Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2013 to 2023, this paper empirically tests the impact of high-level opening-up on the initial economy through a variety of econometric models. The results show that the high level of opening to the outside world has a positive impact on the first economy, and this effect is stronger in the eastern region, the regions with higher degree of informatization, and the regions with higher degree of marketization. The results of mechanism analysis show that high-level opening-up can effectively empower the initial economy by accelerating the innovation of key core technologies. The spatial spillover effect shows that high-level opening-up can play a positive spatial spillover effect. Accordingly, the paper puts forward strategies such as expanding high-level opening to the outside world, creating a new ecological environment for the initial economy, and strengthening the top-level design of key core technology innovation, in order to provide reference for promoting the high-quality development of the initial economy.