Zhang Yu

JeniZhang13@163.com

IN this era of transformative technological innovation, Gen Z entrepreneurs are emerging as a dynamic force, breaking conventions and forging their own paths towards the future.

Chen Congyi, the founder of XPOLAR, a promising tech startup incubated at the Shenzhen InnoX Academy (InnoX), embodies this spirit of Gen Z entrepreneurship.

An enterprising kid

Born in 2000, Chen grew up immersed in the vibrant business environment of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). In 2006, his parents, former civil servants, relocated to Guangdong to pursue an entrepreneurial venture, taking young Chen to Guangzhou.

Surrounded by the GBA’s thriving entrepreneurial atmosphere, Chen, with his parents’ encouragement, dabbled in various small businesses from a young age – from distributing flyers and handling transactions at a China Mobile counter to selling items as diverse as duck necks, rice noodles, and mobile phones.

Even then, Chen displayed a keen interest in the world’s evolving landscape. In junior high, he used his modest allowance to purchase the book “Steve Jobs: A Biography,” staying up late to devour the Apple founder’s story. In high school, he delved into coding and engineering, participating in national information technology competitions.

“Reflecting on these experiences, I realize my growth has been intertwined with the technological advancements of the times,” Chen recalled. “The evolution of information dissemination, the rise of electronic payments and e-commerce – these transformations profoundly impacted traditional business models, giving rise to new forms.”

Catching the wave of technological change, Chen, still uncertain of his specific path, was driven by a singular ambition: to master technology and leverage it to effect change.

Drawn to Shenzhen’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, innovative culture, and youthful energy, Chen made two pivotal decisions: to study engineering and to relocate to Shenzhen, China’s tech hub. Ultimately, he chose to study electrical engineering at the Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen.

“Shenzhen has proven to be one of the global hubs closest to industry and talent,” Chen affirmed. “During my studies, we had opportunities to interact with companies at various stages – from early startups to established market players.”

From InnoX to XPOLAR

In the summer of 2021, during his junior year, Chen attended an InnoX summer camp where he connected with his future co-founders and began exploring entrepreneurship under InnoX’s guidance. In March 2022, his vision took concrete form with the launch of XPOLAR, a health-focused sports startup targeting medium to high-intensity trainers and fitness enthusiasts.

The company’s flagship product, the XPOLAR X2, is an intelligent, portable sports recovery device that integrates compression, hot and cold therapy, and alternating hot and cold treatments to provide post-workout recovery.

“We hope to deliver more advanced body recovery solutions through intelligent, portable devices,” Chen explained.

The company’s potential quickly attracted attention from investors. In October 2022, Chen’s team secured its seed round investment. That was followed by a round of angel financing worth tens of millions of yuan in October 2023, led by Clear Water Bay Phase II, HKX, and Green Pine Capital.

“Throughout the entire process, we benefited from Shenzhen’s unique entrepreneurial environment and the acceleration provided by InnoX and the broader ecosystem, especially in the production process,” Chen said.

As a novice team with no prior production experience, XPOLAR leveraged InnoX’s resources to connect with upstream and downstream partners, conduct on-site production line research, and gradually master the intricacies of manufacturing.

“This process enabled us to evade pitfalls while building the resilience to overcome unavoidable challenges,” he said.

Scaling new heights

Inspired by InnoX’s founder, Professor Li Zexiang of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Chen likens the entrepreneurial journey to mountain climbing. “Every peak conquered reveals a new vista, and with it, new challenges,” he explained.

“XPOLAR is on the road to conquering one peak after another, facing fresh obstacles with each summit scaled,” Chen said. Though the road ahead is always full of unknowns, he remains undaunted and believes that XPOLAR is not navigating this path alone.

“With the guidance of mentors, the example of senior entrepreneurs within InnoX, and other entrepreneurial teams as peers, our progress is stronger and more assured,” Chen stated.

To date, XPOLAR’s products have entered markets in Europe, the Americas, and Southeast Asia.

The startup has forged long-term partnerships with multiple national teams, online influencers, and training bases in various sports such as basketball, badminton, track and field, and table tennis. It has served over 30 teams and collaborated with more than 20 offline retail partners.