On May 30, Ba Yue Gua Technology Innovation Research Institute released the 2026 National Science and Technology Innovation Index Report (全国科技创新百强指数报告2026). Beijing led the nation for another year with a total of 144 enterprises, universities, and research institutions making it onto the top rankings.

In terms of corporate innovation, Beijing demonstrates a strong concentration of sci-tech innovation resources, with a distinctive innovation cluster characterized by leadership from major enterprises and collaboration among diverse entities.

According to the report, Beijing ranks first nationwide with 97 companies on the list of "National Top 500 Sci-Tech Enterprises", accounting for 19.4 percent of the total—the highest concentration of sci-tech enterprises among all cities in China. State Grid and Sinopec Group remain among the top five nationwide, while digital economy leaders, such as Baidu, JD.com, and Douyin, have secured prominent positions, forming a dual-engine pattern, with energy serving as a pillar and the digital economy as a key driver. In terms of ownership structure, state-owned and state-controlled enterprises account for 83.8 percent of the named entities in Beijing, while private enterprises make up 16.2 percent, reflecting the city’s state-led yet diverse landscape. In addition, 10 included manufacturing champions in specific fields are rooted in hard-tech sectors, while two national-level "little giants" (top enterprises among specialized, high-end and innovation-driven SMEs that provide distinctive products or services) are also among the shortlisted enterprises.

The city's higher education institutions also demonstrate strong innovation capacity, with outstanding strengths in fundamental research and industry-academia integration. According to the report, 13 universities in Beijing are included in the Top 100 list for universities. Tsinghua University and Peking University have held top positions for four consecutive years, while Beihang University and the Beijing Institute of Technology rank in the top 20. Other universities, such as the University of Science and Technology Beijing, the Beijing University of Technology, and the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, also excel in their specialized fields. In terms of innovation output, patent applications and patents granted from universities in Beijing accounted for nearly 14 percent of the universities’ total nationwide over the past three years.

Beijing is also home to numerous national-level research institutions, with abundant strategic sci-tech resources. These allow the city to remain in the leading tier in China for overall sci-tech innovation capacity. The report shows that 34 research institutions in Beijing are included in the Top 100 list, the highest across the country. The China Electric Power Research Institute has ranked first for five consecutive years. Other selected institutions include the Aerospace Information Research Institute and the Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the China Mobile Research Institute, and Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute. These entities are dedicated to China's national strategic fields such as energy and electric power, aerospace information, and semiconductors, serving as core forces in making breakthroughs in key technologies.

(Source: Beijing Daily)