Recently the epidemic situation has become grim, with China seeing the sporadic outbreaks of COVID-19 and Shanghai suffering a sudden recurrence of the epidemic. To meet Shanghai's requirements for epidemic prevention and control, and keep its staff healthy, Shanghai Sci-tech Capital (SSC) made a resolute decision and fast response by starting working from home on March 14. Facing the severe challenge, the whole staff of SSC is contributing their power to the decisive battle against the epidemic and the fight to protect the economy of Shanghai with stronger tenacity, firmer determination and more positive action.

Sticking posts, working methodically, giving all-out support to sci-tech enterprises

To keep all work running smoothly, SSC has held several internal communication and coordination meetings, to study the notices of telecommuting and make specific arrangements. Since starting working from home on March 14, the whole staff of SSC has raced against the virus, completing the initiation of 2 direct investment projects and 1 sub-fund, with a total amount of 260 million yuan; completing the preliminary review of 4 sub-funds and 2 direct investment projects, with a total amount of 440 million yuan; and completing the investment decisions on 3 sub-funds and 1 direct investment project, with a total amount of 310 million yuan and a total investment of 640 million yuan. Through leveraging its strengths and radiating and amplifying effects, SSC has guided sub-funds and other social capital in investing in the real economy and serving the development of small and medium-sized sci-tech enterprises.

SSC has attached great importance to fighting the epidemic with technologies. Over the past two years, it has paid close attention to high-tech enterprises in anti-epidemic fields such as test reagents (kits), equipment development and upstream raw material development, drug and vaccine R&D, and the development of clinical auxiliary diagnosis and treatment technologies and systems. Since the current outbreak of COVID-19 in Shanghai, SSC has guided sub-funds, especially biomedical funds, in increasing investment in anti-epidemic sci-tech enterprises to support them in developing and manufacturing anti-epidemic products.

Among SSC-invested enterprises, there are nearly 400 sci-tech enterprises in Shanghai. Aiming at their difficulties in such aspects as epidemic control, development and production, SSC has leveraged its strengths in financial and industrial resources including shareholders and LPs, to help relevant enterprises coordinate with banks, insurance companies, financial leasing companies and other financial institutions, and support those heavily affected by the epidemic in solving the problems of epidemic prevention and work resumption, thereby contributing to the victory against the epidemic.

Assuming responsibilities, helping each other, being devoted to the frontline against the epidemic

Shanghai has entered the most crucial stage as the epidemic situation remains grim and complex. Epidemic prevention and control concerns the life health of everyone and calls for the concerted efforts of all. To prevent and control the epidemic in a strict, meticulous and solid manner, and firmly curb the spread of the epidemic, SSC has issued an initiative, calling on the whole staff to stay united, and make concerted efforts to implement epidemic prevention measures, demonstrate grass-roots prevention and control, and spread scientific prevention and control. At the call of SSC, many staff members have devoted themselves to the frontline against the epidemic, assisting communities in information registration, order keeping, personnel diversion, nucleic acid testing and supplies distribution.

Given that the work and life of staff are inconvenient during the lockdown of Shanghai, SSC's leaders at all levels and of all departments have shown great concern for their staff, found out their thoughts, wishes, anxieties and difficulties in time, solicited their appeals, offered help and provided services, showing the warmth of human orientation. In particular, SSC has duly provided necessary living supplies and personal protective articles to the families of the staff heavily affected by the lockdown, and strengthened physical and mental health care and psychological counseling to staff, thereby dispelling their worries when they stuck to posts and devoted themselves to epidemic prevention and control.

SSC-invested enterprises leverage respective strengths in the fight against the epidemic

In the crucial period of curbing the spread of the epidemic, SSC-invested enterprises have been concerned about the society and demonstrated their responsibilities by action.

• Keenon (directly invested in by sub-fund Walden III) has deployed M2 disinfection robots and W3 intelligent delivery robots in halls, clinical labs, CT rooms, operating rooms, outpatient clinics, centralized quarantine points and other places of hospitals in Shanghai, to effectively reduce the risk of cross infection, and keep medical staff and patients safe.

• Data Grand (invested in by sub-fund Xianghe Suxiang) has used process automation robots to help volunteers fast upload nucleic acid testing information and send feedback.

• Tripod (invested in by sub-funds Suzhou Likang, LAV V, Qiming VI and TF IV) has established a nucleic acid testing team made up of professionals to support nucleic acid testing efforts in Shanghai.

• Qing Flow (invested in by sub-fund Qiming VI) has launched a full set of templates of epidemic control systems, for free use by enterprises, schools, communities, governments, medical institutions and other organizations. The template for governments and communities can fast generate statistical data on the epidemic under a "grid + IT" system, and realize refined management of community vaccination, nucleic acid testing and epidemic prevention; the template for hospitals offers features such as the warehousing registration of medical supplies, registration for medical supplies, staff information registration, the completion of application forms for epidemic control and daily temperature monitoring.

• JW Therapeutics (invested in by sub-fund GP Healthcare) urgently recruited nucleic acid testing volunteers in full support of epidemic prevention and control.

• Bioeast Biotech (invested in by sub-fund Co-win Ventures) has provided overall solutions for COVID-19 antigen testing.

• BGI PathoGenesis (invested in by sub-funds Boyuan Jiayu and Suzhou Likang) has provided COVID-19 antigen self test kits.

• 3D Med (invested in by sub-fund CCIC Kechuang) has provided all-round support for the production of nucleic acid test reagents and automated instruments and equipment, and responded to the call of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, the Minhang District People's Government and relevant test institutions by sending over 20 nucleic acid testing workers in four groups to relevant test institutions.

• OBiO (invested in by sub-fund Boyuan Jiayu) has organized corporate volunteers to give emergency assistance in nucleic acid testing.

The above are only part of cases. A large number of SSC-invested sci-tech enterprises are leveraging respective strengths to contribute to Shanghai's epidemic prevention and control efforts in various ways.

Success comes only through hard work. The temporary impact of the epidemic will only firm up our determination, boost our strengths in overcoming hardships, and bring us together to make greater contributions to serving national strategies and the innovative development of Shanghai. We believe that the haze will vanish and a warm spring will eventually come for beautiful Shanghai.