CAS Star (中科创星) describes itself on its own site as an early-stage investment institution focused on 硬科技 (hard technology), as the originator of the 硬科技 concept, and as building a hard-technology startup ecosystem combining 研究机构 (research institutes), 早期投资 (early-stage investment), 创业平台 (venture platform) and 投后服务 (post-investment services). It states that it invests mainly in start-up and early-stage technology SMEs with growth potential and independent innovation capability, across optoelectronic chips, AI, aerospace, biotechnology, information technology, new materials, new energy and smart manufacturing, and that its purpose is to move technology out of the laboratory and combine research-institute resources with social capital. The firm states it has dual headquarters in Xi'an and Beijing, and describes a Shanghai unit doing 超前孵化, engaging at the principle and paper stage and then selectively deep-incubating through what it calls a PI-IDEA-IP-IPO process. China Academy of Sciences Holdings describes it as China's first professional platform specialising in hard-tech venture investment and incubation.
US$1.4B+ (approx.; the firm's figure is 累计总规模超100亿元, over RMB 10bn of cumulative fund scale under management, on its own About page - undated, with accompanying portfolio data as at end-April 2024. A March 2026 huxiu article puts it at 管理规模超160亿元) AUM71/100 Power Score™2013 FoundedXi'an, China
源杰科技 (Yuanjie Semiconductor Technology, Shanghai STAR Market, 688498.SH), which the firm's own 关于我们 page names first among the hard-technology companies it has invested in and incubated. Recorded as a portfolio listing, not as a realised exit; no source states the firm has sold the position.
中科创星 is established, jointly initiated by 西科控股 and the founding team as a market-oriented early-stage hard-technology venture investment institution, per 西科控股's own site: 2013年，西科控股与创始团队共同发起成立市场化硬科技早期创投机构中科创星。
2018
郭鑫 joins 中科创星 to work on hard-technology commercialisation and investment, per the firm's promotion announcement reported by 界面新闻, which dates his joining to 2015; the 2015 date is the one recorded in his profile.
2020
On 10 November 2020 the 北京硬科技二期基金 is formally launched at the 2020硬科技生态战略发展大会暨硬科技金融实验室成立仪式 in Beijing's 中关村壹号, alongside the establishment of a 硬科技金融实验室, per the firm's own 关于我们 page.
2021
中科创星 announces the promotion of 董事总经理 郭鑫 to 合伙人, per 界面新闻.
2024
As at the end of April 2024 the firm states it has invested in and incubated more than 470 hard-technology companies (已投资孵化超过470家硬科技企业), per its own 关于我们 page.