- Policy offers workspace, computing power and regulatory sandbox for solo AI entrepreneurs
- City aims to attract over 10,000 “super-individuals” by 2028
Ningbo held a municipal government meeting on May 8 to review a policy designed to support AI-driven one-person companies (OPCs), offering entrepreneurs access to workspace, computing resources, data, talent, finance and regulatory flexibility.
During the policy briefing about the framework, issued April 20, local officials announced that the measures will take effect May 21.
OPCs leverage AI to run end-to-end businesses independently, from product design to market launch. The policy introduces 18 initiatives across nine areas, aiming to make Ningbo a hub for solo AI entrepreneurship.
Key measures include low-cost workspace, with municipal subsidies of up to 2 million yuan ($294,306) per community per year. The policy also provides computing support, covering 30% of contracts for AI services, up to 8 million yuan.
Entrepreneurs gain access to government and state-owned enterprise datasets, with rewards of up to 350,000 yuan.
Talent funding
Talent funding through the Yongjiang Talent Program is capped at 1 million yuan, available to eligible candidates recognized under this initiative. The program is named after the Yongjiang River that flows through Ningbo and is central to its identity.
Finally, a regulatory “sandbox” allows one- to three-year observation periods, with up to 60,000 yuan in insurance for failed ventures.
Officials say the measure signals that failure is tolerated, allowing entrepeneurs to focus on innovation while mitigating their fears about potential financial losses.
“These policies provide comprehensive support for individuals who want to innovate in the AI era,” a city official said on condition of anonymity. “We aim to create an environment where solo entrepreneurs can test, iterate and scale without prohibitive costs or regulatory friction.”
With the new policy, Ningbo hopes to gather over 10,000 AI “super-individuals” by 2028, strengthening the city’s footprint in the emerging solo-entrepreneur economy.
Analysts, however, note that Ningbo has lagged behind peers in Zhejiang. Earlier this year, Hangzhou, Wenzhou and Taizhou issued their own OPC support measures.
In Hangzhou’s Shangcheng District, for example, entrepreneurs can access an annual fund of 100 million yuan , personal loans up to 500,000 yuan, subsidized business loans up to 3 million yuan, and more than 20,000 square meters of low-cost plug-and-play workspace.
