China’s ‘Fantastic Four’: the new generation of tech entrepreneurs reshaping global innovation

Liang Wenfeng, founder of Hangzhou-based AI start-up DeepSeek, along with Wang Xingxing, Zhang Yiming, and Frank Wang—founders of Unitree Robotics, ByteDance, and DJI, respectively—are at the forefront of this shift.

Their success is redefining China’s influence in the global tech industry.

DeepSeek’s Liang and Unitree’s Wang were among a group of business leaders invited to a high-profile meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Feb. 17.

Wang, the youngest at the event, underscored his commitment to innovation, stating: "Both our company and I were born and raised in China." Xi praised Wang and highlighted the need for younger generations to drive the country’s technological advancement, according to People’s Daily.

Unlike their predecessors, who experienced poverty and economic instability, this new breed of tech entrepreneurs grew up after China’s "reform and opening up" period, when private enterprise was encouraged, and social barriers were dismantled. Their education, heavily focused on science, engineering, and mathematics, coincided with accelerated globalization and Western influence.

Unitree’s Wang was born in 1990, Zhang in 1983, Liang in 1985, and DJI’s Wang in 1980. None studied abroad: DJI’s Wang attended the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, ByteDance’s Zhang studied at Nankai University in Tianjin, and Liang graduated from Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, according to the South China Morning Post.

Unlike U.S. tech figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and OpenAI’s Sam Altman, China’s new tech leaders avoid public attention. Zhang and DJI’s Wang have not given interviews or appeared at events for years, despite their growing business empires. DeepSeek’s Liang has remained silent even as his company’s technology has made global headlines.

From top to bottom and left to right, DeepSeek's Liang Wenfeng, ByteDance's Zhang Yiming, Unitree Robotics's Wang Xingxing and DJI's Frank Wang. Photo from Reuters, Unitree Robotics, Facebook, Instagram

Their success is rooted in their ability to navigate China’s fiercely competitive market. Unlike their Silicon Valley counterparts, they have thrived in an environment that demands relentless adaptability and efficiency.

Winston Ma, adjunct professor at New York University specializing in AI and the digital economy, noted that Chinese entrepreneurs excel at refining existing technologies, rapidly testing them in the local market, and optimizing user experience while minimizing costs. "If not, you will become history," Ma said.

Many have already accumulated substantial wealth, with ByteDance’s Zhang among China’s richest individuals, holding a net worth of $45.6 billion as of March 4, according to Forbes. Their wealth is poised to increase further, as ByteDance, DJI, DeepSeek, and Unitree have yet to go public. All built their businesses within China’s economy, rising from modest beginnings.

DeepSeek, initially a side project at Liang’s quant trading firm, made waves in Silicon Valley and Wall Street in January when its low-cost, high-performance large language models impressed industry experts. DJI, now the world’s leading drone maker, started in Frank Wang’s dorm room, while ByteDance was founded in Zhang’s Beijing apartment in 2012. Wang Xingxing established Unitree in 2016, facing significant challenges in securing early funding.

Guo Bai, assistant professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at the China Europe International Business School, attributed their global success to their deep understanding of China’s market dynamics. "The Chinese market nowadays is one of the most demanding and competitive in the world," Guo said, noting that this environment gives firms a strategic edge.

Travis Kalanick, former Uber CEO, previously remarked that Chinese tech firms were once known for "copying" at an extraordinary pace. That approach, however, has evolved into genuine innovation, allowing them to surpass some U.S. companies.

As China’s tech sector faces growing scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers amid intensifying competition, the "Fantastic Four" continue to push the boundaries of innovation. Jeffrey Towson, founder of TechMoat Consulting, suggested that their experience in China’s hyper-competitive environment gives them a unique advantage in global markets.

"If U.S. business is like soccer, then Chinese business is rugby," he said. "They are used to playing a rougher sport."