This policy is formulated to implement the “Notice of the General Office of the People’s Government of Henan Province on Issuing the Henan Province Metaverse Industry Development Action Plan (2022–2025)” (Yu Zheng Ban [2022] No. 89), accelerate the development of the metaverse industry in our city, and build “China Metaverse Valley.”
I. Scope of Application This policy applies to enterprises and metaverse industrial parks located within the administrative boundaries of Zhengzhou City that are included in the National Bureau of Statistics’ online direct reporting platform and submit statistical data, and whose primary business is the metaverse or the provision of metaverse services. A metaverse enterprise refers to an enterprise engaged in the research and development of underlying support technologies in the metaverse field—such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), digital twins, human-computer interaction, and brain-computer interfaces— in the metaverse sector, including research and development of underlying support technologies, manufacturing of end-user devices, and technical services, as well as enterprises focused on the development and production of content for metaverse applications in industries such as manufacturing, education, culture and tourism, and commerce. Enterprises must be independent legal entities registered and paying taxes in Zhengzhou. II. Support Policies (1) Support for the Cultivation and Introduction of Metaverse Enterprises 1. Support for the Implementation of Metaverse Projects. For leading enterprises in the metaverse sector and major research platforms that relocate their entire operations to Zhengzhou or establish will be granted up to 200 million yuan in startup funding, along with “move-in ready” and “ready-to-work” support. For newly contracted and established key metaverse enterprises that have been included in the statistical reporting system, if they lease R&D or office space in industrial parks, a rent subsidy of up to 5 million yuan over a maximum of five years will be provided based on a standard of 15 square meters per full-time employee;For those purchasing and using no less than 500 square meters of office space, a one-time purchase subsidy of up to 5% of the purchase price, not exceeding 5 million yuan, will be provided; for enterprises that build their own metaverse innovation application exhibition halls, a one-time renovation subsidy of up to 500,000 yuan will be provided based on the actual area of the exhibition hall at a rate of 1,000 yuan per square meter. 2. Encourage metaverse enterprises to scale up. For metaverse enterprises or institutions whose annual revenue first exceeds 10 million, 30 million, 50 million, 100 million, or 500 million yuan, one-time rewards of 100,000, 200,000, 300,000, 500,000, or 1 million yuan will be granted, respectively, implemented according to the principle of tiered supplementation. 3. Open up typical metaverse application scenarios. Governments at all levels in Zhengzhou will open relevant application scenarios to enterprises, supporting the demonstration and application of new metaverse technologies and products throughout the city. Products that meet relevant regulations will be included in the government procurement system. (II) Promoting the Development of Core Metaverse Industries 1. Support R&D and innovation in the metaverse sector. Organize and implement major science and technology special projects in Zhengzhou, with fiscal subsidies for individual projects not less than 10 million yuan. Organize and implement Zhengzhou “Challenge-Based” R&D projects, providing subsidies of up to 5 million yuan, equivalent to 50% of the actual payment amount per project. 2. Encourage Intellectual Property Strategy in the Metaverse Sector. For metaverse enterprises and institutions, those newly recognized as national-level or provincial-level intellectual property advantage enterprises will receive one-time rewards of 500,000 yuan and 300,000 yuan, respectively; those newly recognized as national-level or provincial-level intellectual property demonstration enterprises will receive one-time rewards of 600,000 yuan and 400,000 yuan, respectively. 3. Encourage metaverse enterprises to pursue High-Tech Enterprise and Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative (SRUI) certifications. Metaverse enterprises that pass the national high-tech enterprise certification for the first time will receive a one-time reward of up to 600,000 yuan; enterprises recognized as SRUI “Little Giants” by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology or as SRUI small and medium-sized enterprises by the Henan Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology will receive one-time rewards of up to 2 million yuan and 500,000 yuan, respectively. 