Today (April 11), the Information Office of Shanghai Municipality held a media briefing. Pu Yapeng, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, introduced the details of the Several Measures on Promoting the Development and Growth of Specialized and Sophisticated Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Shanghai. Yang Hui, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Intellectual Property Administration, Luo Zhisong, chief economist of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, and Tan Ruicong, deputy chief of Minhang District, attended the briefing and answered questions from reporters.Specialized and sophisticated SMEs represent the backbone of the broader SME sector. They play a vital role in advancing new industrialization, fostering new quality productive forces, and accelerating the development of a modern industrial system. Recently, the General Office of the Shanghai Municipal Government released the Several Measures on Promoting the Development and Growth of Specialized and Sophisticated Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises in Shanghai (hereinafter referred to as the “Several Measures”).I. Background to the issuance of the Several MeasuresThis year’s government work report clearly called for the gradual cultivation of innovative enterprises, while driving the development and expansion of specialized and sophisticated SMEs. Upholding a development approach that is innovation-driven, market-oriented, and service-empowered, Shanghai has steadily improved the quality and efficiency of these specialized and sophisticated SMEs. To date, the city has nurtured over 22,000 innovative SMEs, including more than 12,000 specialized and sophisticated SMEs, 857 specialized and sophisticated “little giant” enterprises, and 129 Shanghai-based manufacturing single champions — together forming a high-quality growth ladder that spans from emerging innovators, specialized and sophisticated SMEs, specialized and sophisticated “little giant” enterprises and manufacturing single champions. As emerging and future industries such as foundation models, embodied intelligence, 6G, and quantum computing gain momentum, technological iteration is accelerating, enterprises are scaling up rapidly, and the overall structure of specialized and sophisticated SME clusters continues to evolve and optimize. To respond to these trends, the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, in collaboration with relevant departments, took the lead in conducting in-depth research and convened multiple seminars to gather input on enterprise needs and policy expectations. Based on Shanghai’s development realities, the city formulated the Several Measures to further advance the high-quality development of its specialized and sophisticated SMEs.II. Key contents of the Several MeasuresThe Several Measures outline 20 specific actions across six key areas.The first area focuses on fostering high-growth development. It calls for a full-cycle cultivation system and the creation of a digital and intelligent platform to support the tiered development of specialized and sophisticated SMEs in Shanghai. The goal is “support enterprises in their transition from small to above-designated size, from above-size to strong performers, from strong performers to shareholding companies, and ultimately to publicly listed firms,” ultimately aiming to double the number of such SMEs in the city to around 20,000 by the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan period. To support the transition from “small to above-designated size,” industrial and software/information enterprises that are newly upgraded to above-designated size for the first time will be eligible for rewards of up to 500,000 yuan. Enterprises that exceed the designated size threshold may receive up to 400,000 yuan, based on their growth performance. To promote the leap from “above-size to strong performers,” the measures support the development of high-growth enterprises such as gazelles and unicorns through targeted cultivation and customized services. Specialized and sophisticated “little giant” enterprises whose output value or revenue grows by more than 20% for two consecutive years may receive up to 500,000 yuan in support. To encourage the move from “strong performers to shareholding companies,” the measures leverage state-owned capital to establish a 100-billion-yuan fund cluster that will increase direct investment in these SMEs. To further support enterprises on the path to public listing, the measures call for the enhanced development of the specialized and sophisticated SME board, coordinated solutions to challenges encountered in the listing process, and expanded services for listing-ready firms. Efforts will also be made to expand the listing candidate pool and strengthen the identification of high-potential companies, with the number of enterprises in the pool expected to exceed 1,000.The second area focuses on contributing to refined enterprise management. The Several Measures propose a special campaign to assign quality standards and brand strategies to SMEs, the provision of metrology services, and the improvement of quality management system certifications for micro and small enterprises. A dedicated initiative will also be launched to empower SMEs through the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, while promoting the development of specialized industrial clusters in niche sectors. To drive quality and efficiency improvements, the city will offer “diagnostic services” for quality and management to specialized and sophisticated “little giant” enterprises, with the goal of “providing diagnostics wherever there is demand.” In parallel, efforts will be made to foster high-end industries by supporting the cultivation of specialized and sophisticated SMEs in strategic sectors aligned with Shanghai’s emerging 100 billion-yuan industrial tracks. National and municipal-level SMEs that demonstrate exceptional development and clustering effects will be eligible for incentives. The measures also encourage specialized and sophisticated SMEs to establish innovation platforms such as manufacturing innovation centers, industrial innovation hubs, engineering research centers, and enterprise technology centers. To advance green development, support will be provided for the adoption of green technologies and the establishment of green factories. Additionally, specialized and sophisticated SMEs will be encouraged to become Authorized Economic Operators (AEOs) within the industrial sector at the municipal level.The third area focuses on advancing high-level innovation. Specialized and sophisticated SMEs will be encouraged to join the national patent industrialization pilot program and to become national demonstration enterprises for intellectual property advantages, as well as pilot demonstration enterprises for patent work in Shanghai. Support will be given to help these enterprises and their