Original Title: Notice from the Foshan High-Tech Industrial Development Zone Management Committee on the Issuance of the "Administrative Measures for the Recognition of New Species Enterprises by the Foshan High-Tech Industrial Development Zone Management Committee"
Chapter 1 General Provisions
Article 1: To thoroughly implement the innovation-driven development strategy, continuously strengthen the role of enterprises as the primary drivers of innovation, improve the tiered cultivation system for "New Species" enterprises, and foster a cohort of "New Species" enterprises with significant growth potential, strong innovation capabilities, novel business models and sectors, robust resilience, and comprehensive competitiveness; to leverage "New Species" enterprises to lead the formation and expansion of new economic sectors, new business models, and new modes of operation, thereby strengthening new-quality productive forces and creating a new engine for economic development in the Foshan High-Tech Industrial Development Zone.The Foshan High-Tech Industrial Development Zone Management Committee (hereinafter referred to as the “Foshan High-Tech Zone Management Committee”) hereby formulates these Measures to carry out the recognition of new-species enterprises.
Article 2 The term “new-species enterprises” as used in these Measures includes: Gazelles, Nezha, potential unicorns, and unicorn enterprises.
Article 3 The recognition and management of new-species enterprises in Foshan High-Tech Zone shall be conducted in accordance with the working principles of "awarding honors, tiered cultivation, capital empowerment, and dynamic optimization."
Article 4: Enterprises that pass the recognition process will be included in the Foshan High-Tech Zone New Species Enterprise Cultivation Pool and will enjoy corresponding policy support from our city.Commercial banks and venture capital institutions are encouraged to develop specialized financing products for recognized enterprises, providing them with long-term, low-cost financial support and strengthening equity financing support. Industry associations and industrial alliances are encouraged to establish a “New Species Enterprise Resource Matching Platform” to integrate demand information regarding technology, production capacity, and orders, promote cross-sector resource sharing and joint R&D, and enhance the resilience of the industrial chain.
Chapter II: Scope and Criteria for Recognition
Article 5: The general eligibility criteria for enterprises applying for “New Species Enterprise” designation are as follows:
(1) The applicant must be an enterprise legally established within the Foshan High-Tech Zone.
(2) The applicant must not be listed on the “Credit China” website as a seriously dishonest entity or on the list of entities with abnormal business operations.
(3) The industry in which the enterprise operates must align with the industrial development direction of Foshan High-Tech Zone. Priority support is given to industries such as high-end equipment manufacturing, smart home, new materials, electronic information, biomedicine and health, and production-oriented services, as well as emerging industries and business models including robotics, additive manufacturing, new energy vehicles, hydrogen energy, and industrial internet.Industries such as tobacco, railways, mineral resources, public utilities, real estate, infrastructure, banking, insurance, and traditional commerce—which are characterized as monopolistic, resource-intensive, involving excess capacity, or low-end manufacturing—are not eligible for support.
(4) The applicant entity must not be a production base, branch, sales company, or trading company of a large central state-owned enterprise, state-owned enterprise, or foreign enterprise.
Article 6: The conditions that applicants for "Gazelle" enterprise status must meet are as follows:
(1) Scale and Efficiency Indicators (must meet one of the following conditions for selection):
1. The enterprise was established no more than 10 years prior to the base year (excluding the base year), with operating revenue in the base year reaching 10 million yuan and a three-year compound annual growth rate of 20%, and positive growth as of the cut-off year;
2. The enterprise was established no more than 10 years prior to the base year (excluding the base year), with a total number of employees reaching 100 in the base year and a three-year compound annual growth rate of 30%, and positive growth in the cut-off year;
3. The company was established no more than 5 years prior to the cutoff year (including the cutoff year), with revenue reaching 500 million yuan in the cutoff year, and no significant decline in revenue over the past 3 years (year-over-year decline not exceeding 10%);
4. The enterprise was established no more than 10 years prior to the reference year (including the reference year), with revenue reaching 1 billion yuan in the reference year, and no significant decline in revenue over the past three years (annual year-over-year decline not exceeding 10%).
(2) Innovation Level Indicators: The average research and development (R&D) intensity of Gazelle enterprises over the past four years must reach 4% (for enterprises established for less than four years, calculations shall be based on actual annual investment data).
