The Dawn of Smart Diagnostics: Baoshan District Strengthens Leadership with New Platform and IPO Filing

The Wave of AI-Powered Diagnostics in China Is Sweeping In.

Smart Diagnosis refers to a patient-centered approach that addresses actual clinical needs by applying technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) to medical diagnostic scenarios—including medical imaging, laboratory testing, and pathological diagnosis—thereby enhancing diagnostic efficiency and quality.

In recent years, significant advancements in technologies such as 5G, big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence have laid a solid technical foundation for the rapid development of the smart diagnostics industry.

China has elevated the digital economy to a position of strategic national importance, proposing the deep integration of digital technologies—such as the internet, big data, and artificial intelligence—with the real economy to foster the development of the digital economy and build a Digital China. Meanwhile, in July 2021, the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) issued new regulations on the classification of AI-based medical software, further optimizing the regulatory approval environment for intelligent diagnostic products.

During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the integration of digital intelligence technologies with the healthcare industry played a pivotal role. The digital health sector, particularly the intelligent diagnostics industry, experienced significant growth during this period.

Furthermore, the uneven distribution of medical resources and the significant shortage of healthcare professionals, such as pathologists, are also key factors driving the rapid transition of the medical diagnostics industry into the era of smart healthcare.

Smart diagnosis aligns closely with the tiered diagnosis and treatment policy and the Digital China initiative. VCBeat believes that smart diagnosis will become an inevitable trend in the future, with the potential to emerge as the mainstream approach in the field of medical diagnostics.

Driven by the dual forces of policy and demand, intelligent diagnostics has become a hot sector within the healthcare industry, attracting significant attention from the government, investors, enterprises, and other stakeholders. Among them, Baoshan District in Shanghai, as an emerging powerhouse in China’s intelligent diagnostics industry, has made extensive and in-depth strategic deployments in this field.

In 2020, the Shanghai Municipal Committee assigned Baoshan District the strategic task of building the main stronghold for the Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Center. At the 8th Party Congress of Baoshan District, the district established “building the main stronghold for the Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Center” as its core development strategy for the next five years and beyond. With a focus on strengthening the transformation and industrialization of scientific and technological achievements as a breakthrough point, Baoshan aims to cultivate differentiated competitiveness. It is systematically addressing issues related to mechanisms, spatial resources, funding, and industry, striving to build a highland for science and technology innovation characterized by prominent functions, dynamic factors, talent aggregation, and high-end industries.

It is worth noting that,Accelerating the establishment of the intelligent diagnostics industry in Baoshan District is one of the key measures for Baoshan to build itself as the main hub of Shanghai’s Science and Technology Innovation Center.“Smart diagnostics and Baoshan District’s characteristic industries—namely new materials, biopharmaceuticals, intelligent manufacturing, and next-generation information technology—can mutually support and integrate with one another, which holds significant importance for advancing Baoshan District’s development into a science and technology innovation center,” stated Liu Jianzhong, Director of the Baoshan District Science and Technology Commission.

Baoshan District has been focusing on the smart diagnostics industry for many years, committed to establishing it as a distinctive hallmark of the district, and has undertaken multiple initiatives in this field. In 2017, Baoshan attracted Hengdao Pathology, a leading domestic enterprise in smart pathological diagnosis, to set up operations there. Currently, the district has gathered a cohort of digital and intelligent enterprises, including Tushu Gene and Little Turtle Technology. Meanwhile, Baoshan’s Nanda Smart City is actively fostering emerging artificial intelligence industries.

To promote the development of emerging industries such as smart diagnostics, Baoshan District has proposed“The most comprehensive system, the most transparent policies, the most streamlined processes, and the most robust support””guidelines, providing comprehensive support to foster the growth and expansion of the intelligent diagnostics industry in Baoshan District, including land allocation for projects, rental subsidies, financial assistance for enterprise development, financial service support, talent aggregation guarantees, support for technological innovation, support for the development of specialized industrial parks, support for digital transformation, and incentives for investment promotion.

