Zhejiang Lab
Zhejiang Lab is a Hangzhou-based government-affiliated nonprofit research institute founded in 2017 that develops frontier AI foundation models and scientific computing platforms for researchers across genomics, astronomy, geoscience, materials science, fusion, and space computing, funded by Zhejiang Province and partnered with Alibaba and Zhejiang University.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersYuhang, China
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Zhejiang Lab does
Zhejiang Lab is a government-affiliated, nonprofit scientific research institute established in September 2017 in Hangzhou, China, by Zhejiang Province in partnership with Alibaba Group and Zhejiang University. It focuses on intelligent computing with a 'Computing-Intensive, Data-Driven, Model-Based' research approach spanning AI for Science, network systems, smart perception, and space computing, and operates with a headcount in the 1,001-5,000 range.
Its core technical outputs are a portfolio of proprietary foundation models and scientific computing platforms. The flagship 021 Science Foundation Model is a 236-billion-parameter multi-disciplinary model built from scratch using a OneTokenizer + MoE architecture, supporting 204 languages and serving as the base for domain-specific models including Genos (10B-parameter genomic foundation model with 1Mb ultra-long context), GeoGPT (geoscience with vision-language variant GeoGPT-VL), OneAstronomy (multi-modal astronomy foundation model), OnePorous (materials/porous alloy design), and SpecCLIP (astronomical spectral alignment). Supporting infrastructure includes the FAST@ZJLAB open astronomical computing platform integrating 17 algorithms and proprietary scientific databases (BlinkVerse, ChemiVerse), the GOTTA global telescope array program endorsed by UNESCO, and the Three-Body Computing Constellation for space computing. Outputs are validated through Nature, Nature Communications, GigaScience, and CVPR publications, with registered patents in braille tactile display and humanoid soft-actuator sensing.
The lab operates as a public research institution rather than a commercial entity: revenue derives from Zhejiang Provincial government appropriations and research grants, with strategic capital cooperation through the Zhejiang Provincial Innovation Investment Group (provincial fund pool exceeding 300 billion yuan, targeting 500 billion yuan by 2030). Distribution is non-commercial through open-source releases on GitHub, ModelScope, Hugging Face, and zero2x, collaborative research agreements with Chinese Academy of Sciences institutes (NAOC, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory), BGI-Research, CNNC's Southwestern Institute of Physics, international universities (Cambridge, Tokyo, Bath, ITMO, Telecom SudParis), and UNESCO-endorsed programs. Customer segments are research institutions, individual scientists, and global scientific community participants rather than paying enterprise customers.
Zhejiang Lab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zhejiang Lab
- Legal name
- Zhejiang Lab
- Website
- https://en.zhejianglab.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Zhejiang Lab is a Hangzhou-based government-affiliated nonprofit research institute founded in 2017 that develops frontier AI foundation models and scientific computing platforms for researchers across genomics, astronomy, geoscience, materials science, fusion, and space computing, funded by Zhejiang Province and partnered with Alibaba and Zhejiang University.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zhejiang Lab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- AI Research Platforms
- NAICS
- Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Research Collaboration & Joint Labs (International Partnerships) (EDAIABAC)
Keywords
Where Zhejiang Lab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Yuhang
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
Zhejiang Lab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Government Research Funding: Zhejiang Lab operates as a public research institution funded primarily through government appropriations and research grants from national and provincial government bodies. The lab was established as an important S&T innovation platform to implement the strategy of innovation-driven development in Zhejiang Province.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Zhejiang Lab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Zhejiang Lab is a government-affiliated nonprofit research institute that develops and open-sources proprietary science foundation models and intelligent computing platforms for scientific research. Its core outputs include the 021 Science Foundation Model (236B parameters), domain-specific models (Genos, GeoGPT, OneAstronomy, OnePorous, SpecCLIP), and supporting platforms (FAST@ZJLAB, Three-Body Computing Constellation, GOTTA). Outputs are distributed through open-source releases, collaborative research agreements, public science platforms, and academic conferences to research institutions, universities, and scientists globally.