Article 7: The conditions that enterprises applying for "Nata" status must meet are as follows:
(1) The enterprise has been in operation for less than three years;
(2) The enterprise must have secured financing of 100 million yuan or more prior to Series A (inclusive);
Article 8: The conditions that enterprises applying for "Nezha" status must meet are as follows:
(1) The enterprise has been in operation for no more than 9 years;
(2) The enterprise has received private equity investment from professional investment institutions and has not yet gone public;
(3) For companies established within the past 5 years, the post-investment valuation of the most recent financing round must be 100 million USD or more, and the cumulative financing amount must be 5 million USD or more; for companies established between 5 and 9 years ago, the post-investment valuation of the most recent financing round must be 500 million USD or more, and the cumulative financing amount must be 25 million USD or more.
Article 9: The conditions that must be met to apply as a unicorn enterprise are as follows:
(1) The company has been in operation for no more than 10 years;
(2) Have received private equity investment from professional investment institutions and have not yet gone public;
(3) The post-investment valuation of the most recent round of financing exceeds (or equals) US$1 billion (which may be converted into RMB or the currency of another country based on the average exchange rate of the year the financing was completed, as necessary), and the cumulative amount of financing exceeds (or equals) US$50 million.
Chapter III: Recognition Procedure
Article 10 The Foshan High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee shall conduct the recognition process in accordance with its work plan and objectives, following the procedure of “application, preliminary review, evaluation, deliberation, public notice, and announcement.”
(1) Application
1. The Foshan High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee shall prepare application guidelines and notices specifying the eligible entities, organizational forms, application requirements, deadlines, procedures, and documentation requirements. These guidelines and notices shall be published on the “Foshan Support Portal.”
2. Applicant entities shall log in to “Foshan Support Portal” and, in accordance with the application guidelines and notices issued for the current year, complete the application form online and upload relevant materials and attachments. Applicant entities are responsible for the authenticity, validity, and legality of the information provided, as well as the uploaded materials and attachments.
(II) Preliminary Review
The administrative bureaus of each park within the Foshan High-Tech Zone will conduct a formal review of the project application materials and a preliminary review of the applicant’s qualifications and eligibility. Projects that meet the criteria will be recommended via the “Foshan Support Portal.”
(III) Evaluation
The Foshan High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee, or a third-party service agency commissioned by it, will organize experts to evaluate the projects recommended by the park management bureaus. Following a review by the Science, Technology, and Talent Bureau of the Foshan High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee, a recommended list of Foshan New Species Enterprises will be finalized.
(4) Deliberation
The Executive Meeting of the Foshan High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee will discuss and review the recommended list to form a proposed list of enterprises to be recognized.
(5) Public Notice
The proposed list of recognized enterprises will be publicly announced by the Foshan High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee on the “Foshan Support Portal” for a period of 5 working days. If any objections are received during the public notice period, the respective park management bureaus shall cooperate with the Foshan High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee to investigate and verify the matter and propose a resolution. The proposed resolution shall be submitted to the Executive Meeting of the Director of the Foshan High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee for deliberation.
(6) Announcement
If no objections are received during the public notice period or if any objections are found to be invalid, the final list of recognized entities will be officially published on “Foshan Support Portal.”
Chapter IV: Management and Supervision
Article 11 The Foshan High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee is primarily responsible for drafting the recognition management measures and application notices, as well as organizing and carrying out project application, evaluation, and public notice procedures; it is also responsible for project supervision and management, and for providing guidance and oversight to the respective park administrative bureaus.
Article 12: Entities applying for the recognition of new species enterprises shall truthfully report relevant information. If any acts of fraud or falsification are discovered, their recognition qualification will be revoked, and relevant credit record measures will be taken in accordance with national, provincial, and municipal regulations on scientific research credit management.
Chapter V Supplementary Provisions
Article 13: The recognition of a "New Species Enterprise" by the Foshan High-Tech Zone Administrative Committee is valid for three years. Upon expiration, the enterprise may reapply for recognition.
Article 14: These Measures shall remain in effect for five years and shall take effect on September 15, 2025.
Publication Method: Proactive Disclosure
