Tongji University establishes the Research Center of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Venture Financing

- The center to soon release the world's first index reflecting the status of innovation, entrepreneurship and venture finance in China

SHANGHAI, Nov. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Two institutes at Tongji University, The School of Economics and Management (Tongji SEM) and the Advanced Institute of Business Research (AIBR), in concert with Shenzhen CDF-Capital, a private equity and venture capital firm, have established the Research Center of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Venture Financing at Tongji University. In May 2018, the world's first Index of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Venture Financing will make its worldwide debut, concurrent with the staging of the International Exhibition of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

The index is compiled based on multi-dimensional data resources and an algorithmic model designed to examine the efforts of the Chinese government in this domain in combination with macroeconomic fundamentals, the number of resources available for technological innovation and the relative strength of the resources, the level of maturity and activity across both the Chinese economy as a whole, as well as across the country's financial markets and its venture financing sector, in addition to analyzing the social environment, providing policymakers, practitioners, academics and educators with information about the multi-dimensional characteristics of the nature of innovation, entrepreneurship and venture financing across China.

Tongji University vice president Prof. Jiang Bo said the university plans to support the new research center with all available resources. With the Research Center of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Venture Financing serving as a platform that enables the cross-integration and ongoing development of departments and disciplines, Tongji University will facilitate the cross-integration and development of SEM with other institutes at the school in a move to promote a deeper integration of and cooperation between industry, academe and the world of R&D. In addition, Tongji University will continue to upgrade the model for the training of talent, increase its investment in social development, enhance international cooperation and exchanges, as well as drive the development of innovative schools as well as of China's World-class Universities and First-class Disciplines program, a government initiative to elevate the quality of education at Chinese universities and colleges.

Dean of SEM, professor at the university and an expert in innovation and entrepreneurship research, Li Yuan, believes the Index of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Venture Financing will help build a big data center that provides essential data about innovation, entrepreneurship and venture financing by leveraging the research findings across a wide spectrum of disciplines, including economic management, information technology as well as humanities and social sciences. Tongji University and SEM plan to capitalize on the expertise of international experts to focus on concerns in respect specifically to China and, at a later stage, the innovation, entrepreneurship and venture financing issues facing the countries targeted by the One Belt, One Road initiative with the aim of creating a new model that facilitates cooperation among research organizations, universities and industry leaders.