Zhejiang Province has announced the addition of six new pilot zones for future industries, as part of the fourth batch (first half of 2026) released by the Provincial Department of Economy and Information Technology. This brings the total number of provincial-level future industry pilot zones to 36.
The six newly established zones are the Zhenhai Hydrogen Energy Future Industry Pilot Zone, the Nanhu Flexible Electronics Future Industry Pilot Zone, the Yuecheng Low-Altitude Economy Future Industry Pilot Zone, the Zhuji Aerospace Intelligent Equipment Future Industry Pilot Zone, the Zhoushan High-tech Zone Low-Altitude Economy Future Industry Pilot Zone, and the Jiaojiang Biopharmaceutical Future Industry Pilot Zone.
Zhejiang encourages regions to leverage their unique resource endowments and industrial foundations to develop future industries with differentiated strategies, according to Sun Tizhong, head of the Future Industry Department at the Provincial Department of Economy and Information Technology. The new batch covers sectors including hydrogen energy, flexible electronics, low-altitude economy, aerospace equipment, and biomanufacturing.
Notably, two low-altitude economy pilot zones were selected simultaneously, located in Yuecheng, Shaoxing, and the Zhoushan High-tech Zone. The Yuecheng zone serves as the province's sole pilot platform for public drone safety management, featuring standardized low-altitude flight routes and multi-level takeoff and landing facilities. In contrast, the Zhoushan High-tech Zone leverages its marine economy advantages, exploring applications of low-altitude aircraft in island logistics and maritime patrols. While both zones target the low-altitude economy sector, they have distinct positioning based on local resources.
In terms of innovation, these pilot zones generally host high-level scientific platforms. The Zhenhai Hydrogen Energy zone gathers institutions like the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Yongjiang Laboratory. The Nanhu Flexible Electronics zone relies on the Zhejiang Tsinghua Flexible Electronics Research Institute, which has established an integrated model from technology discovery, concept validation, pilot-scale testing, to industrial incubation. The Zhuji Aerospace Intelligent Equipment zone uses the Huanjiang Laboratory as its core innovation engine.
From an industrial incubation perspective, most pilot zones have established industry funds. The Zhenhai Hydrogen Energy zone has set up a 5 billion yuan hydrogen energy industry fund cluster. The Jiaojiang Biopharmaceutical zone has created a 1 billion yuan specialized synthetic biology fund, complemented by 40,000 square meters of standardized factory space.
Future industries cannot be passively awaited; they require proactive planning and solid execution. Zhejiang has demonstrated strategic foresight by being among the first in China to systematically develop future industries. In 2021, the province issued guidelines for building future industry pilot zones. In 2023, it released a comprehensive document on cultivating future industries. This year, Zhejiang launched the "Spark Plan" for future industries, strategically deploying in frontier fields such as embodied intelligence, biomanufacturing, quantum technology, hydrogen energy, and nuclear fusion energy.
Additionally, Zhejiang has implemented a special financial incentive program for future industry pilot zones, allocating 1 billion yuan annually to support industrial projects. The 10 billion yuan Zhejiang Future Industry Science and Technology Innovation Mother Fund has also begun operations. The expansion of the pilot zone network and the continuous improvement of the development ecosystem have provided abundant resources for Zhejiang's future industries. Currently, the 36 provincial-level pilot zones collectively cover 17 frontier areas, including brain-like intelligence, humanoid robots, low-altitude economy, solid-state batteries, and quantum technology. A provincial official stated that Zhejiang will continue to select future industry directions based on local resources, industrial foundations, and scientific research conditions, employing diverse models to explore development paths.
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