Policies to support ideas, innovation

As a regional hub for western China, Chengdu is favored by a batch of national strategies, including the Go West campaign, the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Tianfu New area.

Many foreigners have already seen the business opportunities and decided to invest or start businesses in the Sichuan provincial capital.

Nicolai Peitersen, a Dane who used to work for the Central Bank of Denmark and J.P. Morgan in London, and Spanish business partner Christina Rebel plan to set up a 3,000-square-meter innovation hub in Chengdu, offering professional training programs and 3-D printing equipment to innovative and creative personnel.

The two are co-founders of Wiki-factory, an online platform set for launch in May that will allow users to create, modify and collaborate on 3-D designs and hardware projects.

"Similar to (online marketplace) Taobao, Wiki-factory works as a platform," said Rebel, explaining that customers can upload a design, customize what they need through the platform and find a franchisee to fabricate or print it with a 3-D printer.

She said she believes this new model of production has huge market potential.

"It shortens the supply chain and enables people to customize products according to their personal needs, rather than choosing from a variety of mass-produced products," she said.

Wiki-factory has offices in London, Beijing and Chengdu, and Peitersen said he and Rebel had focused on China because they believe China defines the world.

"If it works in China, it will impact the world," he said, "We set up an office in Beijing because we need to get support on a national level. But you also need an area to actually do projects."

"Chinese government policy to develop western China into a growth engine is the reason why we choose Chengdu," he added.

Wiki-factory has partnered with the China Youth Development Foundation and plans to launch Printing the Future, an entrepreneurial program, in five provinces and cities. Chengdu tops the list.

"Chengdu has a very long history and is an emerging creative city," Peitersen said, "It's full of opportunities and is a perfect place for starting business."

He said support from the city authorities is also very important.

"The Chengdu government encourages innovation, and what we do is innovation. This is a key reason why we prefer Chengdu," he said, adding that he would like to cooperate on some big projects with the government in the next two to three years.

He said he is optimistic about the development of 3-D printing technology in Chengdu, and that the new technology will accelerate the city's development.

In June, Chengdu will become the first city in Southwest China to hold the World 3-D Printing Technology Industry Conference. The event, which has previously been held in Beijing and Qingdao, is expected to draw more than 1,500 guests and 200 3-D printing companies.