"Hangzhou has been open to international exchange for centuries," said Marco Amabili, chair professor at Westlake University and an international member of the National Academy of Engineering (USA), at the 2026 Hangzhou International Human Resources Exchange and Cooperation Conference held recently.

Amabili, who spent 15 years teaching in Canada before joining Westlake University in Hangzhou, east China, said his journey between Hangzhou and Italy today is "much easier and faster than Marco Polo's," referring to the celebrated European traveler's historical visit to China in the 13th century.

That openness is now taking a new form. Hangzhou is building platforms where researchers, companies and public institutions can move ideas from the lab into real applications.

One example sits in the Hangzhou Future Sci-Tech City. At the Brain-Computer Science Innovation Demonstration Center, visitors can control machines with thought alone. The center is dedicated to brain-computer interface technology, spanning industry exhibition, immersive experience and public science education. In its experience zone, visitors can try out intelligent bionic hands that decode neural and muscle signals, or brain-controlled robotic arms that translate thought into motion.

BrainCo, a flagship brain-computer-interface (BCI) enterprise in the region, is one of the few companies globally to achieve large-scale production of BCI products. The company has received U.S. FDA certification and European CE certification. In January 2026, BrainCo completed approximately 2 billion RMB in financing.

The "Lingjing Space" Spatial Computing Experience Center, located a few kilometers away, opened in April 2026, showcasing the fusion of the physical and digital worlds. Built around the technology of Rokid, a Hangzhou-based augmented reality company, the center demonstrates spatial computing applications for consumers, industry and urban governance. It also serves as an ecosystem hub, hosting developer salons, technology roadshows and industry exchanges.

The Hangzhou Future Sci-Tech City reported 834.9 billion RMB in core digital economy revenue in 2025, up 14.5 percent year on year. The region aims to build a spatial computing industry worth 30-50 billion RMB within three to five years.

In Qiantang District, the Hangzhou Biopharma Town has grown into one of China's most concentrated biopharmaceutical clusters since its launch in 2017. It hosts more than 1,800 biomedical enterprises with an industry scale exceeding 50 billion RMB, and 27 listed or pre-listed companies. Among its 27 high-level innovation platforms are the Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Zhejiang University Institute of Innovative Drug Research. As of 2026, the Hangzhou Biopharma Town has seen four Class 1 innovative drugs approved for marketing, with 138 additional innovative drugs in clinical trials. Of these, 14 are in Phase III clinical trials.

What connects these sectors is talent. The city's universities and research platforms, including Westlake University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, and four provincial laboratories, provide the intellectual foundation.

Amabili's own path illustrates this logic, bridging multiple countries and disciplines. His research in applied mechanics and AI integration exemplifies the cross-disciplinary thinking that frontier industries demand. "Hangzhou provides a fantastic foundation," he said, citing its "stellar AI and innovation ecosystem" that brings together leading technology companies, excellent universities and research institutions, and a dynamic international environment.

Amabili is one of the many who have come to Hangzhou from abroad. The city has long attracted talent from around the world. As the Chinese saying goes, "Above there is paradise, below there are Suzhou and Hangzhou." Today, Hangzhou is earning a new reputation, not only as a place of natural beauty, but also as a paradise for innovation.