Zhongyuan's First Symposium on Synthetic Biology Technology Innovation Successfully Held; Zhongyuan Yuze Officially Unveiled!

July 26,The 2024 Central China’s First Forum on Technological Innovation and Development in Synthetic Biology, along with the Unveiling Ceremony of Henan Zhongyuan Yuze Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Was Successfully Held in Zhengzhou。

Guided by the Administrative Committee of Zhengzhou High-Tech Industrial Development Zone and Henan Innovation Investment Group Co., Ltd., hosted by Henan Zhongyuan Yuze Biotechnology Co., Ltd., and co-organized by Zhengzhou High-Tech Industry Investment Group Co., Ltd. and Henan Investment Group Huirong Fund Management Co., Ltd., this forum aims to promote technological innovation, cooperation, and exchange in synthetic biology, providing a platform for shared learning and knowledge exchange.

The conference invited renowned experts, scholars, and entrepreneurs in the field of synthetic biology technology innovation from across China. Attendees included Zheng Yuguo, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Shi Weichen, Honorary Chairman of the China Bio-fermentation Industry Association; Chen Ning, Professor at the School of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology; Hu Jun, Deputy Mayor of Zhengzhou Municipal People’s Government; Guo Chengming, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Administrative Committee of Zhengzhou High-tech Industrial Development Zone; Wang Demin, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Zhengzhou High-tech Industrial Development Zone; Song Xiangjun, Chairman of Henan Innovation Investment Group; Chen Lan, General Manager of Henan Innovation Group and Chairman of Huirong Fund; Ge Dangqiao, Deputy General Manager of Henan Innovation Investment Group; and Chen Jinge, General Manager of Zhengzhou High-tech Industrial Investment Group, among others.

In addition, the event was attended by more than 100 guests from government agencies, leading research institutes in the field of synthetic biology, renowned industry experts, investment firms, industrial partners, and media representatives. They witnessed the unveiling ceremony of Henan Zhongyuan Yuze Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Zhongyuan Yuze”) and jointly discussed the importance and strategic significance of technological innovation in synthetic biology for driving economic development, improving social well-being, and addressing global challenges.

At the commencement of the event, Guo Chengming, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Administrative Committee of Zhengzhou High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, and Academician Zheng Yuguo of the Chinese Academy of Engineering jointly unveiled the plaque for Zhongyuan Yuze.

Unveiling Ceremony

Zhongyuan Yuze, established on December 12, 2023, is headquartered in the Zhengzhou High-Tech Industrial Development Zone. With a Hangzhou branch and a Hebi subsidiary, the company is an innovative enterprise dedicated to green bio-manufacturing of high-value-added products. Its core R&D team comprises experts from prestigious institutions such as the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Zhejiang University of Technology; and Tianjin University of Science and Technology, with expertise spanning enzyme engineering, metabolic engineering, and fermentation engineering.

Leveraging the expertise of Academician Zheng Yuguo’s team at Zhejiang University of Technology, Zhongyuan Yuze focuses its research and development on two key areas: key enzyme preparations and high-value-added amino acids. By employing modern biotechnologies such as synthetic biology, the company constructs engineered strains and technical systems better suited for large-scale production, continuously breaking through core bottlenecks in the biomanufacturing industry to produce high-end enzyme preparations, functional foods, and pharmaceutical chemicals.。

Currently, the company’s core business focuses on two major product categories: enzyme preparations and amino acids. It has established two technological innovation platforms, along with platforms for achievement commercialization and management services, in Zhengzhou and Hangzhou. Notably, the company is constructing a pilot-scale and production base in Hebi, Henan Province, with mass production expected to be achieved by the end of the year. Leveraging its technological advantages and team expertise, Zhongyuan Yuze secured tens of millions of yuan in seed funding from the Huirong Gewu Fund, a special synthetic biology industry fund under Henan Investment Group, at its inception.

At the unveiling ceremony, Cao Huajie, General Manager of Zhongyuan Yuze, delivered a speech. He stated, “The establishment of Zhongyuan Yuze is the result of a mutual convergence between capital and innovation. The company set up its headquarters in Zhengzhou at the end of 2023, and future product manufacturing will prioritize leveraging Henan’s biomanufacturing capacity, thereby facilitating the quality improvement and upgrading of Henan’s traditional advantageous industries, such as bio-fermentation.”

Chen Lan, General Manager of Henan Innovation Group and Chairman of Huirong Fund, stated, “First and foremost, we extend our gratitude to the team led by Academician Zheng Yuguo for their support. The introduction of Academician Zheng Yuguo’s project to Zhengzhou represents not only a new endeavor in the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements but also a successful case of collaboration with the Zhengzhou High-Tech Industrial Development Zone. Moving forward, Henan Innovation Investment Group will continue to leverage its multi-dimensional industrial resources to provide sustained empowerment for the rapid development of Zhongyuan Yuze, helping it become a flagship enterprise in China’s synthetic biology sector and driving the robust growth of the bioeconomy in Zhengzhou and across Henan Province.”

