Shanghai Key Technology R&D Plan — New Generation IT

Shanghai Key Technology R&D Plan — New Generation IT

Funds Shanghai applied-research teams through New Generation IT for AI, embodied intelligence, and data governance development.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

The Shanghai Key Technology R&D Plan New Generation IT call, run by the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission, is a competitive applied-research program targeting advanced information-technology infrastructure. The 2025 cycle defined seven specific AI directions, including AGI agents, large-model inference, embodied-intelligence modules, multimodal AI, data governance, and science-inspired AI. The program funds applied development with clear technical objectives rather than open-ended basic research, and the 2026 call is expected in the third quarter of 2026.

Project funding ranged from CNY 500,000 to CNY 7,000,000 per project in the 2025 cycle. Most projects run 24 months, while a dedicated youth track runs 12 months and caps the principal investigator's age at 35. Eligible hosts include for-profit companies, universities, research organizations, and non-profits, all of which must be Shanghai-registered; individuals cannot apply. Applicants must document any overlapping prior STCSM funding at submission, and the program uses a three-step process: notify intent, complete institutional review, then submit the final application online.

This is among the more selective Shanghai calls. In the 2025 cycle, several directions funded only one to a handful of projects each, with estimated success rates below five percent for the tightest directions. Winning proposals match a named technical direction precisely, present a credible 24-month delivery plan with measurable milestones, and clear the letter-of-intent gate early. Applicants should engage their host institution well before the call to navigate the staged submission and competitive slot allocation.