Product overview
Zhejiang Lab operates as an intelligent computing research institution offering a portfolio of foundation models, scientific computing platforms, and space computing infrastructure. The core offering is the 021 Science Foundation Model (236B parameters), a multi-disciplinary platform that encodes scientific data and text into unified space, which serves as the architectural foundation for domain-specific models including Genos (genomics), GeoGPT (geoscience), OneAstronomy (astronomy), and OnePorous (materials science). Supporting infrastructure includes FAST@ZJLAB for astronomical computing, the GOTTA global telescope array initiative, and the Three-Body Computing Constellation for space-based computing. The Olive Leaf Initiative provides an open platform for space science experiments. These products work together to enable AI-empowered scientific research across disciplines, from genomic analysis to space exploration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Genos: Human-centric genomic foundation model developed jointly with BGI-Research, with versions including Genos-10B (10 billion parameters) and Genos-1.2B, enabling accurate modeling of ultra-long genomic contexts.
- 021 Science Foundation Model
- SpecCLIP
- GeoGPT
- OneAstronomy
- Three-Body Computing Constellation
Quantifiable outcome
- Computational cost reduction of approximately 95% through AI acceleration frameworks for photochemistry research
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Zhejiang Lab
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Zhejiang Lab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability11 records
Feature10 records
Zhejiang Lab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- BGI-ResearchcoreJoint release of Genos-10B genomic foundation model. BGI deployed Genos on their DSC Cloud platform, offering RESTful API services for DNA sequence embedding and mutation effect prediction. Collaborative training of 10-billion-parameter model from scratch.
- National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC)coreJoint hosting of AI-Empowered Astronomy for Open Science conference (April 7-9, 2025). Co-proponent of GOTTA project to UNESCO for time-domain astronomy. Joint development of OneAstronomy foundation model.
- CNNC's Southwestern Institute of Physics (SWIP)majorCollaboration on intelligent digital tokamak development. Based on experimental data from HL-3 tokamak, developing AI-powered digital twin system for fusion plasma research, control optimization, and diagnostics enhancement.
- Alibaba GroupcoreStrategic partnership leveraging Alibaba Group's computing infrastructure and resources. ZJ Lab combines the strengths of Alibaba Group and Zhejiang University with support from partner organizations to build an open and collaborative ecosystem for tech innovation.
- Zhejiang UniversitycoreAcademic partnership combining Zhejiang University's research capabilities with ZJ Lab's computing infrastructure. Joint talent cultivation and research collaboration.
- Chinese Academy of SciencesmajorCollaborative research partnership across multiple domains including space computing, astronomical research, and fundamental sciences.
- Tsinghua UniversitymajorAcademic collaboration in brain-inspired computing research and other advanced computing domains.
- University of CambridgemajorMoU signed on September 9, 2020 with the Center for Photonic Devices and Sensors (CPDS) at University of Cambridge for intelligent sensing research collaboration.
- University of BathminorInternational academic collaboration in research areas of mutual interest.
- ITMO UniversityminorInternational academic partnership for collaborative research in intelligent computing.
- Telecom SudParisminorMoU signed on September 22, 2020 for international collaboration in communications and computing research.
- University of Tokyo (Center for Spatial Information Science)minorLetter of Intent signed September 14, 2020 for collaboration in spatial information science.
- Science/AAASmajorCo-organization of annual Innovation Forum on Intelligent Computing since 2021. Science journal collaboration for research publications and Science Webinars series.
- China Academy of Space TechnologyminorCollaboration in space computing research and satellite system development.
- China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC)minorStrategic collaboration in electronics and information technology for intelligent systems.
- Computer Federation of China (CCF)majorPartnership in building the GitLink Open Source Center for open-source software development and talent training.
- Xiong'an New Area Science ParkmajorCollaborative partner in the Olive Leaf Initiative for space science experiment platforms, contributing to China's first non-profit global open cooperation platform for space research.
- Beijing LandSpace Hong Qing Technology Co., LtdminorCollaborative partner in the Olive Leaf Initiative, contributing space launch capabilities and satellite deployment for the Three-Body Computing Constellation.
- UNESCOmajorGOTTA project endorsed as program under UNESCO's International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024-2033). Aligned with UNESCO's strategic plan for open science.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Zhejiang Lab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Google DeepMind: Commercial AI research lab pursuing foundation models for science (AlphaFold, AlphaMissense, GNoME, GraphCast). Comparable as a well-capitalized organization pursuing scientific foundation models, though operating as a commercial entity within Alphabet rather than a non-profit.
