In this paper, with Yangtze River Delta as the study area and based on the methods of coefficient of variation, center of gravity, and nuclear density, the spatial-temporal evolution characteristics of the growth of high-tech enterprises from 2013 to 2018 are analyzed, and the key driving factors are explored by the spatial measurement methods. The rapid growth of high-tech enterprises as an important source of innovation represents the improvement of the innovation level in the Yangtze River Delta, and the growth space has also experienced the evolution of diffusion-aggregation-diffusion". The spatial-temporal evolution reveals that the "Z-shaped" high-value areas of Shanghai-Nanjing-Hefei-Hangzhou-Ningbo region are in stark contrast to the contiguous low-value areas composed of northern Anhui, southern Anhui, and southwest Zhejiang. The stability of the regional pattern characterizes the gap in the innovation level of cities in the Yangtze River Delta, and big cities play a key role in regional innovation and development. The spatial metrology study shows that the growth of high-tech enterprises is the result of the combined effects of innovation level, economic status, external contacts, government influence, and urban construction. The significant spatial spillover effect represents the importance of strengthening the coordinated development of urban innovation.
