Breaking up the three-dimensional space and gathering it according to rules, outlining the exclusive cover of the region, the towering buildings not only mark the skyline of each city, but also become the "focus" of economic development and social activities.

In Anhui, based on urban buildings, the Silicon Valley of University of Science and Technology is making the measurement units for innovation integration increasingly "smaller".

Gathering in meters and fusing in seconds, various innovative elements are accelerating their convergence, and even a building can form an innovation consortium and an industrial chain. In this era of seeking to break down barriers, USTC Silicon Valley utilizes the "space" and "height" of cities to gather the "common" elements of innovation and industry, attracting outward and growing inward, and building urban buildings into elevated innovation highlands.

Zhong'an Chuanggu area in the core area of Silicon Valley, University of Science and Technology of China. Zhong'an Chuanggu provides pictures

Upstairs and downstairs

Upstream and downstream are just about going up and down the stairs

Making 10 phone calls is not as good as meeting once. The essence of innovative integration lies in the connection between people.

In early August, on the 28th floor of the Silicon Valley Building in Hefei, Anhui, the technical team of Bafang Earthquake Technology Co., Ltd. sat around a table to discuss an application plan for "AI safety monitoring of transmission towers" technology. The scorching sun outside the window made the building lively.

This is a technology enterprise co founded by three academicians. They lead the R&D team to integrate artificial intelligence big models with ground motion signal technology, enabling AI to learn accurate and efficient "interpretation" of physical parameters such as sound and vibration. The technology can be applied in fields such as traffic control, accident prediction, and urban defense monitoring.

The general manager of the company, Xu Fei, admitted that the core technology direction of the team is still a "new thing" and needs to be "slowly mapped out" in market development and other aspects. At the beginning of 2023, the enterprise officially settled in Hefei and merged into the Silicon Valley Building.

What Xu Fei didn't expect was that over the past year, many seemingly "long front line" tasks have been completed without leaving the building.

In April of this year, Xu Fei met the relevant person in charge of Anhui Yihe Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., the "neighbor" downstairs of the company. This is also an artificial intelligence enterprise that focuses on the power industry. During the conversation, the two companies immediately agreed on their demand for "artificial intelligence safety monitoring of transmission towers".

Upstairs and downstairs, 'connect the doors', and R&D and marketing are' aligned '

What impressed Xu Fei even more was that the communication between the two sides was extremely convenient afterwards. As for the specific design requirements and key points, they could solve them face-to-face as soon as they thought of them. Efficient and direct, making 10 phone calls is not as good as meeting once, "Xu Fei said.

Silicon Valley Building, Shushan Garden, Silicon Valley, University of Science and Technology of China. Photo provided by Shushan Science and Technology Innovation Group

Buildings have become the "first scene" that ignites innovation, and such stories are constantly unfolding.

In this Silicon Valley building, there are now more than 40 artificial intelligence companies settled in, some of which focus on research and development, some are market-oriented, some are positioned at the front end of the industry, and some are in the back end. If a company has technical requirements, it can "go upstairs" to ask, and if the results want to be applied in specific scenarios, it can "go downstairs" to search.

The high wall between scientific research and industry is being directly broken down from a physical space, and the efficient collaboration and symbiotic complementarity of the building innovation consortium model is attracting the phoenix to nest.

According to Chuanghehui (Innovation and Entrepreneurship Service Platform), a global partner of University of Science and Technology in Silicon Valley, currently, six AI companies attracted by the platform have completed registration in Hefei and will soon settle in the Silicon Valley Building in the second half of this year to continue expanding the AI ecosystem. The related companies are attracted to each other and "rush to the beach".

One of the companies mainly uses AI to build a platform for improving human efficiency, while the other provides specific AI solutions. Although they have not yet officially settled in as' neighbors', the two sides have already started preliminary business negotiations. "Wang Qin, Vice President of Operations of Hefei Chuanghehui Science and Technology Innovation Service Co., Ltd., introduced that Chuanghehui has jointly built a new intelligent industry innovation base with USTC Silicon Valley, with the aim of shaping an" AI+"industry innovation consortium through" dual recruitment and dual introduction ".

