The Chinese economy is currently at a critical stage of transformation and structural adjustment. Only by relying on technological innovation can China’s economy transition from a phase of rapid growth to a phase of high-quality development. Technological innovation refers to the overall process of scientific research and technological innovation, mainly involving the creation and application of new knowledge, new technologies, new processes, and new methods, developing new products, and improving product capabilities and service quality. Technological innovation includes basic scientific research and key core technologies. The Shanghai North Bund Financial Research Institute’s Technology Innovation Weekly focuses primarily on two major fields: intelligent technology (intelligent perception, photonic technology, etc.) and life sciences (innovative drugs, innovative medical devices, etc.).
Quick Overview of This Issue
Intelligent Technology Industry
1 Investment and Financing Dynamics
1.1 SoftBank of Japan Invests $2 Billion in Intel
1.2 Chip Engine Technology Completes Over 1 Billion RMB Series B Financing
1.3 Zonghui Xinguang Completes Hundreds of Millions in Series C4 Financing
2 Technology and Product Dynamics
2.1 The World’s First Thermodynamic Computing Chip Successfully Taped Out
2.2 Rice University Develops New Manufacturing Process for Two-Dimensional Semiconductors
2.3 Chinese Research Team Achieves Significant Progress in Flexible Intrusive Brain-Computer Interface Device Implantation Research
3 Other Dynamics
3.1 The U.S. National Science Foundation and NVIDIA Announce $152 Million Investment to Advance AI Research
3.2 The U.S. Officially Releases the “Maintaining U.S. Advantage Act” to Increase Export Control Transparency
Life Science Industry
1 Investment and Financing Dynamics
1.1 Ophthalmic Medical Device Developer Iantrek Completes $42 Million Series C Financing
1.2 Valued at over 2 billion RMB, Tianchen Bio Submits Application for Hong Kong Stock Listing
1.3 Fanzhi Medical Completes Hundreds of Millions in Series D+ Financing
2 Technology and Product Dynamics
2.1 MASH Therapy Approved in the EU
2.2 Ogsiveo Approved by the European Commission for Treatment of Advanced Fibromatosis
2.3 FDA Approves Antisense Oligonucleotide Therapy
3 Other Dynamics
3.1 Over $2 Billion, Merck of Germany Bets on RNA Small Molecule New Drugs
3.2 Over $1 Billion, Jazz Pharmaceuticals Partners with Saniona to Develop Potential “Best-in-Class” Small Molecules
Detailed Content of This Issue
Intelligent Technology Industry
1 Investment and Financing Dynamics
1.1 SoftBank of Japan Invests $2 Billion in Intel, Increasing Commitment to U.S. Advanced Technology and Semiconductor Industry
According to Reuters on August 18, Japan’s SoftBank Group announced an investment of $2 billion in Intel. SoftBank will purchase Intel common stock at $23 per share, accounting for 2% of Intel’s total equity, making it Intel’s fifth-largest shareholder. This transaction is also seen as a commitment by SoftBank to the U.S. advanced technology and semiconductor industry. SoftBank Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son stated in a statement that this strategic investment “reflects our belief that U.S. advanced semiconductor manufacturing and supply will further expand, with Intel playing a key role in it.” This investment is an external recognition for Intel, which has been overshadowed by competitors like NVIDIA in recent years, and reflects SoftBank’s interest in the U.S. market, particularly in the AI chip sector.
1.2 Over 1 Billion RMB, Chip Engine Technology Completes Series B Financing
On August 19, domestic intelligent automotive cockpit chip manufacturer Chip Engine Technology announced that it has successfully completed Series B financing exceeding 1 billion RMB.
Building on last year’s investments from various institutions including the second phase of the State-owned Enterprise Structural Adjustment Fund, this Series B financing also saw active participation from multiple local government funds, insurance funds, and bank funds. It is reported that the overall financing of Chip Engine Technology’s Series B was led by the National Adjustment Phase II Fund, with multiple state-owned industrial funds participating, and it successfully secured strategic investments from AIC’s first orders in Hubei and Shandong provinces, as well as from the central enterprise insurance fund Taiping Financial Holdings, positioning it as a benchmark beneficiary enterprise in the national technology finance reform pilot, deeply integrating into the national-level cycle of “technology-industry-finance.”
