An aerial photo of the Optics Valley of China. [Photo/Optics Valley of China]

On Feb 27, the Optics Valley Investment Promotion Convention was held in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone (also known as Optics Valley of China, or OVC).

In 2023, the valley oversaw a total industrial project fund of 64.6 billion yuan ($8.0 billion) and a direct foreign investment of $680 million, all ranking first in Wuhan. During this time, it also secured the landing of six 10-billion-yuan projects.

At the convention, it was proposed that the valley focus on five major industrial sectors, as well as 11 key industrial chains, in order to comprehensively develop. These sectors are optoelectronic information, life and health, intelligent terminals, emerging and future industries, and modern services.

Nowadays, the competition for investment promotion between cities has expanded from a simple policy comparison to a competition of business environments and comprehensive capabilities. Factors such as infrastructure and public services have also become important considerations for businesses.

In terms of investment promotion, there is a growing preference for comprehensive cost advantages, as well as new investment models, such as investments based on application scenarios and capital.

Additionally, investment promotion now involves not only project attraction, but also enterprise cultivation and enterprise services, which requires cooperation across multiple government departments.

The Optics Valley of China has fully launched five major themed investment promotion methods that target industrial chains, capital, application scenarios, talent and innovation, and industrial ecosystems.

By leveraging AI technology, the OVC will integrate comprehensive industrial data, evaluate investment promotion targets, intelligently calculate investment promotion paths, and establish a dynamic, precise, convenient, and efficient investment promotion platform.

Through its high-level innovation platforms, the valley is introducing projects led by top scientists, supporting cooperation between key enterprises and provincial labs, and jointly introducing projects led by industry leaders and projects that solve technological bottlenecks.