(Yicai Global) March 18 -- The Shanghai Stock Exchange has started training sessions for brokerages related to the new science and technology innovation board in the eastern Chinese city.

More than 100 investment firms sent representatives to the session, held jointly with the Securities Association of China, Yicai Global learned.

"About 100 brokerage firms participated in the training course, covering almost all companies involved," one participant said, adding that each firm has two seats.

"The course indicates that the sci-tech board has officially started taking initial public offering applications," an industry practitioner told Yicai Global.

The sci-tech board has finished testing of its application system, which will launch this week, an SSE official said.

Editor: William Clegg