The institute has established three research domains: regional development, industry-specific solutions, and technological innovation.
For regional industrial advancement, it focuses on four key areas: industry-academia-research-application collaboration services, design-driven county development theoretical research, cultural and creative product development, and industrial design services for the Yangtze River Delta region.
In terms of industry-specific design services, it provides comprehensive support centered on industrial design to six major sectors including equipment manufacturing, energy conservation and environmental protection, intelligent hardware, cultural creativity, smart mobility, and consumer goods.
Through three-tiered service models—design services with project incubation, joint R&D with integrated incubation, and innovation-driven enterprise incubation—coupled with six core service systems (design research, industrial design, service design, landscape planning, brand management, and interaction design), the institute systematically supports the development of the Four New economy encompassing emerging technologies, innovative models, new business forms, and novel industries.
