Less than a year after launching China's first "One-Person Company (OPC) 288 Initiative" in August 2025, Zero Cube in the Lin-gang Special Area has rapidly become one of Shanghai's most dynamic entrepreneurial communities. 

Zero Cube. [Photo/Invest Lin-gang]

Targeting entrepreneurs in frontier sectors such as AI, overseas expansion of digital businesses, and hard-tech innovation, the initiative combines rent-free workspace and housing with a range of supportive policies, quickly turning policy incentives into a powerful magnet for talent.

By the end of June, Zero Cube has attracted more than 300 teams and nearly 1,000 entrepreneurs, representing almost one-third of all OPCs in Shanghai. Over 90 percent of the entrepreneurs are from outside Shanghai, and 80 percent are under 40. 

The community has also attracted international talent from countries such as France and Sweden. Notably, 66 percent of its resident startups focus on hard-tech innovation and AI applications, closely aligning with Lin-gang's vision to become a world-class AI hub.

The Zero Cube community's greatest strength lies in the lowered AI innovation barriers, from a one-stop platform for public computing power and AI agent services to professional corpus repositories, free annotation tools, and expert guidance.

In terms of financial support, the community offers an OPC-dedicated loan of up to 10 million yuan ($1.48 million) and angel funding to support startups throughout every stage of their growth.

Beyond that, it has fostered a collaborative ecosystem where startups share expertise, resources, and project opportunities instead of working in isolation. 

The results are already speaking for themselves. Just four months after joining the community, ammonia-fueled gas turbine startup Nairusi Power closed a 50-million-yuan first-round funding, achieving a valuation of 300 million yuan. Cross-border e-commerce company Humi Technology saw its products climb to the top of TikTok Japan's textile category and generate an annual revenue of over 10 million yuan.