Hai'an in Nantong, Jiangsu province. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Hai'an in Nantong, Jiangsu province, has emerged as a leader in innovation-driven growth, with 22 companies included in the 2025 provincial list of unicorn and gazelle enterprises, the most in central Jiangsu.

At the exhibition hall of Xinyuan Group, a screw measuring just 4 centimeters long has drawn wide attention. Unlike conventional metal screws, it is made from silk protein. According to company head Chu Chengping, the product is a global first. Traditional steel screws used in medical procedures often require a second surgery for removal after healing. In contrast, silk protein bone screws naturally degrade in the body once healing is complete, eliminating the need for additional operations.

Known as China's hometown of cocoons and silk, Hai'an has long been associated with soft consumer products such as silk scarves and facial masks. Today, scientific research is helping silk break through its traditional boundaries.

Hai'an has established an innovation mechanism that links enterprise demand with academic research. Companies describe their production challenges, universities and research institutes take the lead in tackling them, and research outcomes are shared across the innovation chain. This approach has accelerated the integration of technological and industrial innovation.

Hochi Technology, for example, has worked closely with universities to develop a new film which can reduce indoor temperatures by more than 10 degrees during summer daytime.

The city's innovation ecosystem continues to expand. The number of high-tech enterprises in Hai'an rose from 374 in 2020 to 633 in 2024. Innovation platforms are also gathering at a faster pace. In collaboration with leading institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Hai'an has established five national-level research and development platforms and set up 12 new-type R&D institutions, ranking among the top county-level cities in Jiangsu province.