From Venture Capital to Building a Startup: Anna’s Shenzhen Hardware Journey
How Anna used a short Shenzhen visit to evaluate technical paths and potential partners for a custom head-mounted camera.
Here in Shenzhen · Stories
Understand Shenzhen from the ground.
Documenting Shenzhen’s founders, factories, markets and supply chains, and how business actually works here.
From Prototype to Production: An Expert's Guide to PCBA in Shenzhen
A Shenzhen-based PCBA expert offers direct advice for overseas hardware entrepreneurs manufacturing in China, detailing common pitfalls and practical solutions.
Three Things That Blindside Foreigners Running a Business in China
Most foreigners in China hit one of three problems: a labor dispute, a visa transfer that gets stuck, or a tax bill nobody warned them about.
She Spent 15 Years Inside One of China's Most Competitive Markets. Here's What It Actually Taught Her.
Liang Xiaohua didn't plan to build a business in Shuibei. But 15 years in, she's still here, and most people who started when she did are not.
What the Jewelry Capital of China Actually Looks Like from the Inside
Inside Shuibei, Shenzhen’s jewelry hub, where thousands of businesses connect wholesale markets, suppliers, products, and manufacturing.
Inside a VC’s Mind: AI, Hardware, and What Actually Gets Funded
Investor Michelle explains what early-stage AI and hardware teams need beyond technology, from founder mindset to execution and market fit.
Why Every Overseas Hardware Team Needs a Local Partner in Shenzhen
Shenzhen offers fast prototyping and dense supplier networks, but overseas hardware teams still need local execution and validation.
This Engineer Left DJI to Help Hardware Startups Survive the 0–1 Phase
Former DJI engineer Carson Lin explains how hardware teams can test, iterate, and solve expensive product problems before production.
Should You Go to Huaqiangbei? Honest Advice for Three Types of Visitors
Huaqiangbei can be useful or a complete waste of time. It depends on what you’re trying to do. This guide helps you decide.
Thinking of Building Hardware in Shenzhen? Start with These 5 Realities
Shenzhen is where hardware gets real. But for overseas founders, sourcing teams, the city’s speed and density can backfire if you land without a strategy.
How to Work Shenzhen’s Supply Chain: A Field Guide for Overseas Founders
Charley Shen shares lessons from 15 years in hardware supply chains, covering sourcing, manufacturing, and how overseas founders can work effectively.
From Power Systems to Smart Security: How Leo Built a 20-Year Business in Shenzhen
Leo’s 20-year journey from power systems to smart security shows how a Shenzhen company adapts, exports, and finds overseas growth.
Before the Company Exists: Samuel and the Work That Comes First
Samuel moves between the US and Shenzhen while developing early hardware projects, revealing the work that shapes ideas before a company exists.
Before the Robot Becomes a Product
An early-stage look at how hardware ideas form, where they break down, and how Shenzhen shapes the path from concept to product.
In a City That Doesn’t Sleep, He Built a Brand Around Rest
David built a sleep brand in Hong Kong after his mother’s insomnia and his own restless nights inspired an early product experiment.
How I Helped a Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Find a Hardware Manufacturing Solution in Just Two Hours
A field story about helping a Silicon Valley entrepreneur find a practical hardware manufacturing solution in Shenzhen within two hours.
From Factory Floor to Founder: Chen Jiao’s Journey in Foshan’s Curtain Rod Business
Chen Jiao built a curtain rod business from factory-floor experience, supplier trust, and years of learning how manufacturing works.
He Spent 14 Years in China’s Gaming Industry. Then He Bet It All on Roblox.
After 14 years in China’s gaming industry, Chandler Huang left an established career to build his next chapter around Roblox.
How a Former Teacher Found Her Place in Fashion By Picking the Right Products and Store Locations
Ryn never studied design, but her instinct helped shape a brand, one decision at a time. Ryn didn’t enter fashion through the front door. She didn’t have a design degree, startup capital, or a plan. But over the years, she’s become the kind of person you want in the room when decisions matter, especially when it comes to selecting the right products and choosing the right store locations. Her journey wasn’t loud. But her decisions quietly helped shape the direction of a business.
From 115 Followers to 1M RMB: Vivian’s Leap from Fashion PR to MCN Powerhouse in Shenzhen
Vivian moved from London fashion to building a Shenzhen MCN agency that generated more than 1 million RMB through RedNote campaigns.