innovative products apply for inclusion in the municipal recommended catalog of innovative products and the catalog of benchmark enterprises and application scenarios for intelligent robots. The “Hand-in-Hand” initiative will be implemented to promote collaborative innovation among large-, medium-, and small-sized enterprises. Innovation capacity will be further enhanced by establishing a number of dedicated empowerment centers for specialized and sophisticated SMEs, providing technical support, project matchmaking, and pilot testing services. Qualified technological transformation projects will be eligible for interest subsidies on bank loans and financial leasing. Major special projects may receive funding support of up to 10% of approved investment, capped at 100 million yuan. To promote the early adoption of new technologies, the policy will support applications for the first set of equipment, first batch of materials, first version of software, and first round of integrated circuit tape-outs by these specialized and sophisticated SMEs. Integrated development will be encouraged through initiatives such as the “100 Events for 10,000 Enterprises” campaign, matchmaking activities where large enterprises “publish needs” and SMEs “offer solutions”, and efforts to empower “chain leader” enterprises to guide SMEs in strengthening, extending, and complementing industrial supply chains, thereby enhancing overall industrial ecosystem resilience.The fourth area focuses on reducing total factor costs. The Several Measures aim to lower overall business costs for enterprises across three key areas. In terms of reducing digital transformation costs, support will be provided to a group of qualified digital service providers to deliver high-quality, agile, and targeted digital solutions and products. Enterprises purchasing these services will be eligible for subsidies covering up to 30% of the contract value. In terms of reducing financing costs, a dedicated 400-billion-yuan credit facility — dubbed the “Specialized and Sophisticated SME Loan” — will be established, with over 200 billion yuan allocated as credit loans and enterprises will also benefit from interest subsidies of up to 30%. Additionally, under the “Specialized and Sophisticated SME Guarantee Program,” the total guarantee scale is targeted to exceed 20 billion yuan, with the maximum guarantee amount for a single enterprise raised to 30 million yuan. In terms of reducing energy costs, power generation companies will be encouraged to offer lower electricity prices through annual and monthly bilateral negotiations. Industrial parks will be guided to refrain from raising prices during the electricity distribution process. Multiple channels will be tapped to secure lower-cost gas supplies and reduce the overall purchase price. Water costs will also be lowered in phases, with a policy in place to exempt excess usage charges (triggered by tiered pricing) throughout 2025.The fifth area focuses on implementing targeted empowerment. The measures encourage specialized and sophisticated SMEs to expand investment, undertake major national strategic tasks, and participate in the construction of new infrastructure. These enterprises are also supported in registering postdoctoral research workstations and applying to join postdoctoral innovation and practice bases in various districts. To strengthen overseas services, a directory of professional institutions that assist enterprises in “going global” will be published, offering information support and services in investment registration, industry access, regulatory compliance, and overseas recruitment. To promote effective investment, key industrial projects in emerging sectors at the municipal level will receive coordinated support in terms of securing energy, land, and environmental capacity quotas. In terms of talent attraction, specialized and sophisticated SMEs will be included in the city’s list of key institutions for talent introduction. To support global expansion, these enterprises will also be encouraged to become advanced AEOs recognized by Chinese Customs, allowing them to enjoy greater customs facilitation.The sixth area focuses on enhancing multi-level services through improvements in service mechanisms, service supply, and service delivery. The city will consolidate its service mechanism by leveraging the joint conference mechanism for enterprise services, urging all participating departments to step up their services and work together to resolve common challenges faced by enterprises. A performance evaluation system will be established to assess the development outcomes of specialized and sophisticated SMEs, alongside an assessment and supervision mechanism to clarify and reinforce district-level responsibilities. To strengthen service supply, the city will further improve the “1+16+X” SME service system and launch the “Benefit Enterprises Together” initiative, which aims to establish 500 public-interest service stations for SMEs and recognize 1,000 outstanding service partners. A “3-kilometer SME service circle” will be created citywide to ensure accessible and inclusive services. SMEs that purchase professional services — such as technological innovation support or overseas expansion consulting — will be eligible for subsidies of up to 30% of the contract value. Policy implementation will also be accelerated. The city’s dedicated SME development fund will be more effectively utilized, with enhanced financial support and streamlined access to preferential policies through mechanisms such as “automatic entitlement without application” and “prompt and direct benefit delivery.” Additionally, a weekly “Specialized and Sophisticated SME Service Day” will be established to address enterprise concerns in a timely manner and ensure that policies and services are delivered directly to the doorstep of businesses.To help enterprises better understand, access, and make full use of the policy, an enterprise-friendly version of the Several Measures has been launched. Tailored to the needs of businesses, it presents the key policy highlights in plain, accessible language, along with a dedicated consultation hotline and application channel.Looking ahead, the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization will step up overall coordination efforts and work closely with relevant departments and districts to strengthen the promotion and implementation of enterprise-friendly policies. The goal is to continuously enhance the business environment and elevate the quality of services for enterprises. The Commission will also deepen research on common challenges faced by businesses, coordinate solutions to specific needs, and support the sustained growth of high-quality enterprises — particularly specialized and sophisticated SMEs. At the same time, each district will be encouraged to refine and tailor supporting measures based on the unique development needs of such enterprises in their jurisdictions.