It is informed on April 8th that Yichang has built 176 various types of scientific research platforms at all levels. Among them 58 are provincial engineering and technological research centers, 30 are provincial school-enterprise joint research centers, 88 are municipal engineering and technological research centers, topping all cities in Hubei province in total.

　　In recent years, after its establishment with Angel Group as the core, Hubei Yeast Engineering Technology Research Center has undertaken 78 national and provincial scientific research projects successively, winning two awards in national science and technology, 22 awards in provincial scientific and technology and 182 authorized invent patents. Supported by Xingfa Group as the core at the time of establishment, Hubei Fine Chemical Engineering Technology Research Center has undertaken and completed 20 national and provincial science and technology projects. At present, Angel Group is actively applying for the construction of national yeast technology innovation center.

　　In addition, Yichang are vigorously setting up platforms for innovation and entrepreneurship. By far, it has constructed or is constructing 38 business incubators and shared work spaces for start-ups of all kinds, among which four are national business incubators, five are national shared work spaces for start-ups and more than 1100 are incubated enterprises. As for science and technology financing platforms, there are already 30 specialized institutions for science and technology entrepreneurship investment and finance. Last year, Yichang has issued loans of 0.12 billion at 32 times for fiscal, science and technology innovation, an increase of 133 percent on a year-on-year basis. The “Small and Fast Loan” products launched by Yichang’s first bank of science and technology, namely China Construction Bank Yichang Hi-tech Branch, has gained more than 800 credit customers with the credit line exceeding 0.28 billion yuan

　　Yichang is also reported to have carried out “Sci-tech SMEs Innovation and Growth Project” and “High-tech Enterprise Multiplier Project”. The number of national hi-tech enterprises has increased to 382, hi-tech products for registration increased to 842 and the added value for hi-tech industries reached 40.641 billion yuan.（Reporter, Gaowei）