HONG KONG, Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The third annual Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area ("GBA") Leading Biotech 50 Awards Ceremony and Biotech Innovation and Development Summit ("the Summit") was recently held in Nansha, Guangzhou, where the list of the top 50 innovative biotech companies in the region ("Biotech 50 List") was announced. The event, organised by Sino-Inno Lab and KPMG China and hosted by Guangdong Medical Valley, attracted more than 400 delegates from the government, investment institutions, biotech enterprises, scientific research institutions and the media.
Biotech 50 List revealed: 80% hail from Guangzhou and Shenzhen
At 42%, enterprises from Guangzhou account for the highest proportion on the list, with Shenzhen coming in second at 35%. Enterprises from Zhuhai account for 8%, and those from Hong Kong account for 7%. Other enterprises on the list are located in Foshan, Zhongshan, Dongguan and other cities. The success of enterprises from Guangzhou and Shenzhen reflect the significant advantages that these cities have in terms of attracting and cultivating science and technology talent.
The Biotech 50 List includes 23 enterprises whose core business covers biomedicine and 15 medical device enterprises. In addition, 15 shortlisted enterprises are operating in the field of precision medicine, which has great development potential, and 7 enterprises are engaged in medical services.
Grace Luo, Partner, Head of Biotechnology Tax, Southern Region, KPMG China, says: "The 50 leading biotech enterprises included in this year's list come from medical devices, biopharmaceuticals, medical services and other fields. Their performance in all aspects has been quite remarkable, and they have the capability to develop into the backbone of the GBA's biotech industry. In the future, the GBA will continue to rely on industrial clustering and policy dividends to attract high-quality capital and to drive the development of biotech enterprises in the area."
Interest from outside the region accelerates integration among industry, academia and the research sector in the GBA
The GBA is an important region for China's biotech industry. Industrial clustering in the area offers clear advantages, and the region's upstream and downstream industrial chains are complete, which has attracted many leading corporations and biotech innovation enterprises to the area. The Biotech 50 selection has also attracted the participation of many companies from outside the region. These companies expressed optimism about the development potential of the GBA. They want to seize the new opportunities that are arising from the GBA's efforts to develop the biotech industry, and they are eager to actively expand their business in the area.
Xie Jiasheng, CEO of Guangdong Medical Valley, says: "The purpose of the Biotech 50 selection is not only to devise a ranking list, but also to provide a platform for resource sharing to help drive the development of biotech enterprises. We hope that this platform will meet the varied needs of these enterprises in respect of financing, media exposure and publicity, financial and tax guidance, and overall industrial conditions. Through special seminars, financing roadshows, media interviews, bank lending, project incubation and other value-added services, enterprises on the list will be better positioned to grasp opportunities; meet their development goals; cultivate the GBA's industry-academia-research ecosystem; and promote the development of the biotechnology industry."
The scope of this selection covers three areas: medical equipment, biomedicine and technology, and medical services. It comprehensively evaluates the technological innovation and future development prospects of the participating companies from the three dimensions of innovative technology, market application, and capital. A panel of judges from government agencies, third-party research institutions, professional investment institutions, medical institutions, and other entities determine which innovative enterprises to include on the list after visiting them to conduct in-depth research. The selection process officially started in July 2020 and lasted for 4 months. It has received close attention from the government and the industry, and biotech enterprises in and outside the GBA have actively participated.
Prominent public officials, businesspersons and academics gathered to explore biotech opportunities in the GBA
The Summit attracted more than 400 participants, including government officials, industry experts, investment institutions and senior executives of biotech enterprises. Top industry experts and company leaders shared their insights at the event, with a focus on exploring the innovation and development of the GBA's biotech industry. Participants discussed how the GBA is driving the growth of technology enterprises, the success of biotech "unicorns", how investment institutions are facilitating the development of biotech enterprises, and how biotech companies in the GBA can grasp the historical opportunities arising from the establishment of the GBA. Overall, the attendees envision a bright future for the biotech industry.
About KPMG China
KPMG member firms and its affiliates operating in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau are collectively referred to as "KPMG China". KPMG China is based in 27 offices across 25 cities with around 12,000 partners and staff in Beijing, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Foshan, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Hangzhou, Hefei, Jinan, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Suzhou, Tianjin, Wuhan, Xiamen, Xi'an, Zhengzhou, Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR. Working collaboratively across all these offices, KPMG China can deploy experienced professionals efficiently, wherever our client is located.
KPMG is a global network of professional services firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. We operate in 147 countries and territories and have more than 219,000 people working in member firms around the world. The independent member firms of the KPMG global organisation are affiliated with KPMG International Limited ("KPMG International"), a private English company limited by guarantee. KPMG International and its related entities do not provide services to clients. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such.
In 1992, KPMG became the first international accounting network to be granted a joint venture licence in mainland China. KPMG was also the first among the Big Four in mainland China to convert from a joint venture to a special general partnership, as of 1 August 2012. Additionally, the Hong Kong firm can trace its origins to 1945. This early commitment to this market, together with an unwavering focus on quality, has been the foundation for accumulated industry experience, and is reflected in KPMG's appointment for multidisciplinary services (including audit, tax and advisory) by some of China's most prestigious companies.
