Once upon a time, mentioning Huzhou's specialties would bring to mind the delicate aroma of Anji white tea, the luxurious beauty of Linghu silk, and the masterful craftsmanship of Shanlian writing brushes. Today, however, a wave of high-tech products is redefining "Huzhou specialties." From powerful variable-frequency motors and lightweight yet robust rocket nose cones to stylish pool cues and instant-start vehicle batteries, these innovative items are emerging in such abundance and variety that they are giving the term a whole new meaning.

Interestingly, these "specialties" are deeply rooted in the fertile ground of Huzhou's technological innovation and industrial upgrading, breaking traditional stereotypes. Netizens have aptly dubbed them "new tech specialties." Investigations reveal their proliferation is supported by a robust industrial system, a nurturing business environment, and a steady influx of young talent.

The industrial system provides the foundational "soil." Zhejiang Yongchang Electric Co., Ltd., located in Zhili Town, Wuxing District, has been securing a steady stream of orders with its DC variable-frequency motor that significantly reduces energy consumption, making it a choice for numerous new energy vehicle companies.

Tian Zhifa, head of the company's management department, provided comparative data: "DC variable-frequency efficiency can reach 85%, while traditional AC induction motors only achieve 60%. This improvement allows our product to meet the national first-level energy efficiency standard, saving users considerable electricity costs."

Behind the product lies the industry. In recent years, to seize opportunities presented by the new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation and accelerate the shift towards greener and more innovative industrial structures, Huzhou has aligned itself with the provincial plan for cultivating advanced manufacturing clusters. Leveraging its own industrial foundation, the city has focused on nurturing emerging industrial chains, including new energy vehicles and key components, semiconductors and optoelectronics, and biomedicine.

Thanks to this well-developed industrial system, a batch of "new tech specialties" has come into focus. Not long ago, a rider from the Zhangxue Racing Team won the SSP class at the World Superbike Championship (WSBK) in Portugal, powered by a battery from Huzhou's Tianfeng Power Co., Ltd. Liu Yang, the general manager of Tianfeng Power, explained that the company became the exclusive starter battery supplier for Zhangxue Racing upon its establishment in 2024.

Compared to other batteries, the starter batteries produced by Tianfeng Power feature instant starting, a weight reduction of 40% compared to traditional lead-acid batteries, and stable voltage maintenance under conditions of day-night temperature fluctuations and high-intensity braking heat radiation. Today, seven of the world's top ten motorcycle brands procure battery products from this company.

It is precisely by relying on enterprises like Yongchang Electric and Tianfeng Power, which delve deep into niche sectors, that Huzhou has continuously accumulated innovation momentum in recent years. Over the past three years, the city's growth rates for added value in strategic emerging industries, high-tech industries, and equipment manufacturing have ranked among the top in the province. Furthermore, the number of national-level "little giant" enterprises specializing in specific sectors per trillion yuan of GDP places Huzhou among the leading prefecture-level cities nationwide.

The business environment acts as nourishing "rain and dew." A pool cue may seem simple, but it integrates multiple technological elements like material science and structural mechanics. In high-end competitive arenas, the quality of the cue largely determines the outcome. At the recent 2026 World Snooker Championship final, 22-year-old Chinese player Wu Yize clinched the championship, bringing his sponsor, Zhejiang Kangxi Shengshi Sporting Goods Co., Ltd., into the spotlight.

The company's chairman, Sun Yongchao, has stated on multiple public occasions that it was Huzhou's excellent business environment that prompted the company to relocate to Deqing five years ago. Since then, the company's output value has gradually increased from less than 20 million yuan to over 200 million yuan today.

A superior business environment, like sunshine and rain, continuously fosters the accelerated emergence of "new tech specialties." In February this year, Lexin Outdoor Products Co., Ltd., also located in Deqing County, was listed, becoming the "first stock in fishing equipment." The company's head noted that Huzhou's business environment is reflected not only in policies but also in meticulous, comprehensive services, allowing companies to focus wholeheartedly on R&D and continuously expand their professional domains. Currently, the company's various products are exported to over 40 countries and regions.

The success of "new tech specialties," being both acclaimed and commercially viable, hinges on letting enterprises play the leading role in innovation. In recent years, Huzhou has vigorously introduced high-level platforms around its leading industries, striving to create a business environment with more efficient factor allocation and stronger innovation vitality. Currently, over 90% of the city's R&D investment comes from enterprises, and over 90% of R&D institutions are established within enterprises.

Anji's Yongyi Furniture Co., Ltd. previously collaborated with a Zhejiang University team to establish a Healthy Seating Research Institute, focusing on ergonomics and launching ergonomic chairs highly favored by users. "Last year, domestic sales of just the Flow550 series ergonomic chairs reached 80,000 units. The popularity of this 'new tech specialty' undoubtedly has the business environment as a driving force behind the scenes, further channeling innovation elements like capital and platforms towards enterprises," stated a company representative.

Young talent constitutes the "core strength." In Daixi Town, Wuxing District, domestic cosmetics as "new tech specialties" continue to attract young consumers, maintaining a high-frequency "new product launch" rhythm over the past two years. A perfume produced by Huzhou Yufan Cosmetics Technology Co., Ltd. surpassed one million bottles in sales within six months of launch. The company's head, Cao Huixing, candidly stated, "Talent is precisely the core driver behind product popularity and corporate innovation."

Data shows that Daixi Town has now gathered over 300 enterprises across the cosmetics industry's upstream and downstream sectors, continuously attracting young talent from various cosmetic sub-fields. Particularly in areas with high technical barriers like ingredient innovation, a group of highly educated, internationally-minded young teams is beginning to make their mark.

When Guanchen Biotechnology Co., Ltd. settled in the town in 2023, it had fewer than 30 employees but boasted 6 PhDs and 6 master's degree holders. The company's founder, Qiao Jian, stated that leveraging this unique talent advantage, the company has continuously achieved breakthroughs in product innovation. To date, it has successfully secured two rounds of financing worth tens of millions of yuan and has initiated collaborations with several well-known domestic cosmetic brands.

"Transforming the talent variable into a development increment, reshaping industrial chains with original core technologies, and fostering new business formats—this is precisely the key to integrating 'new tech specialties' into the cultivation and development of new quality productive forces," said Xu Fangda, founder and general manager of Rongspeed Technology (Huzhou) Co., Ltd. in the South Taihu New Area. He leads a group of young people focused on a unique task: 3D printing rocket nose cones.

Although the company is small in scale, it has already delivered nearly a thousand 3D-printed components to domestic aerospace-related enterprises. "Compared to traditional processes like forging and machining, 3D printing technology achieves a metal printing precision of 5 microns, equivalent to 1/14th of a human hair. The printed rocket nose cones are not only lower in cost but also have shorter production cycles," Xu Fangda explained.

The municipal government noted that in recent years, Huzhou has also actively built a "dual-database, one-policy, one-mechanism" system to promote the efficient flow of talent resources among universities, research institutes, and enterprises. Last year, 248 "young and capable" technology deputy managers from the city regularly engaged with partnered enterprises, participating in technological攻坚 and promoting the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. Under these effective measures, the "2025 Zhejiang Scientific and Technological Achievement Transformation Index" showed that Huzhou ranked first in the province for the growth rate of its achievement transformation index.