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Young firms get off to a flying start
By Shi Xiaohan |
August 9, 2011, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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FROM the general aviation industry to the contemporary art scene, Hangzhou offers aspiring young entrepreneurs the perfect conditions to set up a thriving business. Shi Xiaohan hears from some eager graduates in the city pursuing their dreams with some success.
Young, energetic and courageous college graduates usually want to make a difference in society rather than simply fit in with it. In Hangzhou, graduates are offered a chance to realize their social ideals by setting up their own businesses. The city is particularly attractive to student-entrepreneurs for its vibrant economy along with complimentary policies, research capability and artistic atmosphere.
Five college graduates from across Zhejiang Province started the website www.365plane.com, an aviation industry electronic commerce platform, in April. They set up their business in Hangzhou, attracted by the city government's complimentary policies for college graduates' entrepreneurship.
"Our registered capital, 500,000 yuan (US$77,650) was exempted by the government, and we are trying to get more help from government and our colleges," said Zhou Xinke, initiator of the project.
Zhou was working in advertising when he read about the Central Military Commission loosening up aviation regulations last November. To his surprise, when he searched on the Internet, he found no Chinese website systematically introducing the general aviation industry, which incorporates all flights other than military, scheduled airline and regular cargo.
Zhou found it a perfect blank to fill. "Chinese economy has experienced several growth stages powered by infrastructure construction, export and real estate. But what is next? General aviation may be one of the answers," said Zhou.
Their website covers everything from plane parts to private plane sales to maintenance services and human resource in the industry. As general aviation is a new area in China, the team needs to study and work at the same time to keep the website updated.
"Sometimes we work overnight just to ensure our data is accurately translated," said Huang Tuo, a junior student at Zhejiang Economy and Trade Polytechnics and the legal representative of the company.
The large market potential has allowed many provinces in China to set up general aviation industrial parks. But Zhou estimated that they still need to wait for around two years until the industry fully takes off in China.
"The industry needs some time to lay its foundation including more infrastructure construction. It is now our biggest risk as we have to survive these years without much profit," Zhou explained.
Like Zhou, Wang Tun, who recently graduated from Department of Optical Technologies, Zhejiang University was concerned about the future of the Chinese economy. He observed that while small and medium-sized enterprises in Zhejiang are desperate for technologies to upgrade from their labor-intensive model, college researchers are trapped in paper-publishing of low practical value.
"Our education usually teaches us to solve sophisticated problems in exams, but seldom practical problems in daily life. That is why college researchers tend to ignore the practical value of their work," Wang explained.
Originally intending to become a researcher after graduation, Wang changed his mind and started a company EastInno with some friends.
The company focuses on using doctoral candidates with research and development capabilities to help SMEs solving technological problems.
When it comes to bringing technologies to SMEs whose difficulties are vastly verified and sometimes small, efforts by college research institutions and governments are limited.
"SMEs are the foundation of our economy; therefore, their problems should be dealt with seriously. A well-credited company is the better option to offer the technologies and bring profits for both R&D workers and the enterprises," Wang said.
The company has already got three R&D projects for SMEs involving in manufacturing capsules, plastic material and artificial diamonds and lured a team of doctoral candidates to work on the projects.
"Right now we are still relying on personal connections to lure researchers to our company, but we will try to explore a model and popularize it in universities across China," Wang said.
While Wang is trying to upgrade the local economy, Enki Li and Elva Bai, two Hangzhou girls who both graduated from British art schools, are trying to add to the city's aesthetic tastes.
After graduation in 2010, they started ECUBE Contemporary Art Space, a gallery featuring contemporary art works in Hangzhou.
"Contemporary art is a new thing for the city of traditional beauty. But as we feel contemporary art is the freest way to express oneself, we think the art form is worth introducing," said Li.
The pair hosted a free exhibition in May at a famous gallery in the city right beside West Lake and opposite the China Academy of Art.
The exhibits covered almost all forms of contemporary art with paintings, videos and photos.
They named the exhibition "That's it? Hangzhou Phenomenon," trying to draw more public attention as well as inspire the artists to create modern art by posing questions.
"Contemporary artists in Hangzhou are less commercialized or competitive than Beijing and Shanghai. So they can work in a relatively relaxed mood with more clear and creative personal style. They need an institution like ours to make their works realize their values," Bai explained.
Despite the less-developed market of contemporary art in Hangzhou, the girls are optimistic about its future development.
