Zhejiang Province's new policies for integrated circuit industry and software industry will be released

Recently, the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Economic and Information Technology announced "Several Policies to Promote the High-Quality Development of Zhejiang's Integrated Circuit Industry and Software Industry in the New Era" (draft for comments).

The following are some key points of the policy:

R&D and application support policies

Implement major science and technology projects in key areas. Focusing on key areas such as high-end chip design, key processes for integrated circuit manufacturing, core equipment materials, and key software, the province organizes more than 50 "pioneer" and "leader" plan projects each year, and arranges major science and technology special funds to provide support. Enterprises are encouraged to take the lead in undertaking national technological research tasks, and provinces, cities, and counties use R&D research plans to provide support.

Promote collaborative innovation in the industrial chain. Focus on the integrated circuit industry chain and the software industry chain, organize and carry out more than 10 projects such as collaborative innovation projects in the industrial chain and demonstration projects for the transformation of production and manufacturing methods every year, coordinate the allocation of provincial industrial and information technology special funds to provide support, and relevant cities, counties (cities, districts) earnestly implement the promised local support policies to form a working pattern of joint efforts between the province and local governments. Encourage local governments to support the research and development of integrated circuit manufacturing processes and key equipment and materials, EDA tool research and development, IP purchase, first product tape-out, first or large-scale application of local chips or modules, and application of domestic equipment and materials.

Promote breakthroughs in the engineering of the first integrated circuit and software products. The first semiconductor equipment, the first batch of integrated circuit materials, and the first edition of key software products shall enjoy the relevant support policies for the first products in accordance with regulations. For the first semiconductor equipment and the first batch of integrated circuit new materials that have been identified as qualified, according to the standards of the first international, first domestic, and first provincial products, the provincial finance shall give a one-time tiered reward in accordance with regulations and include it in the "Zhejiang Province First Product Promotion and Application Guidance Catalog". Explore the implementation of the first edition software insurance compensation pilot. Include the promotion and application of qualified domestic chips in the scope of support for the first product. Encourage all regions to increase support for technological transformation. For technological transformation projects that use the equipment amount as the standard to calculate government subsidies and reward funds, the software and information service expenses purchased by enterprises for technological transformation can be included in the investment amount calculation.

Build a "chip-machine linkage" platform. In the fields of network communications, smart homes, digital security, new energy vehicles, industrial control, etc., organize application companies and chip companies to build a "chip-machine linkage" platform to strengthen the linkage of supply and demand information and the connection between production and use.

Strengthen the construction of the standard system. Encourage industry organizations such as the Zhejiang Integrated Circuit Industry Technology Alliance, Zhejiang Semiconductor Industry Association, and Zhejiang Software Industry Association to take the lead in building relevant standard systems, and support integrated circuit companies and software companies with technological innovation advantages to actively strive to lead the formulation of international standards, national standards, industry standards, and group standards that are influential at home and abroad.

Strengthen intellectual property protection. Support and encourage integrated circuit enterprises and software enterprises to apply for intellectual property rights through "Zhejiang Intellectual Property Online" in accordance with the law, encourage enterprises to register for exclusive rights to integrated circuit layout designs, software copyrights, and patent applications for integrated circuit equipment, processes, packaging methods, testing methods, etc., and encourage local governments to give certain rewards to those that meet the relevant provisions of high-value invention patents. Vigorously develop integrated circuit and software related intellectual property services, and encourage the development of related intellectual property insurance services. Strictly implement the integrated circuit and software intellectual property protection system, and establish a long-term mechanism for software legalization.

Investment, Financing and Major Project Support Policies

Strengthen support from industrial funds. Give full play to the role of industrial funds at all levels of government, focus on major investment projects such as integrated circuit characteristic process manufacturing, advanced packaging and testing, core equipment materials, key software, etc. that have an important driving role, and leverage social capital to invest in the integrated circuit and software industries. For major integrated circuit construction projects that meet the conditions, the provincial industrial fund will provide support in accordance with regulations. Actively strive for the support of the National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund and policy-based and development financial institutions for major projects in our province.

Strengthen fiscal and financial support. Encourage local governments to actively guide financial institutions to provide preferential interest rate medium- and long-term loans and bond financing underwriting services to qualified integrated circuit enterprises, and encourage enterprises to participate in fixed asset investment, mergers and acquisitions, and industrial investment funds in the field of integrated circuits. Special funds for industry and information technology, science and technology, development and reform, etc. in various regions should coordinate and increase support for the development of the integrated circuit and software industries.

Strengthen credit support. Make good use of the central bank's monetary policy tools to guide financial institutions to innovate technology financial products and services that meet the development characteristics of the integrated circuit industry and the software industry, and increase the issuance of medium- and long-term loans to the integrated circuit and software industries.

Strengthen financing guarantee services. Encourage market-oriented financing guarantee institutions to provide financing guarantee services to the province's integrated circuit and software enterprises; guide government financing guarantee institutions to increase support for qualified enterprises, with an average guarantee rate of no more than 1%; encourage local governments to provide financing guarantee institutions with certain guarantee fee subsidies.

Support corporate financing and listing. Financial departments at all levels actively promote and guide qualified integrated circuit companies and software companies to raise funds through various means such as listing on the Science and Technology Innovation Support Board, initial public offerings, and bond issuance, broaden direct financing channels, and at the same time play the leading and demonstration role of listed companies to further attract the gathering of various factors.

Strengthen the guarantee of resource elements. Open up a green channel for major integrated circuit construction projects that have passed the national industry guidance, and speed up the approval and implementation in accordance with laws and regulations. For major integrated circuit construction projects that meet the conditions, local governments actively implement fiscal funds, industrial funds, land, energy consumption, emission indicators, and supporting facilities in accordance with relevant regulations. For integrated circuit and software projects included in the provincial major industrial project database, after the land supply is completed, new construction land planning indicators will be rewarded in a timely manner in accordance with regulations. Support manufacturing enterprises to develop software and information service industries using existing real estate and land resources without changing the land use subject and planning conditions. For those who meet the conditions, a transitional policy of continuing to use the land according to the original purpose and land right type can be implemented. The transitional support policy is limited to 5 years.

personnel policy

Support the introduction of talents by enterprises. Focus on the integrated circuit and software industry chain innovation chain, and introduce top international innovative talents with greater efforts. Experts selected for the "Kunpeng Action" plan will be guaranteed in accordance with the "one case, one discussion" and "one person, one policy", and the provincial industrial fund will provide support in accordance with regulations. Top talents can apply for provincial science and technology awards, with a maximum annual amount of no more than 1 million yuan for a maximum of 5 years. Support talents and teams that meet relevant conditions to apply for major talent projects such as the "Kunpeng Action" plan, the provincial overseas talent introduction plan, and the provincial leading innovation and entrepreneurship team. Explore the establishment of a white list mechanism, and provide continuous and stable support to top talents included in the three major talent peak support actions in provincial key R&D plans, fund projects, various innovation platforms and scientific and technological talent projects. For high-level talents introduced by integrated circuit and software companies with key core technologies to solve bottleneck problems, they shall participate in the "through train" evaluation of professional titles in accordance with regulations.