Livat Shanghai opens free rooftop playground for children

Livat Shanghai has unveiled a new rooftop children's playground, designed for children aged 3 to 8 and open to the public free of charge. This initiative marks another step in the mall's efforts to enhance family-friendly services.

Located on the fifth floor of Livat Shanghai, the about 700-square-meter playground continues the Scandinavian design style, blending Nordic natural aesthetics with playful elements. It is divided into two themed zones tailored to the developmental needs of different age groups.

The Woodland Interaction Zone, designed for children aged 3 to 5, features an immersive role-playing airplane cabin, a balance bridge to improve focus and body control, rocking horses to enhance coordination and balance, interactive spinning chairs, and game boards to stimulate cognitive and creative skills.

The Forest Exploration Zone, aimed at children aged 5 to 8, includes slides to satisfy their curiosity and climbing nets to strengthen muscle power and coordination.

Since its opening, the commercial complex has continuously upgraded family experiences for all ages. This year, the mall has focused on the needs of families with children aged 0–12, integrating and expanding a variety of family-friendly solutions. For infants and toddlers aged 0–3, the mall provides seven nursing rooms on major floors, equipped with direct drinking water, air purifiers, and bottle warmers.

For children aged 4–12, the mall offers the "Livat Kids" space on the first floor, providing free child care services. On the third floor, models of African wildlife such as giraffes and elephants create an edutainment environment within the shopping scene. In the same floor's forest atrium, the "Mushroom House" features slides and other play facilities, forming an adorable and interactive play area for children.

Livat Shanghai Rooftop Playground

Address: 5F, Livat Shanghai, 788 Jinzhong Road  

Hours: 10:00–22:00  

Transportation: Exit 5, Songhong Road Station, Metro Line 2

Changning taps national science talent program to boost Shanghai Silicon Alley

The Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology in China entered into a cooperation agreement with Changning District on November 19, aiming to leverage the foundation's resources to help the district gather innovation factors, optimize industrial layout, and continuously inject strong momentum into the construction of Shanghai Silicon Alley.

The Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program Committee of the World Association of Young Scientists signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Changning District Science and Technology Commission, defining the partnership and key collaborative areas. According to the agreement, Changning will support the association's development in terms of space, industrial growth, and supporting services, while the association will fully leverage its role as a bridge to promote the deep integration of Changning's key industries with young scientific research forces.

On site, the Yangtze River Delta Branch of the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program Committee and the Shanghai Silicon Alley Training Base of the Committee were unveiled, marking the transition of the cooperation from strategic consensus to substantive implementation.

Changning District Director Liu Ping said that Shanghai Silicon Alley has gradually become the core carrier of technological innovation in Changning and an important engine for regional industrial upgrading and economic transformation. 

In advancing its construction, Changning will focus on creating urban innovation spaces by upgrading old factories and idle spaces into high-quality innovation carriers, continue to support close cooperation between enterprises and research institutions to tackle key technologies and accelerate the development of the digital Silicon Alley incubator, and strive to optimize services for scientific and technological talent, increasing the supply of talent apartments and cultivating professionals in emerging fields such as the low-altitude economy and industrial internet. 

He expressed hope that the collaboration would enhance Changning's capabilities in talent attraction and cultivation, enterprise incubation, project implementation, and professional service upgrading.

The Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program is a national youth talent training program initiated by the China Association for Science and Technology. Since its launch in 2015, it has selected and cultivated over 5,000 young scientific and technological talent.

Shanghai Silicon Alley hosts funding event to boost tech SMEs

To provide targeted services for technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises, a dedicated investment and financing event for Shanghai Silicon Alley was held on November 21 at the Huayang Road Subdistrict Party Service Center.

