The inauguration ceremony for the innovation and entrepreneurship service center for overseas returnees in the YRD is held in Hefei on Oct 21. [Photo/WeChat account: hefeigaoxinfabu]

The Yangtze River Delta (YRD) Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center of the China Western Returned Scholars Association was officially established in the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone on Oct 21.

The center will help overseas returnees innovate and start businesses in the YRD and promote the integrated development of the YRD.

It also plans to incubate at least 30 new projects focusing on the artificial intelligence, electronic information, and health industries by 2022 and offer support related to R&D, housing, and living allowances, according to a three-year plan for the development of the center released during the inauguration ceremony.

The Western Returned Scholars Associations of Anhui, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang plan to pool their resources and provide various services, such as policy interpretations, investment, and financing docking, as well as professional guidance for startups, through the center.

The ceremony also marked the launch of the first innovation and entrepreneurship competition of the Western Returned Scholars Association, which is meant to attract high-quality projects carried out by overseas returnees.