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Story highlights
36KR, a website started by 26-year-old entrepreneur Liu Chengcheng, connects new start-ups with investors
So far this year, the site has connected over a hundred start-ups with investors and the company itself is estimated to be worth $100 million US dollars
With information on over 70 thousand start-ups, 36KR is now the industry's largest database in China covering the tech scene
China certainly has its finger on the pulse when it comes to technology, and thanks to 26-year-old entrepreneur Liu Chengcheng, Chinese start-ups are having an easier time innovating for the future.
Four years ago, Chencheng’s website, 36KR.com, first took form as an online destination for latest tech news in China.
Now it connects investors with promising start-ups looking to expand and grow. So far this year, the site has paired over a hundred start-ups with investors and stands as China’s largest database covering the tech scene.
CNN: How did your website move from being a portal for industry tech news to helping match investors with tech start-ups?
Liu Chengcheng: We noticed that many investors would come to our platform and look for founders of start-up projects, and vice versa, when start-ups approached us for media exposure. So we wanted to develop a highly efficient platform for investors and projects to connect and collaborate.
CNN: How do you guide investors to the projects that are most suited to them?
LC: Personally, I recommend new investors to focus on projects with sustained demands, such as those providing tools for businesses or developers, rather than lifestyle-related ones, which can grow fast but might vanish fast too.
CNN: How would describe our relationship with the internet?
LC: The internet is a fundamental part of our lives, but it’s not the case for our parents’ generation. We have a better grip on the internet. It is the first thing we think about, when it comes to problem solving. Rather than seeking connections or favors offline. We believe in the internet for solutions.
CNN: What makes a strong business leader?
LC: I always admire people who can make firm decisions despite different voices. The late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping was one of them, he brought change to China.
I often ask myself what I have changed, there should be a reason for my being.
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