At the 2024 Central Plains Inaugural Forum on Technological Innovation and Development in Synthetic Biology, Wang Demin, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Zhengzhou High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, delivered an address. He stated, “Currently, Henan’s synthetic biology industry is in a preparatory phase preceding rapid growth and at a critical juncture for ‘changing lanes to take the lead.’ The forum aims to foster deep integration between academia and industry by establishing a high-level platform for exchange and cooperation, jointly exploring technological innovations in synthetic biology and their practical applications. By seizing significant opportunities for the development of our province’s bioeconomy, we will collectively drive scientific and technological innovation as well as industrial advancement in the High-Tech Zone and across Henan Province, thereby injecting new vitality into the development of synthetic biology in China.”

Hu Jun, Deputy Mayor of the Zhengzhou Municipal People’s Government, delivered a speech in which he pointed out that synthetic biology, as the core technology of the biomanufacturing industry, has become a critical battleground for the new round of industrial upgrading. To leverage regional advantages and build distinctive, competitive industrial clusters, Zhengzhou is implementing the Special Action Plan of Henan Province for Cultivating and Strengthening the Synthetic Biology Industry Chain. By focusing on extending, supplementing, and strengthening the synthetic biology industry chain, the city aims to promote the clustering and agglomeration of enterprises, striving to become a leading city in the synthetic biology sector. He expressed his hope that Zhongyuan Yuze would capitalize on Zhengzhou’s abundant scientific research resources and solid industrial foundation, focus on the research, development, and application of synthetic biology technologies, and strive to establish itself as an internationally influential innovation platform and industrial base for synthetic biology, thereby making significant contributions to technological innovation and industrial development in Zhengzhou and even across Henan Province.

Song Xiangjun, Chairman of Henan Innovation Investment Group, stated, “Currently, Henan Innovation Investment Group has contributed capital to the National Center for Synthetic Biology Technology Innovation. In April 2022, through its Huirong Fund, the Group established China’s first industrial fund dedicated to the synthetic biology sector—the Huirong Gewu Fund—with a target size of RMB 1.5 billion. By focusing on disruptive technological achievements in the industry, the fund leverages capital operations to deepen the ‘dual recruitment and dual introduction’ initiative (attracting both talent and investment), thereby building new quality productive forces for scientific and technological innovation in Henan Province. Looking ahead, the Innovation Group will continue to strengthen in-depth cooperation with Zhengzhou City and the High-Tech Industrial Development Zone. With strong support from the Henan Provincial Department of Finance and the Investment Group, we will integrate synthetic biology technologies to establish the ‘Zhengzhou Model’ for the commercialization of the synthetic biology industry. We are committed to providing full-process empowerment by ‘introducing scientific and technological achievements, connecting industrial chains, and fostering ecological agglomeration,’ thus thoroughly implementing the strategy of ‘bringing intelligence and technology into Henan.’”

Mr. Shi Weichen, Honorary Chairman of the China Bio-Fermentation Industry Association, delivered a keynote presentation titled “Current Status and Development Trends of China’s Amino Acid Industry.” He pointed out that, as a key pillar of the bio-fermentation industry, the amino acid sector has evolved into a large and diverse industrial cluster characterized by a wide product portfolio, comprehensive categories, advanced technological capabilities, and broad application across numerous fields. With continuously expanding application areas and steadily rising annual demand for amino acids and their derivative products, the sector presents promising market prospects. In response, powerful conglomerates from various industries worldwide are increasingly entering the amino acid market, while established amino acid manufacturers are also pursuing aggressive growth strategies. These dynamics have further intensified the industry’s boom and heightened competitive pressures. Currently, new players continue to enter the amino acid industry, leading to significant changes in capacity allocation and market segmentation compared with the past. A new round of market competition and industry consolidation is thus underway.

Academician Zheng Yuguo of the Chinese Academy of Engineering delivered a keynote speech titled “Development and Innovation in Biomanufacturing.” He pointed out that biomanufacturing is an innovative model for industrial production, which mediates material transformation through cells and their components, utilizes microbial cells and enzymes for material processing, and produces various products required by humans. As a new type of “Industrial Revolution,” biomanufacturing is transforming the way materials are produced, achieving significant innovations in raw materials, manufacturing engineering, and product properties. In the future, biomanufacturing will become a new engine for global economic development. Its innovation, development, and application are strategic priorities for advancing the biomanufacturing industry, helping to improve production efficiency and achieve low-cost manufacturing of high-value products. Green and efficient biomanufacturing technologies will support the sustainable, high-quality, and healthy development of the economy and society, underpinning the promising vision for the future development of the bioindustry.

Subsequently, moderated by Du Jun, Vice President of Tsingke Biotechnology, a distinguished panel comprising Zheng Yuguo, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Shi Weichen, Honorary Chairman of the China Bio-Fermentation Industry Association; Chen Ning, Professor at the School of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology; Ge Dangqiao, Deputy General Manager of Henan Innovation Investment Group; and Chen Jinge, General Manager of Zhengzhou High-Tech Industrial Investment Group, engaged in an insightful discussion on the critical topic of “Exploring New Pathways for Developing New Quality Productive Forces in Biomanufacturing.” Drawing on industry trends and pain points, the guests collectively explored strategies and challenges involved in propelling synthetic biology from basic research to industrial application, offering new perspectives for its future development.

On the day of the event, the Administrative Committee of Zhengzhou High-Tech Industrial Development Zone officially signed an agreement with Zhongyuan Yuze for a high-end amino acid project. The two parties will engage in in-depth cooperation that is “innovative, green, and high-value,” jointly supporting Henan Province in building a hub for the biomanufacturing industry.

Project Signing Ceremony