The Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government in Pudong New Area has recently released the Work Plan for Accelerating the Development of Zhangjiang AI Innovation Town. This strategic blueprint outlines a series of measures aimed at bolstering the role of AI-focused investment funds. It emphasizes harnessing the capabilities of Shanghai's three premier industrial mother funds, including the Leading District Fund, and fostering closer partnerships with academic and research institutions.

Central to the plan is the establishment of a 2 billion yuan seed fund, specifically tailored to support vertical models, embodied AI, and related cutting-edge sectors through early-stage and small-scale investments. To enhance the effectiveness of this initiative, the plan proposes increasing the direct investment ratio of the angel fund and deploying sub-funds dedicated to concept verification, high-quality incubation, and other key areas.

Furthermore, the plan advocates for the promotion of Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) funds, merger and acquisition funds, and secondary funds (S funds) to empower both emerging and established enterprises. By leveraging the extensive fund network of Zhangjiang AI Innovation Town, the initiative aims to attract exceptional entrepreneurs from around the globe, fostering an environment conducive to the cultivation of unicorn projects—startups valued at over $1 billion.