A team from Simon Fraser University (SFU), led by its vice president Joy Johnson, visited Tsinghua Holdings Co Ltd on Dec 5 in Beijing. They discussed technological achievement transformations, university enterprise systems, operation of overseas incubators, and collaboration among universities.

Zhao Yanlai, vice-president of Tsinghua Holdings, said Tsinghua Holdings sees international business and cooperation as a major pathway they plan to follow in the next three to five years. The holding company is expanding efforts to enhance partnerships with foreign partners, including governments, academia, and social resources.

Zhao introduced Tsinghua Holdings' development, business layout, and technology transformation in addition to the role of its innovation promotion center in incubation, research achievement transformation, and venture capital.

Tsinghua Holdings launched the Star-Clustering Plan in June, which is focused on upgrading the incubating ecosystem to help start-ups grow. 

According to the plan, the company will foster over 500 start-ups — the assets of which are worth more than 100 million yuan ($15.04 million) each — and explore in-depth cooperation with hundreds of Tsinghua Holding’s incubators to form a global and more efficient network providing services for more new businesses.

SFU Vice President Joy Johnson talked about the university's work in innovation and entrepreneurship. SFU supports start-ups through incubation bases and funding. Joy also talked about the incubation model and incubated companies.

SFU is adopting a four-pillar strategy in its innovation initiative. It is comprised of: an industry/community interface, promoting and nurturing interactions with SFU's research talent and infrastructure; incubation and acceleration, giving great ideas the best chance of making it to market; fostering entrepreneurship, supporting the development of business knowledge and skills; and social innovation, enabling SFU students and faculty to advance social goals and to build stronger and more sustainable communities.

Joy mentioned the C2-CAN business trip held in Beijing on Nov 11, and said thanks to the trip several projects have found opportunities to enter the Chinese market.

The trip was hosted by the China-Canada Commercialization & Acceleration Network (C2-CAN) launched by Simon Fraser University (SFU) and Tsinghua Holdings when a group of Canadian high-tech start-up companies hoping to find market expansion opportunities and partnerships in China demonstrated innovative programs.

Joy added that SFU will provide full support for projects coming from Tsinghua Holdings that eye the North American market.

Both sides expect further connection and cooperation through visits and partnerships in building incubators.

Shaheen Nanji, director of International Development, and Yang Yadong, associate dean of Faculty of Environment at Simon Fraser University, as well as Pang Yaning, director of incubation at Tsinghua Holdings' Innovation Center, and Ma Jun, director of Overseas R&D Management Office of Tsinghua University joined the meeting.