Summary of Key Points
At the 2026 Future Stars Conference, Professor Li Zexiang shared several key perspectives on the theme of "from new engineering education to new quality productivity": The Greater Bay Area has an absolute advantage in hardware manufacturing, characterized by "fast iteration speed and low cost." China's manufacturing industry needs to shift from being driven by companies like Apple or Tesla to relying on its own consumer brands to drive the industrial chain (i.e., "new manufacturing"). Young entrepreneurs are the driving force behind these consumer brands. In the second half of the AI era, AI must be deeply integrated with real-life scenarios. Additionally, a replicable innovation ecosystem consisting of government, schools, platforms, and industrial parks can efficiently incubate high-tech companies.
1. The Greater Bay Area's Dual Advantages: Speed and Cost
The supply chain advantages of the Greater Bay Area are not just hype—even if Silicon Valley could gather all the necessary components, the Greater Bay Area can produce products dozens of times faster at a fraction of the cost. For example, creating a drone prototype might take three months and cost one million in Silicon Valley, but in the Greater Bay Area, it could be done in ten days for just 30,000 yuan, with incredibly low trial-and-error costs, making success much more likely.
Here’s a concrete example: GoPro (once considered the "little Apple" of Silicon Valley) refused to cooperate with us and is now on the brink of bankruptcy; meanwhile, DJI, leveraging the Greater Bay Area's supply chain, has grown its revenue to over 100 billion yuan and become the global leader in drones. The Shenzhen Drone Conference attracts participants from 17 countries and more than 1,000 companies, with nearly double the exhibition space compared to last year—this is a testament to the strength of the Greater Bay Area's supply chain.
2. "New Manufacturing": From Following Others to Leading the Way
In the past, China's manufacturing industry was led by others; Apple and Tesla specified the components we needed for phones and cars, and we earned only from processing these parts. Now, due to geopolitical factors, we must develop our own international consumer brands (such as DJI and Xiaomi) to drive the upstream industries of chips, materials, core components, and factories. This is what "new manufacturing" entails.
For instance, the success of DJI has spurred the development of domestic drone chips, batteries, and flight control systems. If we have more such consumer brands, the entire industrial chain can become self-sufficient and independent.
3. Consumer Entrepreneurship: A Younger Focus
Why should those over 30 avoid entering the consumer market? Because consumer products need to meet the needs of younger people, who are more tech-savvy and responsive. Many founders of popular smart watches and drones are in their twenties. However, older individuals can still contribute by targeting the business market (B2B), providing automation equipment for factories or intelligent solutions for cities, complementing the consumer segment.
4. The Second Half of AI: Focus on Practical Applications
The first half of AI focused on processing text (e.g., ChatGPT), while the second half emphasizes integrating AI into real-life scenarios. Examples include using drones to deliver supplies during floods or to transport people to Mount Everest in just eight minutes (previously taking hours). These applications require hardware, which is precisely where the Greater Bay Area excels. By understanding these real-world needs, AI can be effectively implemented and create real value.
5. Innovation Ecosystem: Empowering Unproven Teams
There’s a gap between universities and industries—professors understand technology but not the market, while entrepreneurs understand the market but lack resources. Professor Li Zexiang’s "1 region + 1 school + 1 platform + 1 park" model fills this gap:
- Local governments provide policies, schools offer talent, and platforms (like the Songshan Lake Robotics Base) provide shared facilities, supply chain connections, and mentorship.
- In 2014, 60 unproven teams in Dongguan had no staff, funding, or experience; 80% survived, and 15% became unicorns with a total valuation of over one billion dollars. This model has now been adopted by more than 30 universities, resulting in the incubation of 287 companies, four of which have gone public with a total valuation of 50 billion dollars—lowering the barriers to entrepreneurship and enabling more young people to pursue high-tech ventures.
In summary, Professor Li Zexiang’s main message is: Leveraging the Greater Bay Area’s supply chain advantages, supporting young entrepreneurs in developing consumer brands, using AI and practical applications to drive the industrial chain, and implementing this through an innovation ecosystem—this represents the new quality productivity of China's future.