Particularly in the realms of digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI), Baoshan District strongly encourages enterprises to leverage AI and other technologies to drive their digital transformation and upgrading. For projects included in the municipal-level demonstration application category, Baoshan District provides support of up to RMB 30 million. For projects recognized at the municipal level as benchmarks in areas such as unmanned factories, unmanned production lines, unmanned workshops, smart business districts, and intelligent diagnostics, support of up to RMB 5 million is provided.

In the second half of 2020, Baoshan District further intensified its support for the intelligent diagnostics industry, taking a significant step forward.

“Last year, Baoshan District elevated the enabling role of digital transformation in industrial transformation to an unprecedented level. As a key component of digital transformation, intelligent diagnostics naturally received heightened attention,” stated Director Liu Jianzhong.

Therefore, in August 2020, the Baoshan District Science and Technology Commission issued a document to establish“Baoshan District Functional Platform for R&D and Translation of Intelligent Diagnostic Medicine”, aiming to achieve the research, development, and commercialization of smart healthcare technologies and products, build a service platform for the industrialization of medical technological achievements, and promote industrial transformation and upgrading.

“If Baoshan District’s previous layout in the intelligent diagnostics industry consisted of scattered points, the establishment of the Baoshan District Functional Platform for R&D and Translation in Intelligent Diagnostic Medicine signifies”Baoshan District has entered a platform-based development stage in the intelligent diagnostics industry.”said Director Liu Jianzhong.

According to reports, the Baoshan District Intelligent Diagnostic Medicine R&D and Translation Functional Platform willFocus on Building AI Infrastructure for Healthcare, including a fully digitalized intelligent pathology big data platform. By building high-quality datasets and AI training resource libraries, we attract research projects for development and initiation. Focusing on “Intelligent AI, Precision Diagnosis, and Medical Translation,” we promote open collaboration of innovative resources, achieve the R&D and translation of smart healthcare technologies and products, and build a service platform for the industrialization of medical technological achievements.

The platform will also fullyLeverage the Aggregation of R&D Resources, attracting R&D teams from renowned universities, research institutes, hospitals, and enterprises to conduct theoretical research, technology development, and industry-academia-research-application activities in medical big data, artificial intelligence, and their applications based on the platform.

Furthermore, the platform willPromote the industrialization of R&D outcomes generated by the projects.Leverage the nationwide diagnostic medicine network formed by enterprises such as Hengdao Pathology within the platform to implement and apply outcomes including auxiliary diagnostic algorithms/systems, drug R&D support software, and intelligent diagnostic hardware generated by the platform.

For enterprises and institutions, the risk of R&D failure, high costs for R&D funding and equipment procurement, and lengthy development cycles all pose significant obstacles to research and development. Director Liu Jianzhong stated, “Baoshan District will provide a series of support measures, including financial subsidies and financial services, to enterprises and institutions stationed within the platform. Leveraging this platform,”Tenant enterprises and institutions can effectively reduce R&D expenses and save capital on equipment purchases. Meanwhile, by leveraging shared R&D resources, they can avoid redundant research efforts, improve the success rate of R&D, and shorten the R&D cycle.”

It is reported that Hengdao Pathology, as a representative enterprise within the Baoshan District’s functional platform for the research, development, and translation of smart diagnostic medicine, began laying out its strategy in artificial intelligence-assisted technologies at its inception, aiming to promote homogeneity, consistency, and reliability in pathological diagnosis standards. It has now become the only comprehensive entity in China with full-spectrum pathology services and supporting capabilities, having developed a 5G-enabled, general-practice digital smart pathology solution.

Director Liu Jianzhong stated, “For the Functional Platform for R&D and Translation of Intelligent Diagnostic Medicine in Baoshan District, detailed construction requirements and standards have been formulated by the district. Moving forward, we will continue to strengthen support for the platform.”We believe that this platform will play a significant role in empowering the development of Baoshan’s intelligent diagnostics industry, thereby supporting the construction of Shanghai’s main hub for scientific and technological innovation.”

“We hope that the Baoshan District Functional Platform for R&D and Translation in Intelligent Diagnostic Medicine will continue to expand, deepen, and strengthen its capabilities, attracting more enterprises, hospitals, research institutions, and academic institutions to join. By gathering more intelligent diagnostics companies and organizations, we aim to jointly promote the rapid development of intelligent diagnostics and benefit patients.”

