Officials from the Hubei Provincial People's Government release the 2021 list of the top 100 high-tech firms Hubei. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

The 2021 list of the top 100 provincial high-tech enterprises was announced recently at a meeting held in Central China's Hubei province. A total of 70 companies in Wuhan made the list, 34 of which are located in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone (also known as Optics Valley of China, or OVC).

By the end of 2021, Hubei was home to more than 14,560 high-tech corporations, nearly twice the number two years ago. A total of 63 percent of these are located in Wuhan, and there are plans to register an additional 4,000 firms in the province this year.

According to Li Yong, president of the Hubei Academy of Scientific and Technical Information, the average amount spent on research by the 100 firms stands at 350 million yuan ($55.2 million), they employ an average of 661 research personnel, and their average number of per-capita invention patents is 169, 36 times more than the average among all high-tech firms in Hubei.

As a high-tech powerhouse in Hubei, OVC's number of high-tech firms has exceeded 4,200, accounting for about 30 percent of the provincial total and around 50 percent of Wuhan's total. Last year, by issuing 10 policies on the high-tech sector and optimizing government services in the recognition of firms, the valley recognized 1,811 corporations as high-tech companies, with the added value of the high-tech industry surging by 21.1 percent.

Meanwhile, 3,045 scientific and technological enterprises have been placed on a list for consideration as a high-tech firm applicant.

The OVC government has pledged that in 2022, at least 250 million yuan in financial funds will be utilized for the sustainable development of high-tech firms.