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We Build GREAT Companies!

  • Founded in 2005, FIRST startup incubator in China
  • Invested 100+ startups, 10+ female entrepreneurs, 10000+ employees
  • Company operation in 75+ countries, $20+ billion total market cap
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FOUNDER'S THOUGHTS

Mark Mai

After more than a decade of trials and tribulations, Chinese entrepreneurs have undergone significant changes in their backgrounds, mindsets, and abilities. Nowadays, the motivation for entrepreneurship goes beyond simple impulsive risks or survival, becoming a deliberate choice after careful planning. The composition of entrepreneurial teams, sources of funding, management capabilities, and strategic planning for startup companies have greatly improved. Throughout my experience as an investor and entrepreneur, I have always sought to answer several questions:

Why start a business? What kind of business to start? How to prepare for entrepreneurship?

Who are the true entrepreneurs? Who will be successful entrepreneurs? How to build an entrepreneurial team?

Why do most startup companies ultimately fail? How can startup companies survive? How to grow and become leaders?

I have attempted to find the perfect answers to these questions, but the "perfect answers" I once obtained have been constantly revised and even overturned. I hope to join hands with more entrepreneurs in the pursuit of the "secret" to entrepreneurial success, even though I know there are no perfect or definitive answers to these questions. However, thorough contemplation of these questions is the starting point for successful entrepreneurship. Perhaps the "process" of seeking answers is the true "result." This is the original intention behind the establishment of Innovation Works.

We identify outstanding entrepreneurs, cultivate the "genes of success" for enterprise development, and lead startup companies to grow into "great companies." We believe in the coexistence of innovative ideas and rigorous processes, which is the combination of "art" and "science" in entrepreneurship.

The future of China in the new century depends on the growth of a new generation of entrepreneurs/entrepreneurs with a sense of social responsibility and a sense of historical mission. We look forward to outstanding entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs, investors, and more friends joining this cause!

Mark MaiVenturesLabFounder and ProducerMay 2005

Support entrepreneurial dreams, create great companies, and unite entrepreneurs worldwide!

INVESTMENT STRATEGY

  1. Early Stage
    Growth Companies

    Discovering teams that adhere to integrity, perseverance, and possesses far-sightedness and insight.

  2. Collaborate & Cooperate

    Collaborate to create a company strategy, develop a plan for growth, refine the management system, and build a core team

  3. Creativity, Team, Capital Allocation

    Assisting entrepreneurs and management team to build up the company and help to grow until it can be self-sufficient

  4. Deep Value and Competiveness Focus

    Focus on the startup's core strengths, long-term value, and industry leadership, rather than short-term financial measures

WORDS OF WISDOM

Perhaps your lifelong goal is to establish a successful company, but in the end, what will be inscribed on your tombstone are "Kind Father (Mother)," "Beloved Companion," "Generous Friend," rather than "Great CEO." You will discover that what you cannot take away is fame and wealth, while what remains are emotions and memories.

Mark MaiFounder and Producer

Everyone is born equal in the societal sense, at least. However, from the very first day of their inception, every company is inherently unequal. The composition of the team, the mission and vision, the strategies and plans, the business model, the management systems, and other elements that make up the "genetic makeup" of a company can vary greatly.

A competent leader is essential within an entrepreneurial team, and this type of leader is not solely determined by funding, technology, or patents, nor is it based on who came up with the best ideas. This kind of leader is someone who is recognized by team members from the bottom of their hearts through years of studying and working together. Everything else is just empty talk.

There is an unverified statistic that states within 5 years, 90% of startup companies will fail, and within 10 years, 90% of the remaining 10% will also exit the market. This means that after 10 years, less than 1% of startup companies will survive. Becoming an industry leader among those who survive is even more rare.

In the investment community, some people say "People, People, and People," while others emphasize "Execution, Execution, and Execution." I believe that "execution capability" is a "default prerequisite" as a management skill. If an entrepreneur lacks even this ability, it would be risky to venture into the business world. However, before discussing "execution capability," it is important to clarify the "strategy" because it is the fundamental source of long-term core competitiveness for a company. If success is solely based on cost or price competition, it represents a lower level of victory. As the saying goes, "Victory is decided in the general's tent before the battle begins."

The 80/20 principle of entrepreneurial success: 20% is strategy, 80% is execution. A wrong strategy renders execution meaningless. With the right strategy, execution results can vary greatly. Before starting a business, it is important to invest energy in clarifying the strategy, and once formulated, it should be executed for at least 3-5 years. A startup cannot afford the turmoil of changing direction midway, just like turning around a fast horse is difficult and dangerous. There are legends about how entrepreneurs react swiftly, correct mistakes, and turn the tide... However, in most cases, our business transformations are not that fortunate. A more realistic approach is to anticipate errors in advance and be prepared in strategic deployment.

Pop Mart (9992.HK)

Pop culture and toys

Pop Mart (9992.HK)

Beijing POP MART, founded in 2010, is a leading cultural and entertainment company in China.

Over the past decade, POP MART has built an integrated platform covering the whole industry chain of pop toys. And the company now focuses on attracting global artists, operating IPs, appealing to consumers, promoting pop toy culture,as well as incubating and investing innovative business.

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YeePay.com

Industry payments

YeePay.com

YeePay.com is a pioneer of industry payments in China, deeply engaged in industry payments and transaction services. The company is the first to establish the B-side industry payment model, and the first in the industry to launch online online payment, credit card payment, POS payment, one-click payment, e-wallet and other products. With the original intention of "transaction services for customers", the company continues to provide industry-specific payment solutions around the payment or fund processing needs of upstream and downstream industry chains.

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ChineseAll (300364.SZ)

Digital content

ChineseAll (300364.SZ)

ChineseAll is a leading digital culture content industry group in China. With the core of digital content production, copyright distribution, IP derivation and intellectual property protection, and the development strategy of "solid content, service industry, winning IP, two-wheel drive", the company is committed to promoting the integration of technology and culture.

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Leaf Technology

AI music education

Leaf Technology

Leaf (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd. is an AI-driven technology music education company. It is dedicated to bringing the joy of music to everyone through its software and hardware products. Under the umbrella of Leaf Music Education, there are multiple music education brands, including TheONE Smart Piano, Leaf Smart Practice, and Leaf Practice Buddy.

The ONE Smart Piano has consistently been among the top sellers in its category on Tmall's Double 11 shopping festival for seven consecutive years. As the pioneer of global AI smart practice, Leaf Smart Practice has users in 107 countries and regions worldwide. The combination of Leaf's AI technology and live professional teachers provides a comprehensive practice mode for learners in various scenarios.

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AI Rudder

Voice AI

AI Rudder

By integrating human expertise with artificial intelligence, the full potential of enterprise customer service is unleashed. AI Rudder's cutting-edge voice AI assistant, supported by natural language processing, can handle routine tasks, allowing company managers to focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences.

AI Rudder transforms the customer touchpoints of businesses by combining artificial intelligence (AI) with human-like empathy. Over 200 companies spanning Southeast Asia, India, Africa, and the Americas leverage AI Rudder's practical AI expertise and operational experience, reaching over a million end-users daily.

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