Baoshan District Hosts

“2021 Smart Diagnosis Achievement Transformation and Industrial Innovation Forum”

and establish the “China Smart Diagnostic Medicine List”

To further promote the robust development of the smart diagnostics industry and maximize the utilization of industry-academia-research resources in the field of diagnostics against the backdrop of digital transformation,The 2021 Smart Diagnostic Achievement Transformation and Industrial Innovation Forum will be held in Baoshan District on January 9, 2022.

The 2021 Smart Diagnostic Technology Transfer and Industrial Innovation Forum was organized byGuided by the Shanghai Baoshan District Science and Technology Commission and the Administrative Committee of Shanghai Baoshan High-Tech Industrial Park, organized by the Baoshan Intelligent Diagnostic Medicine R&D and Translation Functional Platform and VCBeat VB100, and undertaken by HistoMed N-Media.

Through keynote speeches, list unveilings, report releases, and roundtable discussions, the forum brings together academicians, government officials, industry experts, leaders of innovative enterprises, and high-end resources from the innovation ecosystem in the field of smart diagnostics. It aims to establish a premier domestic platform for smart diagnostics industry seminars, a hub for releasing industry trends, and a gathering place for top-tier industry talent.

Scan the QR code above to register for the conference.

The conference will focus on the digital transformation and technological innovation of the smart diagnostics industry. It will invite distinguished guests, including academicians, leaders from national ministries and commissions, research experts, hospital presidents, clinical specialists, and leaders of innovative enterprises. These experts will provide in-depth insights from multiple dimensions—policy, technology, market, and capital—on topics such as development trends, the evolution of frontier technologies, AI-assisted diagnosis, tumor immunotherapy and diagnostics, pathological pharmaceutical R&D, and the localization of in vitro diagnostics, to jointly explore industry development and collaboration.

Meanwhile, the conference will unveil“China Smart Diagnostic Medicine List”Rankings Announcement: Unveiling lists in three niche sectors—high-end medical imaging equipment, digital intelligent assisted diagnosis, and innovative in vitro diagnostics (high-throughput sequencing)—and presenting awards to the listed companies.

The China Smart Diagnostic Medicine Ranking is byGuided and promoted by the Shanghai Baoshan District Science and Technology Commission and the Administrative Committee of Shanghai Baoshan High-Tech Industrial Park, this initiative is jointly launched by the Baoshan Smart Diagnostic Medicine R&D and Translation Functional Platform, VB100, VCBeat, and Eggshell Research Institute.China’s ranking of unlisted enterprises in the field of intelligent diagnostic medicine, aimed at selecting Chinese innovators who truly represent the future of intelligent diagnostic medicine, identifying the core forces driving China’s future intelligent diagnostic medicine industry, promoting innovation and transformation in the sector, and supporting scientific research exploration and clinical medical practice.

The ranking will invite five industry experts and five investors from well-known domestic investment institutions to form the evaluation committee. Based on clinical practical application and capital attention, supplemented by considerations of media focus, annual performance data热度 of healthcare enterprises, and future industry development prosperity, the committee will重点 consider the annual performance of participating enterprises in terms of R&D teams, R&D investment, R&D methods, areas of focus, progress of products under development, performance of marketed products, and clinical practical application, to selectTop 10 High-End Medical Imaging Equipment, Top 10 Digital Intelligent Computer-Aided Diagnosis, Top 10 Innovative In Vitro Diagnostics – High-Throughput Sequencing, listed companies will enjoy the recommendation of VCBeat VB100's full community resources, be invited to attend the forum and participate in the award ceremony.

Scan the QR code above to participate in the 2021 China Smart Diagnostic Medicine List submission

Conference Agenda (Draft)

Going forward, the Forum on the Transformation of Smart Diagnostic Achievements and Industrial Innovation will be held on a continuing basis, and the China Smart Diagnostic Medicine Ranking will be published permanently, so as to promote the continuous development of China’s smart diagnostics industry and drive the innovative integration of industry, academia, research, and application across the entire value chain of the smart diagnostics field.