Chongqing Medical University Innovation Ecosystem Project Signing Ceremony and International Advanced Medical Technology Innovation Summit Held in Chongqing

On April 10, the signing ceremony for projects within the Chongqing Medical University Innovation Ecosystem and the International Summit on Advanced Medical Technology Innovation, co-hosted by the Chongqing Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, the People’s Government of Yuzhong District, and Chongqing Medical University, was held in Chongqing. Li Dianxun, Vice Mayor of the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government, attended the event and delivered a speech. This event constituted a key component of the series of thematic activities under the Chongqing Medical University Innovation Ecosystem. A reporter from VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) attended and covered the event in its entirety.

Building an innovation ecosystem around universities is a key initiative to effectively connect university innovation resources with the market, optimize the innovation and entrepreneurship environment surrounding universities, and promote the transfer and commercialization of university research achievements. The innovation ecosystem around Chongqing Medical University will leverage venture capital as a link to establish a system centered on Chongqing Medical University, comprising “one center, one cluster, one chain, and one fund.”

Among them, the “One Center” refers to the International Medical Innovation Center, which promotes the transfer and commercialization of scientific research achievements by establishing a professionally leading incubation and acceleration platform for international medical innovation projects;

“The First Cluster” is a medical services cluster that, modeled after the “Medical Mall” concept, brings together top-tier professional healthcare institutions from both China and abroad to enhance the medical service system;

“The One Chain” refers to the medical services industry chain, which is improved by attracting upstream and downstream enterprises within the sector.

“The One Fund” refers to the Medical Innovation Development Fund, which establishes a guiding fund for medical innovation development to attract outstanding domestic and international investment institutions to participate in fund-of-funds and investment operations.

At this event, the Chongqing International Medical Innovation Center signed agreements to introduce 22 projects. Among them, Cardiovascular, a company co-founded by Professor David Lee, a U.S. Nobel Laureate, has developed a globally pioneering innovative technology that utilizes physical magnetofluidic methods to treat hypertension. CorAlert, established by a top-tier expert team from Israel’s Ziv Medical Center, has developed an innovative non-invasive test for heart failure, enabling early warning of patients’ heart failure conditions. Additionally, four projects from Chongqing Medical University were signed at the event. Notably, Chongqing Rongan Medical Co., Ltd., founded by the orthopedic expert team of Chongqing Medical University, officially settled in the center with its medical device project focused on personalized 3D diagnosis and treatment of foot conditions.

Meanwhile, the Sinopharm Medical Device Research Institute signed agreements to introduce 14 new companies in the medical industry chain. These include Chongqing Zhongkang Cloud Technology Co., Ltd., which is dedicated to building a medical Internet of Things (IoT) platform; Tianjin Dexiang Biotechnology Co., Ltd., a leader in domestically produced blood transfusion testing equipment technology; and Beijing Dewei Medical Company, a pioneer in contract research organization (CRO) services for medical device R&D in China. In addition, four biomedical venture capital funds were signed and established within the Innovation Ecosystem around Chongqing Medical University, with a total fund size of RMB 2.1 billion. The signing of these projects marks significant new progress in the development of the Innovation Ecosystem around Chongqing Medical University.

At the Summit on International Advanced Medical Technology Innovation, Professor Mao Xianguang, Vice President of Stanford University Hospital, delivered a keynote address titled “The Rise of Asia and the Driving Force Changing the World: Global Health Services Economics.” Mr. Liu Hui, Dean of the Chongqing National Pharmaceutical Equipment Research Institute, presented a keynote speech titled “Innovation and Sharing Are Essential for the Development of Medical Devices.” Ms. Zeng Yongqin, Senior Director of Innovation at Philips Healthcare Innovation Works, and Mr. Sun Xiaolu, Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP), delivered keynote addresses on innovation-driven medical industry development and healthcare technology investment, respectively.

Centered on the abundant clinical, teaching, and research resources of Chongqing Medical University and its affiliated hospitals, the Chongqing Medical University Innovation Ecosystem Circle strengthens the “three major pillars” of technology, capital, and innovation ecosystem. It aggregates innovation elements such as technology, talent, universities, and enterprises to foster positive interactions among them, thereby building an internationally competitive innovation ecosystem for the medical and health industry. This initiative aims to bridge the “last mile” in the translation of university scientific achievements into practical applications, facilitating the structural transformation and upgrading of Chongqing’s medical and health industry.

Over a two- to three-year development period, the Chongqing Medical University Innovation Ecosystem will emerge as a dynamic healthcare innovation hub in western China, a premier medical services district, and a comprehensive cluster for both the healthcare industry and venture capital.