Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone (Optics Valley of China, or OVC) is set to establish a world-class innovation block within a 4-square-kilometer area bordered by Luoyu Road, Guandongyuan Road, Xiongchu Avenue, and Minzu Avenue.

This area, referred to as the "Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) Innovation Development Belt", will feature a spatial structure of "one core, two points, and one line".

The "Innovation Source Core" will be centered in the Qifa Community, while the "Industry Verification Point" will be located in the Guandong Industrial Park. The "Scenario Verification Point" will be situated at the Optics Valley Pedestrian Street, and the "High-Density Innovation and Entrepreneurship Axis" will run along Optics Valley Entrepreneurship Street.

By 2028, the main framework of this world-class innovation block is expected to be in place. The block aims to incubate and nurture 500 high-growth tech companies, attract 1,000 high-level R&D enterprises, and gather over 100,000 innovation talents.

HUST has been rooted in OVC for over 70 years, with 100,000 alumni contributing to innovation and entrepreneurship in the zone. Since October last year, talent exchanges between HUST and OVC have led to 43 university-enterprise cooperation projects, with nine technological achievements successfully commercialized.

To address the early-stage validation and funding challenges for university research outcomes, OVC has established a concept validation fund group totalling 110 million yuan ($15.47 million). This fund will support seed-stage startups through a financial grant-for-equity swap, helping fledgling companies bridge the "valley of death".

Currently, OVC is expediting the launch of key projects to advance the development of the "HUST Innovation Development Belt", aiming for early visible progress.