- Helmholtz Association: Germany's largest scientific research organization encompassing 18 research centers with AI and high-performance computing programs. Comparable as a state-funded consortium running large-scale scientific infrastructure and AI initiatives.
- RIKEN: Japan's national research institute with large-scale computing infrastructure and AI for science programs. Comparable as a government-funded multidisciplinary research organization with significant supercomputing and AI investments.
- Microsoft Research AI for Science: Microsoft's research division focused on AI-driven scientific discovery across materials, biology, and chemistry. Comparable in scientific AI focus, though embedded in a much larger commercial organization with vastly greater compute resources.
Direct peers
- Shanghai AI Laboratory: Shanghai-based non-profit AI research lab backed by the Chinese government, focusing on foundation models, AI for Science, and open-source platforms. Highly comparable to Zhejiang Lab as a state-backed Chinese AI lab with similar mission and scale.
- Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence (BAAI): Beijing-based non-profit AI research institute developing foundation models (e.g., Aquila, WuDao) for science and general AI. Direct comparable as a Chinese government-backed non-profit AI lab pursuing scientific foundation models and open-source releases.
- Allen Institute for AI (AI2): US-based non-profit AI research institute founded by Paul Allen, focused on foundational AI research and open-source releases (OLMo, Molmo). Direct comparable as a non-profit AI research organization pursuing open foundation models with scientific applications.
- National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC): Major Chinese state astronomical research institute partnering on SpecCLIP, OneAstronomy, and GOTTA. Direct comparable as a Chinese government-affiliated scientific institute pursuing AI-augmented astronomical research.
- BGI Research: China's largest genomics organization, partner on Genos foundation model. Direct comparable as a Chinese scientific research organization combining life sciences with AI foundation models and deploying via cloud platforms.
Regional players
- Tsinghua University Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Research: Major Chinese academic institution and ZJ Lab strategic partner conducting AI for science research. Comparable as a Chinese-language AI research center, though primarily academic rather than state-affiliated research institute.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Zhejiang Lab social profiles
Digital presenceZhejiang Lab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zhejiang Lab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Zhejiang Lab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Zhejiang Lab M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Zhejiang Lab
What does Zhejiang Lab do?
Zhejiang Lab is a government-affiliated nonprofit research institute that develops and open-sources proprietary science foundation models and intelligent computing platforms for scientific research. Its core outputs include the 021 Science Foundation Model (236B parameters), domain-specific models (Genos, GeoGPT, OneAstronomy, OnePorous, SpecCLIP), and supporting platforms (FAST@ZJLAB, Three-Body Computing Constellation, GOTTA). Outputs are distributed through open-source releases, collaborative research agreements, public science platforms, and academic conferences to research institutions, universities, and scientists globally.
Is Zhejiang Lab a public or private company?
Zhejiang Lab is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Zhejiang Lab founded?
Zhejiang Lab was founded in 2017. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Zhejiang Lab based?
Zhejiang Lab is headquartered in Yuhang, China, in the Asia region.
How does Zhejiang Lab make money?
One revenue line is on record: government Research Funding.
Who are Zhejiang Lab's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Google DeepMind, Helmholtz Association, RIKEN and Microsoft Research AI for Science. Direct peers are Shanghai AI Laboratory, Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence (BAAI), Allen Institute for AI (AI2), National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) and BGI Research. Tsinghua University Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Research is listed as a regional player.
Does Zhejiang Lab have an API?
Yes. Genos genomic foundation model deployed on BGI's DSC Cloud platform offers RESTful API services enabling developers to directly call for DNA sequence embedding and extraction, as well as mutation effect prediction. The model has also been optimized through integration with the Very Large Language Model Inference Framework (vLLM) for efficient deployment in heterogeneous computing environments. Developer documentation is at github.com/zhejianglab/Genos.
What industry is Zhejiang Lab in?
Zhejiang Lab's product category is AI Research Platforms. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAEAA, Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive), with a secondary code of EDAIABAC, Research Collaboration & Joint Labs (International Partnerships). Its NAICS code is 5417 and its SIC code is 8731.