Since it was approved by the State Council on April 25, 2021, the Jinan Start-up Area for Growth Drivers Transformation has made breakthroughs in various aspects, with economic figures such as regional gross domestic product, public budget revenue, and retail sales leading the city over the past three years.

In accordance with its development plan from 2021 to 2035, the start-up area is committed to building a modernized countryside for the new era and has achieved remarkable results through continuous ecological conservation efforts.

In 2023, the air quality index in the start-up area was 2.2 percentage points higher than that of Jinan, while the comprehensive water quality index improved by 13.4 percentage points year-on-year. In addition, the start-up area was selected as one of the first national pilot zones for coordinated innovation in pollution reduction and carbon reduction.

In terms of industries, the start-up area has been focusing on the development of next-generation information technology, new energy and materials, intelligent manufacturing, and high-end equipment industries, constructing a modern industrial system to provide a solid foundation for the development of leading industries.

Specifically, the intelligent manufacturing and high-end equipment industrial chain of BYD, China's leading electric vehicle manufacturer, has begun to take shape, while successful projects such as the Yellow River Basin hydrogen energy industry base being built by State Power Investment Corp and Aiko's solar energy project have further solidified the industrial chain within the area.

The establishment of computing-focused institutes such as the Jinan Zhongke Ubiquitous-Intelligent Institute of Computing Technology is also expected to drive the development of next-generation information technology industries in the start-up area.

A bird's-eye view of Jinan Yellow River International Convention and Exhibition Center in Jinan Start-up Area for Growth Drivers Transformation. [Photo/Jinan Daily]