01 Yuanuniverse Weekly Report | Henan's digital transformation strategy plan has been released, and cultivating and developing the metaverse industry has become one of the priorities Alibaba is leading the digital twin software company in surveying and intelligent mapping
Policy Express
1. Henan Province's digital transformation strategy work plan was released, and cultivating and developing the metaverse industry became one of the priorities
On March 30, the Henan Manufacturing Provincial Construction Leading Group Office issued the “2023 Henan Digital Transformation Strategy Work Plan”, which regards cultivating and developing the metaverse industry as one of its important tasks. The “Plan” proposes to support Zhengzhou in striving to create a national metaverse innovation application pilot zone, accelerate the construction of a provincial metaverse science and technology innovation industrial park and transition space, introduce and implement a number of R&D institutions and enterprises with advanced domestic standards, launch the construction of a metaverse digital space infrastructure platform, build 30 demonstration application scenarios, and strive to build a national metaverse industry development highland.
2. Zhejiang supports the layout of a number of new future industrial pilot zones in fields such as metaverse and intelligent manufacturing
On March 30, the Zhejiang Economic and Credit Department issued the “Notice on Key Work Points for Economic and Credit System Technology Innovation and Intelligent Manufacturing in the Province in 2023", encouraging all regions to actively plan and cultivate future industrial pilot zones based on their industrial base and innovative resource advantages. Establish and improve an evaluation index system for future industrial pilot zone construction, carry out construction evaluations for the first batch of future industrial pilot zones cultivated, and focus on supporting the layout of a number of future industrial pilot zones in fields such as the metaverse, cutting-edge new materials, future medical care, and new future manufacturing models.
Industry news
3. Samsung Vice President Jin Jinglun: The metaverse is expected to grow at an annualized rate of 67%, respectively
On March 27, Kyungryun Kim (Jin Jinglun), vice president of Samsung and general manager of the NAND Product Planning Group, stated at CFMS2023 that Samsung expects annualized growth in the three major fields of metaverse, autonomous driving, and robotics to be 67%, 31%, and 35%, respectively. Not only will the Internet of Everything continue in new fields, but connected devices will also generate massive amounts of information data, from 79 ZB last year to 181 ZB in 2025, and as many as 10 smart devices per capita around the world by 2030. (36 krypton)
4. 01 Think Tank Releases “Summary of China's Metaverse Industry Policies (March 2023 Edition)”
On March 30, according to incomplete statistics from the 01 think tank, 18 provincial (including municipalities directly under the Central Government, same below) and 24 municipal units across the country have issued about 114 policies clearly supporting the metaverse industry. At present, the country has initially established a complete metaverse industry ecosystem. Dozens of representative companies at all levels are seizing the layout, while technology giants such as Tencent, Huawei, Ali, and ByteDance have already laid out the entire metaverse industry chain.
5. The first white paper on the metaverse of Chinese culture, creativity and cultural tourism was released
On March 31, the first China Digital Cultural Tourism Metaverse Summit was held in Yiwu. The summit released the “2023 White Paper on the Chinese Cultural and Creative Cultural Tourism Metaverse” (hereinafter referred to as the “White Paper”). In terms of content, the white paper provides a large amount of high-quality content, from frameworks, systems, models, to industrial chains, technical systems, business systems, solutions, etc., and analyzes the challenges facing China's cultural, creative, cultural tourism metaverse industry. Furthermore, the white paper also mentioned that the development of China's cultural, creative cultural tourism metaverse industry has great potential.
Domestic information
6. Tencent releases AI intelligent creative assistant “Tencent Smart Film”
On March 30, at the 2023 New Ranking Conference, Yao Tianheng, Deputy General Manager of Tencent's Content Platform Department, gave an opening speech through his digital “tycoon”. What is interesting is that this digital person is not only highly realistic in terms of image, but is also very realistic in terms of voice, tone, lip movements, etc., and even simulates Yao Tianheng's usual expressions and movements without hesitation. On this occasion, Tencent also officially released the new AI intelligent creation assistant “Tencent Smart Film” to help content creators improve quality and efficiency during content creation by providing a series of intelligent creation tools. (Qianjiang Evening News)
7. Hongxin Electronics: The company's FPCs for mini LED displays have been supplied in large quantities to leading international metaverse customers
On March 29, Hongxin Electronics stated on an interactive platform that the company is paying close attention to the metaverse explosion opportunities represented by VR, and that FPCs for mini LED displays have successfully mass-produced and supplied high-end products to leading international metaverse customers. At the same time, Hongxin Electronics has successfully obtained prototyping and order opportunities for various metaverse products from well-known domestic customers. (interface)
8. iQiyi Adventure reached a strategic cooperation with JD Technology to lay out the direction of the industrial metaverse
On March 30, recently, Qingdao Dream Bloom Technology Co., Ltd., the parent company of iQiyi's XR (extended reality) brand Adventure, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with JD Technology. The two sides will give full play to their respective advantages and carry out innovative cooperation in the fields of building an intelligent platform for brand business, global user growth, and the industrial metaverse. (Beijing News)
9. Mobile Card Technology will increase investment in technologies such as AIGC, metaverse, and XR
On March 30, Liu Yingqi, CEO of Mobile Card Technology (09923.HK), stated at the LINK2023 Digital Life Conference that in the future, Mobile Card will increase investment in technologies such as AIGC, metaverse, and XR using business scenarios such as payment and local lifestyle services.