"Zhejiang has a long tradition of artistic collections. Before, traditional art forms were more popular with collectors. But today a new generation of entrepreneurs are taking over and these young people will have more interests in contemporary art," said Bai.
Young, energetic and courageous college graduates usually want to make a difference in society rather than simply fit in with it. In Hangzhou, graduates are offered a chance to realize their social ideals by setting up their own businesses. The city is particularly attractive to student-entrepreneurs for its vibrant economy along with complimentary policies, research capability and artistic atmosphere.
Five college graduates from across Zhejiang Province started the website www.365plane.com, an aviation industry electronic commerce platform, in April. They set up their business in Hangzhou, attracted by the city government's complimentary policies for college graduates' entrepreneurship.
"Our registered capital, 500,000 yuan (US$77,650) was exempted by the government, and we are trying to get more help from government and our colleges," said Zhou Xinke, initiator of the project.
Zhou was working in advertising when he read about the Central Military Commission loosening up aviation regulations last November. To his surprise, when he searched on the Internet, he found no Chinese website systematically introducing the general aviation industry, which incorporates all flights other than military, scheduled airline and regular cargo.
Zhou found it a perfect blank to fill. "Chinese economy has experienced several growth stages powered by infrastructure construction, export and real estate. But what is next? General aviation may be one of the answers," said Zhou.
Their website covers everything from plane parts to private plane sales to maintenance services and human resource in the industry. As general aviation is a new area in China, the team needs to study and work at the same time to keep the website updated.
"Sometimes we work overnight just to ensure our data is accurately translated," said Huang Tuo, a junior student at Zhejiang Economy and Trade Polytechnics and the legal representative of the company.
The large market potential has allowed many provinces in China to set up general aviation industrial parks. But Zhou estimated that they still need to wait for around two years until the industry fully takes off in China.
"The industry needs some time to lay its foundation including more infrastructure construction. It is now our biggest risk as we have to survive these years without much profit," Zhou explained.
Like Zhou, Wang Tun, who recently graduated from Department of Optical Technologies, Zhejiang University was concerned about the future of the Chinese economy. He observed that while small and medium-sized enterprises in Zhejiang are desperate for technologies to upgrade from their labor-intensive model, college researchers are trapped in paper-publishing of low practical value.
"Our education usually teaches us to solve sophisticated problems in exams, but seldom practical problems in daily life. That is why college researchers tend to ignore the practical value of their work," Wang explained.
Originally intending to become a researcher after graduation, Wang changed his mind and started a company EastInno with some friends.
The company focuses on using doctoral candidates with research and development capabilities to help SMEs solving technological problems.
When it comes to bringing technologies to SMEs whose difficulties are vastly verified and sometimes small, efforts by college research institutions and governments are limited.
"SMEs are the foundation of our economy; therefore, their problems should be dealt with seriously. A well-credited company is the better option to offer the technologies and bring profits for both R&D workers and the enterprises," Wang said.
The company has already got three R&D projects for SMEs involving in manufacturing capsules, plastic material and artificial diamonds and lured a team of doctoral candidates to work on the projects.
"Right now we are still relying on personal connections to lure researchers to our company, but we will try to explore a model and popularize it in universities across China," Wang said.
While Wang is trying to upgrade the local economy, Enki Li and Elva Bai, two Hangzhou girls who both graduated from British art schools, are trying to add to the city's aesthetic tastes.
After graduation in 2010, they started ECUBE Contemporary Art Space, a gallery featuring contemporary art works in Hangzhou.
"Contemporary art is a new thing for the city of traditional beauty. But as we feel contemporary art is the freest way to express oneself, we think the art form is worth introducing," said Li.
The pair hosted a free exhibition in May at a famous gallery in the city right beside West Lake and opposite the China Academy of Art.
The exhibits covered almost all forms of contemporary art with paintings, videos and photos.
They named the exhibition "That's it? Hangzhou Phenomenon," trying to draw more public attention as well as inspire the artists to create modern art by posing questions.
"Contemporary artists in Hangzhou are less commercialized or competitive than Beijing and Shanghai. So they can work in a relatively relaxed mood with more clear and creative personal style. They need an institution like ours to make their works realize their values," Bai explained.
Despite the less-developed market of contemporary art in Hangzhou, the girls are optimistic about its future development.
"Zhejiang has a long tradition of artistic collections. Before, traditional art forms were more popular with collectors. But today a new generation of entrepreneurs are taking over and these young people will have more interests in contemporary art," said Bai.
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