A few days ago, Immuno-Oncology Summit, a benchmark meeting in the field of global tumor immunity, was held in Philadelphia, USA. On the scene of gathering experts from head organizations in the academic field, He Wei, the founder of Zevi Bio, an enterprise in Jiangbei New Area of Nanjing, took the stage as a representative of the industry to give a speech.
At the beginning, the starting point of this "high light road" was Jiangsu Nanchuang Institute of Chemistry and Life and Health (hereinafter referred to as "Nanchuang Institute").In recent years, not only Zevi, but also many other "dark horse" enterprises have started from Nanchuang Research Institute and gone to the forefront of various sub-tracks.
nowadays
Nanchuang Research Institute has been in Jiangbei New District
Incubated over 30 companies
A new path of "research, production and utilization".
It also extends forward
From a new technology to a new business
Jiang Xiaozhong, chairman of Nanchuang Research Institute, was deeply impressed by He Wei. This doctor from Peking University had been looking for opportunities in Shanghai and Hangzhou, and even borrowed a friend's lab to "play guerrilla". In the end, he came to Jiangbei New District alone and set up a core team in half a year with the help of Nanchuang Research Institute.
"Good projects are often most overlooked by everyone in the early stages, but we saw the tenacity in He Wei and appraised his new technology in a professional manner. We believe this project will grow one day." Jiang Xiaozhong said.Today, with Zevi Bio, He Wei has completed a ten million dollar financing in just one year and is gradually setting his sights on the world.
From a new technology to a new enterprise, such stories happen from time to time in Nanchuang Research Institute. As a new research and development organization formed by the team of academician Guo Zijian of Nanjing University, Yakushi Science and Technology and Biomedical Valley of Jiangbei New Area, "promoting the integration of scientific and technological innovation and industry" has been written on the front page of the institute's goals since its establishment in 2019, and incubating and cultivating innovative enterprise clusters is the institute's primary task.
Since it is the cradle of "incubation" projects, the first thing is to tap the excellent "source". In this regard, Nanchuang Institute has its own unique path.
According to the introduction of Jiang Xiaozhong, in Nanjing University, Nanchuang Research Institute also has a "good brother" - Nanjing University Institute of Chemical and Biomedical Innovation. This institute is also led by academician Guo Zijian.Nearly 70 young scientists from all over the world have been gathered, sprinting together at the forefront of the world's top science and technology. Every day, a large number of papers and patents are being produced here.
"All these innovative resources are our potential targets for industrial transformation. Starting from a patent or a paper until a company or a product, we are doing a 'closed loop' work." Jiang Xiaozhong said. Sometimes, although the scientific and technological achievements on campus are very forward-looking, professors are not good at how to "open a company" and "do transformation".
To this end, the Institute invites "technical advisors" from enterprises, clinics and investors to screen projects together. After identifying the projects, NII will also provide them with venues, team building, investment and financing services to promote the incubation and growth of enterprises here.
"Alumni Economy," "Friends and Schools Economy," "Platform Ecology"
As one enterprise lands on the ground, the team of Nanchuang Research Institute also has more thoughts. "The initial operation idea of the institute was 'alumni economy', only focusing on the projects of NTU; later it was expanded to 'friend-school economy', and began to contact the good projects in the brother colleges and universities, such as Peking University, Dongda University and so on. But we think this perspective will still be a bit narrow." In Jiang Xiaozhong's opinion, to truly bridge science and technology innovation and industrial innovation, theIt is also necessary to establish a professional "platform ecology" - not limited to university laboratories, but broader horizons, connecting resources from all sides.
For example, Ainodi Bio, an incubatee of Nanchuang Research Institute, focuses on in vitro diagnostics, and its founding team is not discovered within the university, but professional talents from listed companies.
In addition to coordinating venues and promoting financing for them, the Institute also takes the initiative to introduce partners and resources from the perspective of technological reserves and product development.Today, the startup is one of the most complete suppliers of diagnostic antigens in China.
Chen Nan, a postdoctoral fellow from Rockefeller University, returned to China to start his own business with the technology of chemical proteomics and small-molecule drug R&D, and quickly completed three rounds of financing; Mao Wen, a doctor from Peking University, founded the first nitric oxide therapeutic instrument, and Norling Bio, which has completed C+ round of financing, initially started from here as well. ......
In all kinds of resource docking and project excavation, Nanchuang Research Institute has linked more than 10 universities and institutes, more than 20 listed enterprises and more than 30 investment funds, and has gradually grown into an innovation platform integrating R&D, service, incubation, production and other functions from the original incubation only.
It is worth mentioning that the Institute is still exploring the path of self-breeding.For example, it has set up technology platforms such as flow reaction and biosynthesis within the institute, and sells technology services to the outside world. "Only when we grow 'stronger' ourselves will we have the energy to incubate more technology companies." Jiang Xiaozhong said he looks forward to seeing more enterprises running forward as a result.
"Every year, we incubate 8-10 technology-based companies.We will endeavor to cultivate a number of gazelles and unicorns." Jiang Xiaozhong is looking forward to the future.
Currently, the Institute's carriers are "fully loaded".There is also a brand new incubation carrier of more than 6,000 square meters under accelerated construction in the Biomedical Valley.It will provide space for more cutting-edge projects to be incubated, high-end talents to gather, and innovative achievements to be transformed.
