邬爱其：杭州的区块链和独角兽企业，都怎么样了？

        开建全国首个区块链产业园、第一个将区块链写入政府工作报告、成立了全国首个百亿人民币规模的区块链创新基金......有人说，杭州是一个不折不扣的一线“区块链城市”。

        同时也有人说，随着独角兽企业数量的不断增加，杭州正逐渐成为一线的“独角兽之城”，胡润研究院今日发布的《2018第一季度胡润大中华区独角兽指数》（杭州企业共上榜16家）就是最好的证明。那么，杭州的“区块链”和“独角兽企业”，到底发展得怎么样了？

        近日，浙江大学管理学院创新创业与战略学系教授、浙江大学全球浙商研究院副院长邬爱其教授在接受《China Daily》记者采访时从多个角度对此发表了见解（报道分别于4月14日与16日刊载）。他指出，杭州的独角兽企业将会吸引越来越多的全球投资者......

《China Daily》报道截图

The growing number of unicorn companies in Hangzhou is boosting the development of the country's new economy, according to Wu Aiqi, a professor at the School of Management of Zhejiang University.

Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, is home to 26 unicorn companies－startups valued at over $1 billion－and more than 100 soon-to-be unicorns, according to data released by weLian, a high-tech firm located in Hangzhou, at a recent forum held in the city.

The unicorn companies in Hangzhou－where the internet tech giant Alibaba is based－rank third in volume after Beijing and Shanghai, and second in value after Beijing.

"The city is playing a significant part in boosting China's high-quality economic growth," Wu said.

The unicorn companies have become the forerunners in the country's development of new technologies and a digital economy.

To date, China has 55 unicorn companies out of a total of 214 globally, with Alibaba's Ant Financial and Didi Chuxing topping the list, according to data released by CB Insights, a US-based venture capital database.

According to a 2017 report from Torch High Technology Industry Development Center－an institute under the Ministry of Science and Technology－unicorns in Hangzhou are valued at $133.5 billion, accounting for 27 percent of the country's total in 2016, with their focus mainly on e-commerce and internet financing.

In addition, many of the unicorns in Hangzhou have received investment from the Alibaba Group.

"The success of Alibaba has set a good example for startups," said Wu, acknowledging the important role played by Alibaba in boosting the development of the unicorns in Hangzhou. "They think they can be just the same."

"Moreover, top institutes in the city, such as Zhejiang University, have offered tech support for their development," Wu added.

Wu also said that the unicorns in Hangzhou have attracted and will continue to attract investors in many sectors around the globe, helping to create a better business environment.

Hangzhou released a plan in October last year to attract financing firms as well as top talents from all over the world.

"Hangzhou embraces new tech and welcomes new businesses, which is unique compared with other cities," said Gong Hongjia, an angel investor who has profited from previous investments in Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co, in an interview with local media.

《China Daily》报道截图

Hangzhou’s Blockchain Industrial Park is already attracting industry players, underlining the eastern city’s leading role in advancing China’s new economy, the city’s mayor, Xu Liyi, said on Sunday.

The city announced the park’s launch on April 9 and said 10 blockchain technology companies had signed agreements, with many more expected to follow.

In February, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, listed the blockchain industry in its Government Work Report as an essential emerging sector, along with artificial intelligence, virtual reality, quantum technology and commercial aviation and aerospace.

A blockchain is a public ledger of all transactions that may be applied in a wide variety of settings to provide security. It was developed for the cryptocurrency Bitcoin, but many other applications are possible.

Hangzhou, a city of innovation and economic vitality, will focus on innovative development and highlight the leading role of the new economy in its blueprint, Xu said on Sunday in a presentation at the second Vision China event at the Hangzhou International Expo Center.

“Hangzhou is home to wellknown businesses such as internet giant Alibaba, Hikvision— which provides internet-of-things solutions — and automaker Geely,” the mayor said. “Its developments in e-commerce, cloud computing and big data represent the most advanced internationally.”

The city’s GDP reached 1.2 trillion yuan ($191 billion) last year, up by 8 percent year-on-year. Meanwhile, the value added in new industries and business models reached 425 billion yuan, an increase of 20.4 percent from 2016.The Government Work Report said the city will further improve the positive interaction between finance, technology,manufacturing and the economy, with the aim of building an international hub for financial technology.

“Hangzhou ranked No 1 in the country for finance and technology development as well as collaborating with overseas companies to build a global hub for the internet and finance,” Wu Aiqi, a professor at Zhejiang University’s School of Management, said after Xu’s presentation.

The hometown of Alibaba also has major financial companies. Alibaba-affiliated Ant Financial, for example, received 55 patents in blockchain technology this year, along with emerging fields such as virtual reality and cloud computing. In 2016 alone, 40 fintech companies in Hangzhou received investment, with 15 getting funds from angel investors, 24 in A-round fundraising, three in A-plus and nine in B.v

“Hangzhou welcomes new businesses and has set up a good business environment for startups,” Wu said, adding that the success of Alibaba and Hikvision has attracted abundant investment to the city, though investors prefer new fields like fintech. “The local government also supports industrial development,” he said.

Starting in 2016, Hangzhou has been carrying out a plan that defines specific areas for new finance companies and projects. The Xixi area, less than 5 kilometers from picturesque West Lake, is becoming a center for finance and internet development.

    学者简介：

    邬爱其，浙江大学管理学院创新创业与战略学系教授，博士生导师，浙江大学全球浙商研究院副院长，美国     密歇根大学Ross商学院和澳大利亚墨尔本大学经济与商业学院访问学者，主要从事企业战略管理、创业管理     与产业竞争力领域的科研与教学工作，先后主持国家级项目4项、省部级和企业委托科研项目多项等。