The Shandong Promotion Conference for the Targeted Industry-University-Research Matchmaking of Advanced Materials Industrial Chain and New Technologies and Products was held in Jinan on October 21. Focusing on 11 iconic industrial chains, Shandong has been regularly promoting upstream and downstream cooperation and innovation integration. The province has released 674 enterprise demands, 515 new enterprise technologies and products, and 696 innovation achievements from universities and research institutes, helping 90 enterprises and academic institutions reach cooperation intentions totaling 680 million yuan.
In recent years, Shandong has focused on 11 iconic industrial chains and 136 provincial-level specialized industrial clusters, with an emphasis on fostering innovation between large, medium, and small enterprises. The province has developed three key lists to facilitate supply-demand connections: collaboration needs for major industrial chains, procurement needs of large companies, and the specialized capabilities of small and medium-sized enterprises. By coordinating efforts at the national, provincial, municipal, and county levels, Shandong has established five key mechanisms: supporting coordination, collaborative innovation, digital and intelligent empowerment, financial services, and international cooperation. Leveraging the resources of universities, research institutes, financial institutions, and industry associations, the province is helping businesses achieve smarter matches, capacity sharing, and ecosystem co-development across broader areas and at deeper levels. This process has enabled more and more SMEs, particularly those that are specialized, sophisticated, distinctive and innovative, to secure positions within and integrate into the industrial chains.