In the north of Beijing's Haidian district, the National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) - China's first comprehensive national tech innovation center - is bringing breakthrough technologies to life.

From flexible electronic skin to systems that help preserve organs outside the body, and even microscope lenses small enough to sit on a mouse's head, a new generation of deep-tech startups is thriving here.

Since its launch in 2020, NCTI has nurtured over 180 high-tech companies - more than 100 in Beijing - many now gaining international recognition. 

Each year, the center reviews thousands of technology proposals and selects around 100 high-potential projects for development. So far, it has helped produce more than 50 globally pioneering technologies, further strengthening China's capacity for disruptive innovation.

One of the most striking examples is a coin-sized brain-imaging microscope developed by a local startup, in partnership with Peking University and other institutions. The wearable device allows real-time observation of neural activity in freely moving mice - a world's first - and is already in use by over 60 top research institutions globally. 

Behind such breakthroughs is a long-term, hands-on support model. NCTI identifies promising early-stage technologies from top universities and research programs, then provides access to expert teams, engineering talent, and commercialization resources. Projects receive full-cycle support - from seed funding to scaling - guided by specialists in product development, recruitment, and market access. 

The center also plays a key role in promoting regional collaboration across Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. Using demand-driven models, it fosters upstream and downstream partnerships to accelerate the industrial application of breakthrough technologies.

One spinout, for instance, repurposed aerospace technology for clean energy storage - earning over 200 million yuan in orders from Europe by the end of 2023. With research based in Beijing and production in Tangshan, Hebei, the project is a strong example of cross-regional innovation.