Front and back of the building

Neighbors become partners, cooperate without leaving the park

From the point like growth of "going it alone" to the integrated development of "buildings+industries", and to the efficient and intensive spatial carrier of "every inch of land is valuable", we need to achieve innovative benefits of "1+1>2".

The strategy of USTC Silicon Valley has formed a concentrated and connected power engine in its "one core, two parks, and one town". Based on intensive and high-density science and technology innovation areas, USTC Silicon Valley is continuously improving the innovation concentration in the region.

Hefei Hegong Zhice Automation Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Hegong Zhice") is located at Hefei Intelligent Robot Research Institute in the Silicon Valley area of USTC. It is an innovative enterprise that focuses on 3D laser vision sensors and installs "eyes" for welding robots.

Nowadays, the industrial agglomeration in front of and behind the building has covered most of its industrial ecology.

Before launching the product, various tests need to be conducted to ensure reliability. Nowadays, there are many testing institutions and raw material supply enterprises around us, which greatly reduces our logistics costs. "Zhu Jie, the head of the marketing department of Harbin Institute of Technology, said that there are also many downstream customers. This is the one in front, "Zhu Jie pointed to the neighboring factory building and said.

This factory belongs to HAGONG Yike, a national high-tech enterprise that provides welding automation as the core solution for the entire production line. Due to being less than ten meters away from Harbin Institute of Technology's intelligent testing, the collaboration between the two parties has gone beyond the product level.

We focus on applications, while they focus on research and development, "said Gui Yong, the head of the debugging department at Harbin Institute of Technology. Nowadays, customers have diverse needs, but due to the lack of understanding of technical principles within the company, it is sometimes difficult to quickly come up with targeted solutions. Nowadays, as long as you knock on the door next door, the problem is often easily solved.

In addition to technical support, resources from both parties can also be conveniently shared. Zhu Jie said that some advanced equipment is available in Yike, but not in Zhice. In response to customers' on-site observation needs, they often directly bring customers to Yike for viewing. Under such close collaboration, both parties have accelerated the upgrading of technology and products, working together in the cooperation process with large enterprises such as XCMG Group and Chutian Technology.

Partial buildings of Hefei Intelligent Robot Research Institute. Image provided by Hefei Intelligent Robot Research Institute

The high concentration of characteristic industries has become a significant trend in the construction of "Silicon Valley buildings".

Wang Liangcai, Deputy General Manager of Hefei Shushan Science and Technology Innovation Investment Group Co., Ltd., introduced that the model innovation base located at the intersection of the Taihu Lake Road and Feixi Road in Hefei is building an innovation ecological space of the whole industrial chain of general artificial intelligence, and will become the first artificial intelligence big model ecological space in Anhui after completion.

The space will gather upstream, midstream, and downstream enterprises of the AI industry chain, as well as a large model ecosystem from the bottom layer to the vertical model and then to the application layer, forming a closed loop and high concentration ecology of the industry chain. In the future, the base will be built into an internationally competitive vertical model gathering place and application pilot zone, "said Wang Liangcai.

In addition, the "Korico Gas 1986" industrial park located on Pihe Road will rely on the 38th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation and combine two national level science and technology research and development centers to actively build a park with low altitude economic industries as its core. The building of the former Anhui Hefei Technician College located on Feixi Road will be transformed into a new medical engineering platform, with an industrial positioning of life and health
The old innovation pattern is being reconstructed, and each building will be endowed with a different industrial "personality".