4. Support the development of metaverse infrastructure platforms. For entities that establish provincial-level or higher metaverse public technology service platforms, a one-time subsidy of up to 2 million yuan, equivalent to 30% of the actual investment, shall be provided. For metaverse content carrier platforms, a one-time subsidy of up to 5 million yuan, equivalent to 30% of the actual investment, shall be provided. (III) Accelerating Demonstration Applications of Metaverse Scenarios 1. Support the construction of typical metaverse scenarios. For metaverse scenario applications independently developed by enterprises and institutions and recognized at the municipal level, a one-time subsidy of up to 5 million yuan, equivalent to 30% of the actual investment per scenario, shall be provided. The total number of exemplary scenarios recognized citywide each year shall not exceed 20. During the policy’s validity period, a single enterprise may receive support for no more than 5 scenarios in total. Metaverse scenario construction projects included in government procurement shall not receive duplicate subsidies. 2. Explore the construction of metaverse factories (workshops), metaverse districts, and metaverse parks.Encourage enterprises, neighborhoods, commercial complexes, and parks to build distinctive metaverse demonstration factories (workshops), metaverse neighborhoods, and metaverse parks. Units that receive title-based evaluations for metaverse factories (workshops), neighborhoods, or parks will be granted a one-time fixed-amount subsidy. For metaverse factories, neighborhoods, and parks, a subsidy of up to 6 million yuan, equivalent to 30% of the actual investment, ; Metaverse workshops will receive a subsidy of 30% of the actual investment, up to a maximum of 2 million yuan . (IV) Enhancing Public Service Capabilities for the Metaverse Industry 1. Encourage the cultivation and recruitment of metaverse talent. Encourage enterprises, universities, research institutions, and parks to jointly establish “Metaverse Industry-Education Integration Bases” to strengthen the development of relevant key disciplines and talent cultivation. For recruited high-end entrepreneurial teams, provide project subsidies of up to 20 million yuan ; leading entrepreneurial teams will receive project subsidies of up to 5 million yuan, and leading innovation teams will receive project subsidies of up to 3 million yuan; particularly significant talent team projects will be handled on a “case-by-case” basis and submitted to the Municipal Talent Work Leading Group meeting for review. 2. Strengthen financial support for the metaverse industry. Zhengzhou will establish a special fund for metaverse industry development with a total scale of 10 billion yuan, and will collaborate with relevant ministries, provincial finance departments, and social investment institutions to establish a 50-billion-yuan special fund to support the development of Zhengzhou’s metaverse industry. Metaverse enterprises are encouraged to go public; companies listed on the main board will receive a one-time reward of 20 million yuan. The role of government-backed financing guarantees will be fully leveraged; for metaverse small and micro enterprises, guarantee fee subsidies will be provided for government-backed financing guarantee transactions of up to 10 million yuan per entity with an annualized guarantee fee rate not exceeding 1%, with the guarantee fee subsidized to a maximum of 2%. 3. Support the construction of public service platforms for the metaverse. Public service platforms recognized as national-level or provincial-level specialized metaverse incubators (co-working spaces) will be granted one-time rewards of up to 1 million yuan and 300,000 yuan, respectively. We encourage the establishment of metaverse application innovation exhibition and experience centers that offer science popularization, research and study programs, application experiences, and skills training to the general public, as well as product exhibitions and technology launches to enterprises. A one-time subsidy of up to 6 million yuan will be provided, based on 30% of the actual investment , a one-time subsidy of up to 6 million yuan will be provided. 4. Encourage the organization of metaverse competitions and events. Enterprises (including alliances, universities, etc.) are encouraged to organize competitions, forums, and other activities in the metaverse field. For self-funded activities organized by enterprises that have national influence, a subsidy of 30% of the actual expenses incurred, up to a maximum of 2 million yuan, will be provided. For major events with international influence, subsidies will be determined on a case-by-case basis. III. Other Matters Where a single project or matter eligible under this policy also meets the requirements of other municipal support policies (including policies requiring districts and counties to provide matching or bear funding as mandated by higher-level departments), support shall be provided in accordance with the principle of selecting the highest amount without duplication, unless otherwise specified. This policy shall take effect from the date of publication and remain valid for three years; specific implementation rules shall be separately formulated by the Municipal Development and Reform Commission.