1.3 Zonghui Xinguang Completes Hundreds of Millions in Series C4 Financing, Huawei and Xiaomi Invest Again
On August 20, it was reported that domestic VCSEL (Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser) chip manufacturer Changzhou Zonghui Xinguang Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd. completed hundreds of millions in Series C4 financing. This round of financing was led by the National Development and Reform Commission’s Manufacturing Transformation and Upgrade Fund, with well-known institutions such as Huawei Hubble, Xiaomi Yangtze River Industry Fund, and Suzhou Yaotu participating.
2 Technology and Product Dynamics
2.1 The World’s First Thermodynamic Computing Chip Successfully Taped Out, Energy Efficiency Improved by 1000 Times
According to cnBeta on August 18, American AI startup Normal Computing announced that its world’s first thermodynamic computing chip CN101 has successfully completed taping out. CN101 is designed for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing data centers, utilizing thermodynamic principles and other physical laws to achieve computational efficiency that traditional chips cannot reach. CN101 leverages the randomness of natural dynamics to accelerate AI inference, focusing primarily on efficiently solving linear algebra and matrix operations, and addressing other probabilistic computation tasks that are specific needs for AI training, achieving energy efficiency improvements of up to 1000 times compared to traditional chips. According to the plan, Normal Computing will launch CN201 in 2026, primarily targeting high-resolution diffusion models and expanded AI workloads; CN301 is expected to be launched by the end of 2027 or early 2028, further expanding into advanced video diffusion models.
2.2 Rice University Develops New Manufacturing Process for Two-Dimensional Semiconductors, Expected to Break Through the Bottleneck of Mass Production of Ultra-Thin Chips
According to TechXplore on August 20, the materials science team at Rice University has developed the world’s first method to directly grow ultra-thin semiconductors on electronic components. Researchers successfully used chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technology to directly grow two-dimensional semiconductor material tungsten diselenide (WSe₂) on pre-designed patterned gold electrodes, producing functional transistors. Compared to traditional processes that require multiple steps to transfer fragile two-dimensional films, this method completely eliminates the transfer step, while reducing processing temperatures and effectively minimizing material damage. This technological breakthrough is expected to significantly enhance the manufacturing efficiency and product stability of semiconductor devices, pushing components towards smaller, faster, and more efficient directions, laying the foundation for the application of atomic-level thin materials in next-generation transistors, photovoltaic devices, and other fields.
2.3 Chinese Research Team Achieves Significant Progress in Flexible Intrusive Brain-Computer Interface Device Implantation Research, Reducing Implantation Damage by 74%
According to Science and Technology Daily on August 21, the Semiconductor Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has successfully developed a rigid-flexible adjustable “neural tentacle” probe, reducing implantation damage by 74%. This probe contains a hydraulic system that can inflate and harden during the implantation phase for precise puncturing of brain tissue; once implanted, it returns to a soft state to adapt to the microenvironment of brain tissue. This development achieves two key goals: minimal brain damage during implantation and long-term stable recording of high-quality neural signals.
3 Other Dynamics
3.1 The U.S. National Science Foundation and NVIDIA Announce $152 Million Investment to Advance AI Research
According to MeriTalk on August 15, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and NVIDIA jointly announced an investment of $152 million in the “Open Multimodal AI Infrastructure Accelerating Science” (OMAI) project, aimed at creating a set of advanced AI models to accelerate scientific innovation and discovery. The project is led by the non-profit research organization Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence (Ai2) and will create an open-source, multimodal large language model trained on scientific data and literature, prioritizing key issues such as new material discovery and protein function prediction improvement.
3.2 The U.S. Officially Releases the “Maintaining U.S. Advantage Act” to Increase Export Control Transparency
According to the White House on August 19, President Trump officially signed the “Maintaining U.S. Advantage Act” into law. This act requires the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to report to Congress annually on export control licensing situations. According to the act, the BIS report will include information on license applications, enforcement actions, and other authorizations related to the export, re-export, release, and domestic transfer of controlled items, targeting entities covered by the export control act.
Life Science Industry
1 Investment and Financing Dynamics
1.1 Ophthalmic Medical Device Developer Iantrek Completes $42 Million Series C Financing, Launches Breakthrough Glaucoma Intervention Therapy AlloFlo™ Uveo
On August 20, 2025, Iantrek, a pioneer in the field of bio-interventional ophthalmic surgery (BIOS), announced the completion of $42 million in Series C financing. This funding will be used to launch AlloFlo™ Uveo in the U.S. market, a pioneering surgical solution targeting the uveal-scleral pathway, and will also drive broader product line expansion.
The Series C financing was led by U.S. Venture Partners (USVP), with participation from the aMoon Fund, and existing investors Visionary Ventures, Sectoral Asset Management, Radius Special Situations Fund, and Civilization Ventures.
