Technology 'nerd' finds his niche
By Victoria Fei |
April 27, 2013, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
ZHOU Chao'en, 32, loved video games when he was at university, and that passion couldn't have been better timed. The entrepreneur in him converged with the information technology boom enveloping China.
In 2009, he founded Shanghai Energy Information Technology Co with several partners in the Minhang District. In four years, the company has become a rising mobile phone software developer, with annual sales exceeding 50 million yuan (US$8.03 million).
"I like StarCraft best," he said, referring to the popular video game. "Somehow, it led me to build my own company. Whenever I have time, I still play it."
Zhou graduated from Zhejiang University as a computer major in 2003. He worked as a senior software engineer for several years at companies such as Dbtel and Alcatel.
"The experience of working in big IT companies was a plus for me," he said. "It gave me perspective and judgment about the development of the industry. I feel there is great potential in the mobile phone industry. My partners and I were all technology nerds crazy about research and development. So we just started in on it."
Zhou said support from his wife and a university classmate named Lin Li was crucial to the initial success of his start-up. Both are actively involved in the business.
"We three do everything together, from paying visits to customers to research and development to pinching pennies," he said. "Starting up a company costs more than you ever imagine."
He added, "We started with about 800,000 yuan and were a bit hard in the first six months. Starting a business was harder than I initially thought. The beginning stage was difficult."
Part of the problem was navigating red tape.
"All of us who founded the company were young and had limited local resources and contact networks," he said. "We didn't understand about registering privately owned companies and the policy restrictions that govern them."
A hard start
With perseverance, the young entrepreneurs were able to finally get their first few customers. The business started to grow, and today includes some weighty names among mobile phone manufacturers.
"We were sleeping only four to five hours a day," Zhou said. "Sometimes we even spent days at a time in our office. But it paid off. The company has grown from three people to a work force of more than 100."
Zhou said the company's success rests, in part, on its attention to detail and quality.
Software development is an intensive industry that needs research and development as its lifeline.
Back in 2009, when the company started, smartphones weren't as popular as today, especially in the realm of watching videos on handsets.
That's where Zhou and his team first focused their development efforts. By analyzing the current media player software of brand mobile phones like Nokia and Motorola, Zhou's business developed systems for improving playback speed and consistency.
The company finally received its first patent for a product called Emma video player software. It is now used by about 155 million smartphone owners.
Despite the success, Zhou and his team continue to work hard. The company has established three project teams to develop new ideas and identify market niches.
For young entrepreneurs, Zhou has some advice.
"Resolve to survive," he said. "The priority is to do financial planning and save every yuan you can for investment."
He added: "Learn teamwork. Utilize the strengths each person brings to the company. And lastly, base decisions on careful analysis. You have to consider the market, product planning and what competitors are up to."
In 2009, he founded Shanghai Energy Information Technology Co with several partners in the Minhang District. In four years, the company has become a rising mobile phone software developer, with annual sales exceeding 50 million yuan (US$8.03 million).
"I like StarCraft best," he said, referring to the popular video game. "Somehow, it led me to build my own company. Whenever I have time, I still play it."
Zhou graduated from Zhejiang University as a computer major in 2003. He worked as a senior software engineer for several years at companies such as Dbtel and Alcatel.
"The experience of working in big IT companies was a plus for me," he said. "It gave me perspective and judgment about the development of the industry. I feel there is great potential in the mobile phone industry. My partners and I were all technology nerds crazy about research and development. So we just started in on it."
Zhou said support from his wife and a university classmate named Lin Li was crucial to the initial success of his start-up. Both are actively involved in the business.
"We three do everything together, from paying visits to customers to research and development to pinching pennies," he said. "Starting up a company costs more than you ever imagine."
He added, "We started with about 800,000 yuan and were a bit hard in the first six months. Starting a business was harder than I initially thought. The beginning stage was difficult."
Part of the problem was navigating red tape.
"All of us who founded the company were young and had limited local resources and contact networks," he said. "We didn't understand about registering privately owned companies and the policy restrictions that govern them."
A hard start
With perseverance, the young entrepreneurs were able to finally get their first few customers. The business started to grow, and today includes some weighty names among mobile phone manufacturers.
"We were sleeping only four to five hours a day," Zhou said. "Sometimes we even spent days at a time in our office. But it paid off. The company has grown from three people to a work force of more than 100."
Zhou said the company's success rests, in part, on its attention to detail and quality.
Software development is an intensive industry that needs research and development as its lifeline.
Back in 2009, when the company started, smartphones weren't as popular as today, especially in the realm of watching videos on handsets.
That's where Zhou and his team first focused their development efforts. By analyzing the current media player software of brand mobile phones like Nokia and Motorola, Zhou's business developed systems for improving playback speed and consistency.
The company finally received its first patent for a product called Emma video player software. It is now used by about 155 million smartphone owners.
Despite the success, Zhou and his team continue to work hard. The company has established three project teams to develop new ideas and identify market niches.
For young entrepreneurs, Zhou has some advice.
"Resolve to survive," he said. "The priority is to do financial planning and save every yuan you can for investment."
He added: "Learn teamwork. Utilize the strengths each person brings to the company. And lastly, base decisions on careful analysis. You have to consider the market, product planning and what competitors are up to."
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