Nanjing has secured the 9th position worldwide in the 2024 Global Innovation Index (GII) ranking of the world’s top 100 science and technology clusters, marking its first entry into the global top ten. Behind this milestone is a sophisticated intellectual property (IP) ecosystem that integrates protection, enforcement, and commercialization.
At the heart of this system is the Nanjing Intellectual Property Protection Center, located in Jiangbei New Area. As a national-level service platform, the center provides fast-track patent pre-examination and offers enterprises end-to-end IP services.
Nanjing has become a benchmark for IP protection in China. Its efforts extend from geographical indications—such as Yuhua Tea and Nanjing Salted Duck, now included in China–EU protection lists—to the clustering of innovation-driven industries. In 2024, the city recorded 167.01 invention patents per 10,000 residents and 71.21 high-value invention patents per 10,000 residents, ranking among the top nationwide. Financing backed by IP pledges reached RMB 16 billion, a year-on-year increase of more than 150%.
Policy innovation has been central to this progress. Nanjing has published an IP White Paper for 22 consecutive years, revised its Science and Technology Progress Regulation, and introduced targeted measures to promote patent transformation. Together, these form a comprehensive institutional framework covering the entire IP lifecycle.
The judicial landscape is equally advanced. Nanjing now hosts four specialized courts, including the International Commercial Court, inaugurated in 2023. Within a year, it launched bilingual services and received over 300 cross-border cases. Notably, Nanjing courts set a global precedent in the Huawei v. Conversant case, determining standard-essential patent licensing rates before a UK court ruling, offering a model for international IP dispute resolution.
Global enterprises are responding. Swedish mining equipment leader Epiroc established its Gaia brand sales headquarters in Nanjing, citing a landmark criminal IP enforcement victory as proof of the city’s strengthening protection environment.
Enforcement remains rigorous: in 2024 alone, Nanjing investigated 184 IP violation cases, imposed RMB 3.5 million in fines, and advanced digital governance through China’s first commercial secret protection platform and the Nanjing IP Work Cloud.
Equally significant is Nanjing’s push to translate IP into economic outcomes. China Pharmaceutical University secured RMB 100 million from the transfer of patents on flavonoid compounds, advancing new anti-cancer drug development. Southeast University’s “cash + equity” model has delivered multi-million-yuan industry–academia partnerships. The Nanjing Biomedicine Sub-Center of the National University Technology Transfer System has mobilized RMB 8.4 billion, screened 1,200 medical achievements, and facilitated 36 commercialization projects.
By synchronizing IP protection with industrial transformation, Nanjing is building a full-chain, cross-regional, and digital-first IP ecosystem. As a result, the city is not only safeguarding innovation but also positioning itself as a global leader in turning knowledge into economic power.