Inside and outside the building

The integration of "three lives" is both an innovation highland and a science and technology innovation paradise

Since the University of Science and Technology of China moved to Hefei in 1970, Anhui has formed an inseparable bond with innovation. One city, one school, has been on the same boat through thick and thin, and some people even refer to Hefei as the "love of the city" for the University of Science and Technology of China. 52 years later, Anhui Dingge will promote the construction of the Silicon Valley at USTC, cultivate an innovative ecosystem, and attract talents from all over the world. With a global perspective, the innovation pattern and ecosystem will be elevated to new heights.

For over 50 years, in terms of urban planning and functional support, Hefei and even Anhui have insisted on leaving the best locations and scenery for technological innovation. Nowadays, in the construction of regional carriers, USTC Silicon Valley also adheres to the "three life integration" of ecology, production, and life. Talents innovate happily inside the building and live freely outside the building.

The Zhong'an Chuanggu area in the core area of the Silicon Valley of USTC is a highland where high-tech enterprises and talents gather. In addition to the numerous innovative buildings, there are functional areas covering various aspects of life such as sports, dining, shopping, leisure, etc., including football fields, basketball courts, badminton courts, gyms, cafes, commercial streets, reading spaces, and hotel style apartments, forming a large "science and technology innovation park".

Night view of Zhong'an Chuanggu area in the core area of Silicon Valley, University of Science and Technology of China. Zhong'an Chuanggu provides pictures

Due to the large number of young people, in order to alleviate the pressure of "Chuanggu people" taking care of their children, the park also provides childcare services. Regardless of winter or summer vacation, dynamically set the entry and exit time, allowing everyone to "bring their children to work and accompany them home

Parents can bring their children in at 7:30 in the morning, and professional teachers will take them to activities. The meals for each day of the week are different and are prepared by nutritionists, "said Liu Rui, a health doctor at the kindergarten in the park.

Liu Baoliang, the structural designer of Guosheng Quantum products, and his wife, who is engaged in robot research and development, are both "Chuanggu people". The kindergarten in the park directly solves their worries after innovation.

Bringing it to work every day and picking it up after work is really convenient, "Liu Baoliang said. Previously, in order to" take care of the child, "they had thought of many ways, such as letting the elderly at home take care of them or hiring a nanny, but all of them had concerns. There are professional teachers here, and peers of the same age playing together, and the children also like it very much, "Liu Baoliang said.

Teachers from the supporting daycare institutions in Zhong'an Chuanggu Park are playing games with children. Photo by Liu Chang Sichen

In addition to the layout of various functional areas, the details are more touching.

The underground exit of Hefei Metro Line 4 directly connects to the Zhong'an Chuanggu underground reservoir. In other words, as long as you are an employee of Chuanggu, you can take Metro Line 4 and walk out of the barrier at Hefei No.7 Middle School Station. You can go underground throughout the journey and take the elevator directly to any building in Zhong'an Chuanggu Phase I.

"A few days ago, there was a continuous rainstorm in Hefei, but my home was very close to the subway station, and I almost didn't hold an umbrella when I came to work," said Pan Mingxue, director of Guosheng Quantum Product Promotion.

On August 1st of this year, the third phase of Hefei Innovation Industrial Park, located in the core area of USTC Silicon Valley, opened another subway shuttle line, allowing employees of park enterprises to ride for free. At present, Hefei High tech Zone has connected numerous industrial parks such as Mingzhu Industrial Park, Innovation Industrial Park, and National Health Big Data Industrial Park through free shuttle buses, providing services to more than 4000 enterprises and nearly 50000 employees in the area.

The 'greatness' of Silicon Valley lies in its high-level promotion, global perspective, and long-term operation; The 'smallness' of Silicon Valley is reflected in every detail of building construction, enterprise support, and talent services. Universities and colleges are coming one after another, high-level talents are pouring in, high-tech achievements are accelerating their landing, and high-quality enterprises are growing rapidly. Nowadays, in high-density urban building clusters, high concentration innovative buildings are rising one after another, which may become the new "subject" leading innovation fusion. (Zhou Ran, Liu Chang, Sichen)