The 2023 recipients of the Guangdong Science and Technology Awards were recently announced and Tianhe district of Guangzhou – capital of South China's Guangdong province – was a star performer.

Among the 218 projects that received awards, Tianhe claimed 84 awards – accounting for 38.5 percent of the province's total and a significant 51.8 percent of Guangzhou's share.

The accolades for Tianhe spanned a diverse range of categories, including one Outstanding Contribution Award, six Natural Science Awards and five Technology Invention Awards.

They also included 56 Science and Technology Progress Awards, one Science and Technology Cooperation Award, eight Young Scientist Innovation Awards and seven Science and Technology Achievement Promotion Awards.

The awarded projects covered a wide array of fields, such as biomedicines and health, advanced manufacturing, cutting-edge technology and green technology.

A sweeping view of Tianhe district. [Photo/WeChat account: tianhefabu]

The distribution of awards was said to highlight the critical role of universities in Tianhe's technological innovation landscape.

The South China University of Technology set a record with 32 award-winning projects – including eight first prizes, 18 second prizes, five Young Scientist Innovation Awards and one Science and Technology Achievement Promotion Award.

It topped the province in both total awards and the number of Young Scientist Innovation Awards.

Over the past three years, Tianhe's enterprises have significantly increased their R&D investment by 10 full percentage points, representing a growth rate of 47.75 percent.

This surge is viewed as underscoring Tianhe's pivotal role in driving Guangdong's technological advancement and its commitment to fostering a thriving ecosystem of innovation.