On September 11, 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the "AI SME Entrepreneurship Support Plan (2026-2028)." The plan aims to cultivate more than 10,000 technology and innovation-oriented SMEs and over 2,000 specialized, refined, distinctive and innovative "little giant" enterprises within three years.
The plan includes 15 tasks across four areas and encourages local governments to offer inclusive support for micro-entities including one-person companies. It emphasizes lowering entry barriers for AI startups and improving access to computing power, data and financing.
The initiative reflects China's strategy of building a broad AI industrial ecosystem beyond leading tech giants, supporting grassroots innovation and application development.
Industry observers said the plan will accelerate the commercialization of AI technologies across manufacturing, services and public sectors.
Source: MIIT / Guangming Daily
