More than 20 companies in Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone (Optics Valley of China, or OVC) have secured equity financing since November, with total investments exceeding 100 million yuan ($14.27 million). The capital market has shown a strong preference for sectors like artificial intelligence, life sciences, and optoelectronic information.

At the Hubei Science Technology Investment Annual Partner Conference, for example, seven OVC companies, including GLRoad Robotics, RayKITE, and Yesense, received a combined investment of 63 million yuan.

The investment round was led by Optics Valley Industrial Investment, a wholly owned subsidiary of the State-owned enterprise Hubei Science Technology Investment Group. All seven companies are tech startups, four of which were established within the past three to five years. These startups hold core intellectual property and have achieved breakthrough innovations in their respective fields.

Local State-owned capital in OVC continues to play a significant role in guiding social capital. Companies like Wuhan Micro Environmental Control Technology Co and Cas Cold Atom, after receiving investments from Optics Valley Industrial Investment, have attracted further funding from institutions like Shenzhen Capital Group and China Mobile, providing a solid financial foundation for future growth.

Focusing on long-term investments in early-stage, small-scale tech enterprises, Hubei Science Technology Investment Group has founded Guanghe Venture Capital Co and initiated the "Guanghe Partner Program", aiming to empower tech entrepreneurs and promote regional industrial synergy and development.