Digital technology and data elements have become an important means to achieve technological innovation in China's manufacturing enterprises. It is necessary to deeply analyze the whole process of digital empowering manufacturing enterprises to achieve technological innovation from the perspective of data management. Based on the data life cycle theory, the exploratory case study method was used to build a theoretical model of digital empowerment for manufacturing enterprise to achieve technology innovation. It is found that different digital technologies are adopted in the main activities of the value chain of manufacturing enterprises based on their functions and objectives. Digital technology can connect production processes, R&D processes, and marketing systems and then empower technology innovation with data life cycle management. Namely, in the production process, the full process dynamic feedback empowerment mechanism is that IoT and intelligent manufacturing systems could promote process innovation through data collection, transmission and monitoring. In the marketing system, the comprehensive demand two-dimensional reverse empowerment mechanism is that big data technology could promote product innovation through data collection, analysis and visualization. In the R&D process, the full connectivity empowerment mechanism is that its own digital upgrade and digital platform could promote interaction innovation through data collection, sharing and integration.