Recently, Henan Zhongke Qingneng (abbreviated as "Zhongke Qingneng") completed a nearly 500 million yuan Pre-A++ round of financing, with NIO Capital co-leading the investment. The funds will be allocated to the R&D and delivery of core equipment such as liquid hydrogen and nuclear fusion refrigeration, as well as the construction of the second-phase manufacturing center, strengthening the full-chain layout in the deep cryogenic field.
Guan Yufan, Partner at NIO Capital, stated that the deep cryogenic industry is a core support for strategic sectors such as nuclear fusion and hydrogen energy. As an industry leader, Zhongke Qingneng's positioning of driving green development through technological innovation highly aligns with NIO Capital's investment philosophy, and they will continue to support the company in expanding its application boundaries.
Zhongke Qingneng focuses on deep cryogenic core technologies below 20K, specializing in the R&D and manufacturing of equipment for hydrogen liquefaction and helium liquefaction. It provides core equipment and services for cutting-edge fields such as nuclear fusion, hydrogen energy, and aerospace, tackling "bottleneck" technologies and contributing to national energy security and the optimization of the energy system.
The company's core technologies originate from the accumulated expertise in the nuclear fusion cryogenics field at the Hefei Institute of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The team has a strong background, with the CEO and core members all having experience in major projects. The company has established a standardized system covering the full temperature range, achieving multi-scenario applications and full-chain localisation.
Zhongke Qingneng has achieved significant results in key equipment areas: a 3kW@4.5K helium refrigerator was applied in the CRAFT major science facility; a 1 mt/day liquid hydrogen unit assisted the launch of the "Long March 8" rocket; a 5 mt/day liquid hydrogen unit has been contracted, with the supporting factory scheduled for operation in September 2026; and over 200 sets of deep cryogenic sensing systems have been shipped, serving national major science facilities.
Industry data shows that the market size for cryogenic equipment in China reached 48.76 billion yuan in 2024, up 8.3% YoY, and is projected to exceed 80 billion yuan by 2030, indicating significant growth potential. Following this financing round, Zhongke Qingneng will accelerate the industrialisation of its technologies and consolidate its leading position in the industry.
