an natural a part of the college’s general system for the transformation of scientific analysis outcomes. As is properly – recognized, the transformation of scientific analysis outcomes is a lengthy – time period strategic funding. The breakthrough of bottleneck applied sciences requires the most endurance and funds. Therefore, Tianjin University makes use of the Beiyang Haitang Fund as a hyperlink to attach the 5 – billion – yuan science and expertise innovation mom fund and the 1 – billion – yuan mind – pc particular fund, utilizing “patient capital” to assist the “slow growth” of applied sciences.
Why Tianjin University?
When it involves the transformation of scientific analysis outcomes of Tianjin universities, “Tiankai Park” is an inevitable subject. Its identify is derived from taking one character from the names of Tianjin University and Nankai University, and it additionally implies the idea of “creation by nature”.
This science and expertise innovation provider, formally opened on May 18, 2023, not solely bears the strategic ambition of Tianjin to “develop new – quality productive forces” but in addition embodies the deep expectations of the metropolis – college co – prosperity. It is just not solely a supply of scientific and technological innovation and an incubator of scientific analysis outcomes but in addition an agglomeration space of scientific and technological service assets, fixing the “last – mile” drawback of the transformation of college scientific analysis outcomes with its “hard – core ecosystem”.
In the previous, the transformation of scientific analysis outcomes of Tianjin universities confronted sensible difficulties: scattered scientific analysis platforms, problem in assembly enterprise calls for, scarcity of pilot – scale assets, and a lack of monetary assist… When planning Tiankai Park, the official pointed straight at the ache factors: “Tianjin is rich in science and education resources, but the innovation and entrepreneurship platforms of universities are scattered, the science and technology innovation service resources are insufficient, and the combination of scientific research and industries is not close.” The institution of Tiankai Park is to reconstruct the innovation ecosystem with “physical space + institutional design”.
Focusing on 5 main providers of “government affairs, science and technology innovation, finance, business, and knowledge”, Tiankai Park improves the assist system of “laws + policies + supporting measures + detailed rules”, relieving difficulties for a lot of begin – up enterprises and scientific analysis skills. At the similar time, it has launched properly – recognized incubation establishments resembling Tus – Star and Zhixin, incubating and cultivating greater than 100 enterprises in fields resembling synthetic intelligence, large information, and medical gadgets.
Since its institution in 2023, Tiankai Park has arrange 41 funds with a whole scale of 19.63 billion yuan, driving enterprises to acquire 2.427 billion yuan in funding and financing. With the assist of monetary “water”, a variety of science and expertise innovation enterprises have accelerated their R & D and manufacturing.
Zhao Yulong, the director of the Tianjin Financial Regulatory Bureau, stated that in the previous two years, Tianjin has constantly guided monetary establishments to intently align with the key industrial chains in Tianjin, specializing in scientific and technological self – reliance and self – power, constructing a “1 + N” pilot radiation space centered round Tiankai Park, and selling a constructive cycle of “science and technology – industry – finance”.
Now, a variety of scientific analysis outcomes are being quickly reworked in Tiankai Park, and plenty of Tianjin University college students are concerned. For instance, Feiman Power, a expertise – switch enterprise of Tianjin University, has efficiently accomplished a number of rounds of financing from establishments resembling Hillhouse Capital. Relying on greater than seven years of technological accumulation of the sustainable new supplies R & D staff at Tianjin University, Yongxu New Materials has presently constructed a meals – grade nanocellulose manufacturing line with an annual output of 30,000 tons…
The “Tianjin University imprint” in Tiankai Park is deeply rooted in the genes of this century – previous engineering – robust college.
In 1895, in the aftermath of the Sino – Japanese War, Sheng Xuanhuai proposed the institution of the Peiyang University beside the Haihe River in Tianjin. As the first fashionable college in fashionable Chinese historical past, it was based with the goal of “the path to self – strength lies in cultivating talents; the first step in seeking talents is to establish schools”, sowing the seeds of science throughout the battle – torn years.
130 years later, the former Peiyang University, now generally known as Tianjin University, nonetheless makes use of the college motto of “seeking truth from facts” as a guiding gentle, writing a new legend of “strengthening the nation through engineering” in onerous – tech fields resembling new vitality and new supplies. When we surprise “why Tianjin University” can stand out in the transformation of scientific analysis outcomes and the incubation of rising industries, the reply is already written in its historic genes, disciplinary accumulation, and sense of duty in the period.
Tianjin University’s confidence first comes from its 130 – yr in – depth growth in numerous disciplines. From the institution of the first chemical engineering division in China in 1934 to the contribution to the increased schooling of New China throughout the division adjustment in 1952, from being included in the “211” and “985” initiatives after the reform and opening – thus far being firmly ranked amongst the Class A universities in the “Double First – Class” initiative, Tianjin University has all the time been the “ballast stone” of engineering schooling in China.
Now, with the wave of the transformation of scientific analysis outcomes, the funding fashion in the major market is shifting in the direction of “investing in early – stage, small – scale, and technology – driven projects”, and Chinese universities are getting nearer to VC. Tianjin University, which has entered the VC subject,