Yantai AI Now Has a "Heart"
Source: Dazhong Daily
Reporters: Dong Qing, Xing Jinyu
On August 7, Cishan AI Valley—Yantai's pioneer zone for the artificial intelligence industry officially opened for operation. At the event, the "1+3+N" fund matrix was released, six OPC model communities were inaugurated, 532 scenario-based demands were unveiled, and six enterprises signed agreements to settle in. These concrete measures demonstrate that Yantai's AI industry now has a core carrier. The event was hosted by Yantai Guofeng Group and Yeda Economic Development Group, and organized by Huang-Bohai Investment Development Group.
All Within the Park
Connecting the Entire AI Industry Chain
With a "heart," the industry's veins naturally flow through. In March this year, the "Yantai 'Artificial Intelligence+' Three-Year Action Plan (2026–2028)" was officially issued, clearly defining the strategy of "exploring scenarios, emphasizing applications, and building ecosystems" to establish a differentiated "1+3+N" industrial layout. The Huang-Bohai New Area was designated as the city's sole core leading zone for artificial intelligence, and Cishan AI Valley is precisely the core carrier for implementing this strategy.
"From a single line of code to a finished product, enterprises in the park can complete the entire process without leaving the premises," introduced Wang Lei, General Manager of Yantai Huang-Bohai Investment Development Group Co., Ltd. As Yantai's pioneer zone for the AI industry, Cishan AI Valley integrates R&D design, incubation and transformation, pilot-scale acceleration, and scenario application. It focuses on key areas such as AI model algorithms, data corpus, intelligent hardware and software, and AI security services, building a full-chain industrial innovation ecosystem.
At the ceremony, the "1+3+N" fund matrix, with a total scale exceeding 10 billion yuan and led by Guofeng Group, was unveiled. The "1" refers to a 100 million yuan angel fund focused on early stage innovative project investment; the "3" represents three industrial funds with a total scale of 3 billion yuan; and the "N" represents Guofeng Group's existing funds in sectors such as biomedicine, aerospace, and hydrogen energy. Together, they form a full-chain capital support system covering "seed stage—growth stage—maturity stage."
On site, six enterprises—IBM, Shengshu Technology, DingTalk, OpenHarmony, Haiyi Intelligence, and Teling Robotics—signed agreements to settle in. "Yantai's business environment and industrial scenarios are exactly what we need. From Shandong Port Yantai Port to Wanhua Chemical, there are many implementation projects. Since March this year, our performance has already doubled compared to last year," said Wang Niantao, Deputy General Manager of Teling Robotics.
OPC Ecological Empowerment
Activating Entrepreneurial Vitality Across the Chain
Large enterprises can build their own buildings, but small and medium-sized teams need "move in with their bags" and have someone to "cover the basics." The OPC community is Cishan AI Valley's answer: by concentrating space, resources, and talent, it enables entrepreneurs to start at low cost.
The Cishan AI Valley OPC community is located in Building A9 of the park and serves as the core vehicle for the park's strategy of "exchanging space for ecosystem." It not only provides shared workspaces, meeting rooms, dining areas, and other functional spaces, but also builds a complete incubation chain from entrepreneurial seminars, roadshows, and pitch events to investment and financing matchmaking.
On the day of the event, the first "AI YOU Yantai" OPC Entrepreneurship Competition was held at Cishan AI Valley. Ten project teams competed in areas such as industrial AI, digital twins, and embodied intelligence, with investment institution representatives, startup mentors, and industry experts providing on-site feedback and exchanges. This competition allowed entrepreneurs to receive professional evaluation and resource connections at the initial stage of their ventures, and it also exemplifies how the OPC community's incubation chain extends from "space provision" to "value empowerment."
Previously, Cishan AI Valley won the "OPC Pioneer Community" award at the Global Digital Economy Conference and signed 35 scientific and technological innovation projects on site. On the opening day, the Cishan AI Valley OPC community, together with the AI Modulus · Smart Valley Digital Media OPC Community, HEU Deep Blue Smart Valley, Smart Cube · Model Space OPC Community, Xinhai AI Wisdom Valley OPC Community, and Bajiaowan Selected OPC Maker Base, were collectively recognized as the first batch of OPC model communities in Yantai Huang-Bohai New Area.
From a local model to global recognition, the Cishan AI Valley OPC model is forming a replicable and scalable entrepreneurial ecosystem template, giving more "super individuals" the opportunity to find their place on the AI track.
Exchanging Scenarios for Industry
The Industrial Ecosystem Accelerates its Rise
Speaking about the "pioneering" nature of Cishan AI Valley as Yantai's AI industry pioneer zone, Wang Lei said: "Others build 'technology demonstration centers'; we build 'industrial transformation accelerators.' Others wait for enterprises to come; we proactively 'deliver scenarios to their doorsteps.' Others compete in hardware investment; we compete in 'scenario density × implementation efficiency.'"
While many AI parks across the country are caught in homogeneous competition over "policies and subsidies," Cishan AI Valley has chosen a more pragmatic path: exchanging scenarios for industry.
The confidence behind this choice comes from Yantai's profound industrial foundation. As Shandong's third trillion-yuan GDP city, Yantai is home to 1.06 million market entities, 86,000 manufacturing enterprises, over 3,000 industrial enterprises above designated size, and more than 4,300 provincial-level or higher high-tech and specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative enterprises. Its industrial system is comprehensive, with leading enterprises such as Wanhua Chemical, Changyu, and Doosan Machine Tools clustering together, making Yantai one of the few cities in China capable of large-scale industrial AI implementation. "Today we released 532 scenario-based demands with a total value of approximately 550 million yuan—all real, hard data," said Wang Lei.
With a total investment of 1.8 billion yuan, Cishan AI Valley was built by Yeda Economic Development Group and is operated by Huang-Bohai Investment Development Group, which has also established a specialized scenario operation company. Under the coordination of government departments, the company systematically compiles digital transformation needs in key areas such as urban governance, industrial manufacturing, and public services, turning real development pain points into standardized AI application propositions, forming a list of key AI application scenarios to guide resident enterprises in "bidding for solutions."
Currently, Cishan AI Valley's approach of "exchanging scenarios for industry" is translating into tangible industrial outcomes. Industry leaders such as IBM, Alibaba DingTalk, and OpenHarmony, as well as local vertical?domain enterprises like Haiyi Software, Bojutong, and Bocheng Jingwei, have moved in ahead of others, covering cutting?edge tracks such as AI video generation, embodied intelligence, and industrial AI. They aim to strengthen, complement, and extend the industrial chain through the agglomeration effect of leading enterprises, jointly building a complete AI industrial ecosystem.
With Cishan AI Valley as a pivot, Yantai is accelerating the formation of a virtuous cycle of "technology-scenario-industry." On the trillion?yuan AI track, Yantai is already in position.
