On April 2, the Department of Science and Technology of Henan Province announced that as of March 31, a total of 6,659 technology contracts had been registered across the province, with a transaction value of 69.06 billion yuan. This represents a year-on-year increase of 161.7%, surpassing the first-quarter target and marking a robust start for Henan's 2025 technology contract transactions.
A spokesperson from the department stated that in the first quarter, technology contract transactions showed remarkable growth in both volume and quality, with increased vitality and strong synergy between internal and external drivers.
First, the quality and effectiveness of technology transactions have seen significant improvement. In the first quarter, the transaction values for technology transfer and technology licensing contracts surged by 222.6% and 171.4%, respectively. Contracts involving intellectual property reached 20.7 billion yuan, a 146.2% year-on-year increase. The clearer ownership of intellectual property in these transactions marks a major leap forward in both the quality and real-world application of technology transaction outcomes across the province compared to the same period last year.
Second, the vitality of innovation entities is being actively unleashed. Enterprises played a leading role in innovation, with a total technology contract transaction value of 67.56 billion yuan in the first quarter, accounting for 97.8% of the provincial total, marking a year-on-year increase of 181%, reflecting strong market-driven momentum. Meanwhile, universities and research institutes showcased their crucial role as sources of innovation, with the transaction value of technology transfer contracts growing by 433.4% year-on-year and technology development contracts increasing by 84.1%, injecting new vitality into the deep integration of industry, academia, and research.
Third, the innovation momentum in high-tech industries is strong. The scale of technology transactions in high-tech sectors surpassed 32.86 billion yuan, accounting for 47.6% of the provincial total. Among these, the advanced manufacturing sector maintained the largest share, with 22.1%. Transactions in aerospace, new materials, and new energy sectors saw year-on-year growth of 865.8%, 147.7%, and 82.8%, respectively, further highlighting the driving role of high-tech industries in leading the growth of technology transactions.
Fourth, regional technology transaction linkages have become increasingly close. In the first quarter, Henan exported technology contracts worth 6.66 billion yuan to other provinces along the Yellow River, a year-on-year increase of 178.9%, with Shandong accounting for 48.9%. The province also absorbed technology contracts worth 8.16 billion yuan from outside Henan, with Shaanxi, Beijing, and Zhejiang being the main sources of technology input. Henan's technology transactions with regions such as the Yellow River basin, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, and the Yangtze River Delta have become more active, further advancing regional collaborative innovation. (Chinese source: Henan Daily Reporter: Yin Jiangyong Translator: Yang Jiaxin Proofreader: Li Wenjing and Zhao Hanqing)