During the event, the Financing Division of Shanghai's New Social Stratum Sci-Tech Service Corps was launched in the Shanghai Silicon Alley Sci-Tech Block. The division will extensively connect resources from new social strata professionals, universities, industry associations, and financial institutions, aiming to address the financing challenges and bottlenecks faced by tech SMEs in their early development stages. It will establish a regular and precise platform for industry-finance integration, channeling a continuous flow of "financial vitality" into enterprise growth.

Since its approval at the end of 2022, the Shanghai Silicon Alley Sci-Tech Block has evolved into an innovation hotspot covering a total area of approximately 1.48 square kilometers. It has not only gathered national-level scientific research capabilities and 11 key laboratories but has also witnessed an explosive growth in the number of technology-based enterprises—increasing from over 180 in 2021 to more than 930 currently. Additionally, it has nurtured six specialized "Little Giant" enterprises and 60 specialized SMEs. 

"Writing code under the plane trees, conducting research in historic districts, holding morning meetings in cafes, and discussing innovation amid the vibrancy of daily life" are becoming distinctive features of Shanghai Silicon Alley's innovative landscape.

During the financing roadshow session, seven high-quality sci-tech enterprises took the stage, spanning cutting-edge fields such as biomedicine, new energy, digital technology, and healthcare. Through project presentations and interactive Q&A sessions, these companies engaged in precise matchmaking with well-known institutions.

Linkong Park firms share sci-tech achievements, union practices at exchange event

Science and innovation professionals from Linkong Industrial Park engaged in exchanges on technological achievements, trade union work, and inter-company visits during a communication event on November 21.

About 50 participants attended, including representatives from the Changning District Federation of Trade Unions, Linkong Park management, and sci-tech innovation teams.

At the forum, sci-tech teams from 13 companies were awarded the "2025 Outstanding Sci-Tech Project Award of Linkong Park." These projects cover multiple cutting-edge fields such as biomedicine, artificial intelligence, green and low-carbon initiatives, communication technology, and fintech, collectively demonstrating the strong capabilities and sense of responsibility of park enterprises in tackling sci-tech innovation challenges.

During the achievements sharing session, representatives from five companies—iCell, Bosch China, Yixin, Zhixin Electric, and SIMCom—presented their technological breakthroughs, application scenarios, and social impact, offering valuable insights to the attending researchers.

Subsequently, four enterprise trade union chairs from Bosch, Zhixin Electric, China Academy of Urban Planning and Design, and Yixin shared practical experiences and reflections on union work and employee skill development tailored to their respective organizational contexts.

The event served not only as a face-to-face exchange platform but also as a tour of park enterprises. In the first half of this year, the Linkong Park Party Committee built a "Sci-Tech+" talent development platform, promoted the establishment of a Linkong Park sci-tech talent pool, and organized company representatives to visit Bosch China and Yixin Group.

New 'magnolia'-themed public park to open in western Changning

A large public green space in western Changning is set to open to the public soon. 

This park, featuring the Magnolia as its central theme and deeply integrating ecological interaction with all-ages-friendly concepts, will provide surrounding residents with a high-quality green open space combining ecological leisure, fitness, sports, and nature education.

The park is bordered by a planned waterway and the Outer Ring greenbelt to the east, connects to the service road of the Xianxia Road W. Bridge crossing the Outer Ring to the south, adjoins the Xinjing Beiyuan residential complex to the west, and is backed by the Zhoujiabang River to the north.

The plan carefully arranges three functional zones.

The core Magnolia Square, serving as the visual and activity focal point, creates an immersive space for both viewing and resting through integrated design featuring thematic paving, artistic paintings, and aromatic therapy plants. 

A meandering slow-traffic shaded greenway winding through the park not only meets the daily fitness needs of residents for running and cycling but also connects the Magnolia Knowledge Promenade with a rain garden that demonstrates ecological water purification.  

The Community Vitality Zone located in the northern part flexibly provides open activity spaces and play facilities meeting child safety standards. In the future, it will host community events like themed bazaars and cultural performances, while also offering a warm and fun interactive platform for families with children.