When the Science and Technology Ministry, Finance Ministry, and the Industry and Information Technology Ministry recently published their list of special funds for SME development in 2014, it contained 14 Binhu district projects for scientific and technological innovation and services, with 10.91 million yuan ($1.75 million) in funding.

One of the selectees, the Jiangsu Lanchuang Information Technology Services Co, was chosen for "projects for improving the service system for SMEs" and there was a special development fund of 3 million yuan.

There are funds for scientific and technological innovation in SMEs for R&D that is consistent with national policies, with relatively strong market possibilities and potential economic and social benefits, or for emerging industries.

The selection process of fund applicants is extremely strict since proposed projects are intended mainly to support SMEs' technological transformation, public service platforms, technological demonstration, industrial restructuring, new special expertise, or cooperation with large enterprises.

Lanchuang Information has provided information, technology, training, financing and legal aid for over 200 SMEs. In 2013, it had sales of 17.13 million yuan, and a growth rate of 8.66 percent over a three–year period.

It has been chosen as a "Jiangsu province customer satisfaction star unit" and "provincial four-star SME public service platform”, and is Wuxi’s first "State SME public service platform. Its extraordinary performance and vast potential for development have earned it the respect of experts.

Edited by Lin Hong and Roger Bradshaw