Group 1 - The "New Cornerstone Researcher Project" announced its third round of funding, featuring 35 outstanding scientists, with an average age of 45, which is lower than the 55-year threshold and the previous average of 47 years [1] - This round includes a record number of young scientists, with 9 individuals under 40 for males and under 43 for females, making up over a quarter of the total [1] - The project received 669 applications this year, a 15% increase from the previous round, primarily driven by young scientists, with 131 young applicants, an increase of 77 from the last round [1] Group 2 - The project focuses on two main fields: Mathematics and Material Science, and Biological and Medical Science, encouraging interdisciplinary research [2] - Funding categories are divided into experimental and theoretical types, with a five-year support period; experimental funding is 25 million RMB per person, while theoretical funding is 15 million RMB per person [2] - The project aims to select researchers based on their understanding and pursuit of scientific questions rather than their background, emphasizing the importance of original contributions to science [2][3] Group 3 - The project is designed to support high-risk, long-term scientific exploration, allowing researchers to focus on cutting-edge topics and achieve groundbreaking work [3] - Tencent has committed 10 billion RMB over 10 years to support innovative scientists in conducting exploratory and high-risk basic research [3] - To date, a total of 139 distinguished scientists have been recognized as New Cornerstone Researchers across three rounds [3]

Group 1 - The "New Cornerstone Researcher Project" announced its third funding list on November 24, featuring 35 scientists, with a notable increase in the proportion of young scientists [2] - The average age of the new researchers is 45, which is lower than the previous average of 47 and significantly below the application threshold of 55 [2] - Among the funded researchers, there are 9 young scientists, making up over a quarter of the list, with the youngest being 35 years old [2] Group 2 - The project received 669 applications this year, a 15% increase from the previous round, primarily driven by young scientists, with 131 young applicants, an increase of 77 from the last round [2] - The project has set aside 6 specific slots for young scientists this year, responding to the scientific community's calls and considering the growth patterns of young researchers [2] - The average age of the three selected researchers in mathematics and theoretical computer science is only 38, indicating a positive trend towards youth in these fields [3] Group 3 - The new researchers come from 22 institutions across 11 cities, including Hong Kong, with Suzhou and Dalian making their debut on the list [3] - The "New Cornerstone Researcher Project" was established by Tencent, which pledged 10 billion yuan over 10 years to support outstanding scientists in fundamental research [3] - Funding categories include 25 million yuan for experimental researchers and 15 million yuan for theoretical researchers over five years [3] Group 4 - The project emphasizes "scientist-led talent selection," with a rigorous review process involving 100% overseas peer review in the initial stages and a combination of domestic and international experts in the final review [4] - A total of 489 instances of conflict of interest avoidance were recorded during the review process, covering various potential biases [4] Group 5 - The selection process prioritizes researchers over projects, acknowledging the high risks and long timelines associated with groundbreaking scientific exploration [5] - This mechanism provides long-term, stable, and flexible support to researchers, allowing them to focus on cutting-edge topics and make disruptive contributions [5]

Core Viewpoint - Shanghai has issued measures to accelerate the innovation of cutting-edge technologies and the cultivation of future industries, defining "future industries" as emerging sectors in their nascent or early industrialization stages, which are crucial for enhancing global competitiveness [1][2] Mechanism - Shanghai has established a "four-in-one" mechanism to integrate innovation resources and streamline the industrial chain, which includes project management teams, a task list for key objectives, a future industry fund, and support from future industry clusters [2][3] - The project management teams are designed to be a high-quality, professional force tailored for future industry cultivation, while the task list serves as a "battle map" to clarify development priorities [2][3] Capital - A future industry fund with a total scale of approximately 15 billion yuan has been set up, focusing on disruptive innovation and interdisciplinary technologies [3][5] - The future industry fund has completed investment decisions for 18 sub-funds and plans to invest in 20-30 sub-funds this year, targeting areas such as controllable nuclear fusion and quantum computing [6][7] Spatial Development - Shanghai is constructing future industry clusters and creating national-level pilot zones for future industries, with several clusters already initiated in districts like Pudong and Minhang [3][4] - Pudong is identified as the main battleground for future industry development, with a comprehensive innovation incubation system established [4][5] Innovation Ecosystem - The "Shanghai Future Starting Point Community" has been launched as an innovative organizational platform to facilitate collaboration between scientists and entrepreneurs, aiming to create a self-sustaining innovation ecosystem [7][8] - The dual-driven model of the fund and community is expected to accelerate the transition from concept to prototype, enhancing the efficiency of capital in recognizing long-term value [7][9] Long-term Vision - The measures aim to create a systematic experiment for future industries, with every mechanism breakthrough and capital investment directed towards making innovation operational [8][9] - The growth of future industries is viewed as a long-term "ignition experiment," with the potential for significant breakthroughs in the coming years [9]

Group 1 - The number of highly cited papers in China reached 65,700, accounting for 33.8% of the global total [10][11] - The number of valid domestic invention patents in China reached 4.756 million, marking the first country to exceed 4 million in this category [10] - The total R&D expenditure in China was 3,613 billion yuan, maintaining the second position globally [10] Group 2 - The cultivation of original innovation talent is essential for building a strong technological nation, with a focus on "from 0 to 1" innovations [14][15] - The establishment of small and specialized research units can enhance the research environment and foster innovation [15] - The "Yao Class" at Tsinghua University has been successful in nurturing top undergraduate talent and creating a cycle of talent cultivation and innovation [15] Group 3 - The "Dream" deep-sea drilling vessel is a significant technological advancement for China, designed for deep-sea resource exploration and scientific research [19][20] - The vessel features nine laboratories for various scientific disciplines, enhancing China's capabilities in marine geology and resource assessment [20] - The successful development of the "Dream" vessel reflects China's progress in high-level technological self-reliance [20] Group 4 - The focus on artificial intelligence is crucial for the ongoing national development and innovation efforts, particularly in content generation and understanding [22][23] - Collaboration with academic institutions like Tongji University has led to the establishment of a design AI laboratory, fostering interdisciplinary research [23] - The launch of the commercial research AI tool, atypica.AI, demonstrates the potential of AI in simulating human decision-making processes [23]