1.2 Valued at over 2 billion RMB, Tianchen Bio Submits Application for Hong Kong Stock Listing
On August 21, Tianchen Bio submitted an 18A listing application for Hong Kong stocks, with Guojin Securities serving as the exclusive sponsor, and a valuation exceeding 2 billion RMB. The company focuses on innovative drug development, possessing technology platforms for high-affinity antibody discovery, with core products including innovative anti-IgE antibody LP-003 and bifunctional antibody LP-005, which have the potential to treat allergies and autoimmune diseases, and plans to conduct multiple clinical trials.
1.3 Fanzhi Medical Completes Hundreds of Millions in Series D+ Financing, Deepening AI Technology Applications in Disease Diagnosis
On August 21, Beijing Fanzhi Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Fanzhi Medical”) announced the completion of hundreds of millions in Series D+ financing. Following the D round investment from Jianyin International’s Jianchuang Medical Growth Fund, Jinsha River Capital, and Zhilai Capital, this round of investment also saw participation from institutions such as He Rui Venture Capital and Jingkai Chuangrong Capital.
This round of financing will promote Fanzhi Medical’s deepening application of AI technology in rapid disease diagnosis, accelerate the R&D iteration of AI-driven rapid testing instruments and multi-detection diagnostic reagents, improve the intelligent diagnostic product matrix, and expedite the international registration certification application for medical devices. At the same time, the company will significantly enhance production capacity, accelerating the deep layout of products in the global market, with overseas revenue accounting for over one-third, achieving industrialization and scaling development.
2 Technology and Product Dynamics
2.1 MASH Therapy Approved in the EU
Recently, Madrigal Pharmaceuticals announced that the European Commission has conditionally approved its drug Rezdiffra (resmetirom) for the treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe liver fibrosis due to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (MASH). According to the press release, this is the first MASH therapy to receive EU approval.
2.2 Ogsiveo Approved by the European Commission for Treatment of Advanced Fibromatosis
Recently, SpringWorks Therapeutics announced that the EU has approved Ogsiveo (nirogacestat) tablets for adult patients with advanced fibromatosis requiring systemic treatment. According to the press release, Ogsiveo is the first drug approved in the EU for the treatment of fibromatosis patients, which is a rare subtype of soft tissue sarcoma.
2.3 FDA Approves Antisense Oligonucleotide Therapy
On August 22, Ionis Pharmaceuticals announced that the U.S. FDA has approved Dawnzera (donidalorsen) for the prevention of hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks in adults and children aged 12 and older. According to the press release, Dawnzera is the first RNA-targeted drug approved for HAE.
3 Other DynamicsDynamics
3.1 Over $2 Billion, Merck of Germany Bets on RNA Small Molecule New Drugs
On August 18, in Boston, Skyhawk Therapeutics, a leader in discovering and developing small molecules that modulate RNA expression, announced a strategic research collaboration with Merck of Germany. This collaboration will focus on developing new RNA small molecule drugs for specific neurological indications with high unmet medical needs.
According to the terms of the agreement, Skyhawk will use its proprietary SkySTAR® platform (for RNA selective splicing) to identify small molecule candidates targeting specific RNA targets designated by Merck. This collaboration aims to leverage Skyhawk’s industry-leading capabilities in RNA splicing modulation and Merck’s expertise in drug development and commercialization to expand the potential of RNA modulation in diseases where traditional methods face challenges.
Skyhawk will lead the discovery and preclinical development work, after which Merck will be responsible for further development and commercialization following the exercise of options. The total transaction value exceeds $2 billion, with Skyhawk eligible for milestone payments and tiered royalties on commercial sales.
3.2 Over $1 Billion, Jazz Pharmaceuticals Partners with Saniona to Develop Potential “Best-in-Class” Small Molecules
On August 21, Jazz Pharmaceuticals and Saniona announced that the two companies have reached a global licensing agreement, granting Jazz exclusive global development rights to SAN2355. SAN2355 is a differentiated potassium channel activator primarily developed for epilepsy and other potential indications, aiming to overcome the limitations of non-selective Kv7-targeted compounds. According to the terms of the agreement, Jazz will lead and fund the further development, regulatory submissions, and global commercialization activities for SAN2355. Saniona will receive an upfront payment of $42.5 million and is eligible for up to $192.5 million in development and regulatory milestone payments, as well as up to $800 million in potential commercial milestone payments.
Note: The content of this article is compiled from various websites including Chip Intelligence, Artery Network, Science and Technology Daily, and Global Technology Map.