10. Kunming hosts metaverse industry summit
On March 31, the Kunming Metaverse Industry Summit was held at the Kunming Chenggong Science and Technology Information Industry Innovation Incubation Center. At the summit, Han Wei, chairman of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and director of the Virtual Reality Data Research Center, believed that metaverse technology has been widely used domestically. Additionally, at the roundtable forum, experts and mentors discussed future metaverse trends and talent development plans. (Yunnan network)
11. Chaoshan Vocational and Technical College of Metaverse Industry” unveiled!
On March 29, the Chaoshan Institute of Vocational Technology and Metaverse Industry was inaugurated. The Institute of Metaverse Industry combines advanced technology and research results at home and abroad to train applied talents in the metaverse industry, providing students with comprehensive learning and practical opportunities, so that they can obtain systematic theoretical knowledge and skill training in their studies, provide excellent technical and talent support for enterprises and society, and promote the healthy and rapid development of the metaverse industry.
12. A variety of self-sculpted “digital people” have reached the level of difficulty in film and television, and the National Art Foundation supports the cultivation of special effects artists
On March 29, at the China Film Special Effects Art Talent Training Achievement Exhibition, the 2022 Art Talent Training Funding Project of the National Art Foundation, many of these self-sculpted digital people are like fantasy, and some have reached the level of difficulty in film and television, and can be used as digital stand-ins for reality stars. (Shangguan News)
Foreign Information
13. Meta reaffirms metaverse status: it's still the future of computing, but it will take time
On March 30, Nick Clegg, Meta's vice president of global affairs, reiterated that he will continue to develop the metaverse, and that the future of computing will take place in a virtual world that is still not fully defined. Clegg said, “We will continue to develop this technology because we truly believe early evidence indicates that this technology will be the core of future computing platforms. But that takes time.” Furthermore, Clegg said Meta can mainly monetize investments in the metaverse in two ways: advertising and e-commerce. He also emphasized that the company is committed to involving researchers, civil society organizations, and other companies in the development of the metaverse. (Babbitt)
14. The Apple Global Developers Conference begins on June 6, and MR/VR headsets are expected to debut
On March 30, Apple announced on its official website that its 2023 Global Developers Conference (WWDC23) will open at its headquarters Apple Park on June 5, local time, and continue until June 9. The long-rumored Apple MR/VR headset is expected to be launched at the conference. A senior reporter who has been following Apple for a long time revealed earlier this week that Apple demonstrated MR headsets to 100 of the company's top executives at the Steve Jobs Theater at its headquarters in Apple Orchard last week. (TechWeb)
15. HOLO Fund launches 2023 global metaverse industry research
On March 30, the HOLO Foundation held a press conference at OTC Markets Group headquarters in the US to announce the launch of the 2023 global metaverse industry research project. The “2023 HOLO Metaverse Global Summit” is scheduled to be held in New York in June, and the metaverse infrastructure Statter Network will be put into use. (36 krypton)
16. Disney cuts the entire metaverse division
On March 28, Disney announced the dismissal of all members of the metaverse division. Disney was once regarded as “the most suitable company to develop the metaverse”. 3D virtual worlds, AR, and VR technology have broad application scenarios and spaces in Disneyland, which give Disney an innate advantage in the metaverse circuit. (Running Finance)
17. VR game Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game is planning more new content
On March 31, Fast Travel Games is planning new content for the newly released VR Roguelite game “Ghost Signal: A Stellaris.Game.” Fast Travel Games said in an announcement that this is a small quick fix. Currently, the game is available on the Meta Quest platform and supports Quest 2 and Quest
Financing mergers and acquisitions
18. Metaverse infrastructure solutions provider Hadean closes $5 million in new financing
On March 29, Metaverse infrastructure solutions provider Hadean announced the completion of a new financing of $5 million. The funding round was funded by Ericsson Ventures, Metrea Discovery, VU Venture Partners, Sanctor Capital, and Tirta Ventures. It is reported that the new funds will be used to enhance metaverse construction and accelerate the development of Hadean's cloud-based metaverse solutions.
19. Alibaba led the digital twin software company China Surveying and Intelligent Mapping to complete 10 million financing
On March 31, Beijing Zhongzui Intelligent Mapping Technology Co., Ltd., a leading domestic digital twin software and overall solution provider, has completed Series A financing of tens of millions. Alibaba led this round of financing, with additional investment from Hefei Innovation Investment. Zhu Junfeng, founder of China Measurement Smart Map, said that since the product was introduced to the market, China Measurement Intelligent Mapping's revenue has grown at a rate of 100% every year. (Cloud Hunting Network)
20. Overseas New Things, OQMented and Sharp joined forces to complete 10 million financing
On March 27, German AR display manufacturer Oqmented announced that it has received 20 million US dollars in Series A financing. Sharp, one of the world's leading electronic equipment and display manufacturers, joined the company as a strategic investor, and existing investors such as Salvia and Vsquared Ventures followed suit. It is reported that this new funding will be used to establish leading laser beam scanning (LBS) technology and apply this technology to the new version of AR glasses that will be launched soon.
