Targeted Capital for Strategic Growth

One of the centerpiece initiatives is the formation of an AI Industry Investment Fund by the first half of 2026. The fund will focus on precise industrial chain recruitment through a "weak link list + targeted investment plan" dynamic management mechanism. According to official sources, this ensures capital flows to areas of greatest need rather than being distributed broadly and inefficiently.

The fund is designed to support companies at every stage — from early-stage startups developing novel AI hardware to mature enterprises scaling production. The city plans to create an "invest early, invest continuously, invest sustainably" investment ecosystem, ensuring that promising AI hardware companies receive ongoing financial support throughout their development lifecycle.

Supporting R&D and Commercialization

The "Thousand Smart Products Incubation Program" is designed to accelerate the development of AI hardware through a structured pipeline.

Key elements of the program:

• Product identification: The program will identify and support 1,000 smart product models with market potential
• Priority categories: AI glasses and smartwatches are specifically named as "potential breakout products" for priority support
• Vertical-specific development: The plan calls for 40 niche AI models targeting specific industries
• Government incentives: Companies, research institutions, and individual developers can apply for support through "open competition" mechanisms

For hardware founders, this means direct access to government-backed resources, including potential funding, testing facilities, and connections to manufacturing partners in the Pearl River Delta region.

Empowering Individual Innovators

A distinctive feature of Guangzhou's policy is explicit support for OPC (One-Person Company) structures in AI — what the policy calls "super-individuals." This is a notable departure from conventional industrial policies that focus primarily on established enterprises.

The policy will establish measures to support AI OPC development, recognizing that individual developers, small teams, and freelancers can produce commercially viable AI hardware — particularly in software-defined categories like AI glasses and wearables. For solo developers or small teams, this creates a path to formal business registration and government support that did not previously exist.

450 Real-World Use Cases

The Work Priorities document commits to identifying and publishing 450 AI application scenarios across multiple industries. These include:

• AI + Elderly Care: At least 20 scenarios focusing on health monitoring, safety, daily living support, and social connection for seniors
• AI + Commerce and Exhibition: At least 30 scenarios for smart retail, virtual fitting, and immersive shopping experiences
• AI + Finance: At least 20 scenarios for automated workflows, risk management, marketing, and customer service
• Healthcare, autonomous driving, smart grid, and industrial robotics

The scenario-based approach ensures that hardware development remains tied to actual market needs. Companies developing AI glasses and wearables will have direct visibility into government-published use cases where their products could be deployed.

Comprehensive Funding Ecosystem

Guangzhou is building a multi-layered financial support system for AI hardware companies:

• Venture capital: The AI Industry Investment Fund will provide early-stage equity financing
• Tech lending: Bank loans with government support for qualified AI companies
• Grants and subsidies: Direct financial support for R&D and commercialization
• Coordinated funding mechanism: A "venture capital + tech lending + fiscal subsidy" approach ensures companies receive appropriate financing at different growth stages

The goal is to create what officials describe as a "invest early, invest continuously, invest sustainably" system — ensuring that companies are not stranded at any stage of their development due to lack of capital.