Zeng Jianhong, CEO of Peyuan Electronics: "The Lingang Special Area is highly suitable for entrepreneurship."
March: site visit. August: preparations began. December: a new company was registered and established... The experiences of the past year have been both fulfilling and transformative for Zeng Jianhong, CEO of Shanghai Peyuan Electronics Co., Ltd., and his team partners.
In his 44th year, with half his career behind him, Zeng Jianhong chose to start anew, embarking on an entrepreneurial journey. Seeking breakthroughs in the field of power module products, he selected the Lingang Special Area as the "place where dreams begin." Together with his team, he is focusing on high-density packaging and integration technologies within the artificial intelligence (AI) sector.
Zeng anchored his new venture in a field he has cultivated for over 20 years—power module products. How can such a mature "old" industry find new life in the context of promoting AI development, open up new high-end markets, and help form a more advanced industrial system? Zeng Jianhong has his own plans.
"After careful consideration, we decided to start a business. We visited many places for research and found the Lingang Special Area to be the most suitable," said Zeng Jianhong.
With the intensification of population aging, the demand for social intelligence is correspondingly increasing. The foundation of intelligence is computing power (i.e., large-scale intelligent ICs). To ensure and enhance the performance of large intelligent ICs, a robust and comprehensive power supply solution is essential. Therefore, power sources are no longer limited to simply enabling customer functions; they have become a key force in enhancing customer competitiveness.
Producing high-density, packaged integrated power modules through semiconductor packaging technology can be used for modular products in a wide range of scenarios and AI accelerator card power supply solutions. This is the technological path the industry is currently committed to long-term, and it's also "a fiercely contested spot." Zeng Jianhong and his team members are thoroughly familiar with this area. As early as 17 years ago, their former company had achieved top-tier industry performance in switching power supply systems and had already begun attempts to innovate switching power supplies using semiconductor packaging technology.
"The current industry trends and entry timing are excellent; this is the next big opportunity in our industry. Since we've started this business, we need to seize this opportunity firmly," Zeng Jianhong believes. In his view, packaging integration is a high-end technology, and there are currently very few mature companies globally, giving his startup team inherent advantages.
Furthermore, as power supply is fundamental within the AI field, technological innovation will inevitably involve the reintegration of the entire upstream and downstream industrial chain. This also means that taking root in an environment with a more complete ecosystem makes it easier to promote technological products once R&D is successful.
Last October, Zeng Jianhong and the founding team members settled in the Lingang Marine Science and Technology Innovation Park.
"Lingang is developing artificial intelligence as a pillar industry. Its layout and ambitious planning for high-end industries are very attractive to us," Zeng Jianhong said. Before finally deciding on Lingang, he did his homework, conducting a six-month investigation of the new area. Zeng found that the new area has a solid industrial foundation, with upstream and downstream enterprises clustered together, offering many opportunities for collaboration. Moreover, among the enterprises established in the new area, there happens to be a lack of companies like theirs that can provide the power supply solution link for intelligent ICs. "With prospects, market, and future, we chose Lingang without hesitation."
As one of the founders, Zeng Jianhong is well aware of the strengths and pain points of a startup team. The team members' backgrounds are predominantly technical, which made him pay extra attention to the measures and attitude of the local authorities when selecting a location for the new company.
In Zeng's view, the staff of the Lingang Administrative Committee are a group of idealistic and passionate people. "They proactively care about what enterprises need. When we consult on policies, they never neglect us because we are a startup.
Government and park staff even give up their rest time to provide detailed answers."
In these government employees, Zeng Jianhong sees the same tenacious spirit as entrepreneurs. "In Lingang, the government is 'entrepreneuring' alongside enterprises, creating a better future together."
Recently, Zeng Jianhong's industry peers have been eagerly discussing the upcoming launch of the "Dishui Lake AI Innovation Port" in their social circles.
This makes him look forward to the changes about to happen in Lingang and further strengthens his choice. "It's exhilarating. Developing artificial intelligence will involve every aspect of our lives." In Zeng Jianhong's view, the much-anticipated AI industry will move from the vision level to the implementation level in the new area.
"Due to the particularity of the artificial intelligence industry, entrepreneurs who choose this field are destined to target the high-end market," Zeng Jianhong believes. By choosing to develop AI, Lingang is aiming precisely at the high-end market. It will cultivate advanced demand, build a high-level industrial system, and help enterprises develop with higher quality.
"Being able to continuously refine and succeed in one path throughout one's life is a very happy thing. I have been working in the power module field for over twenty years. The new area is a new starting point, and I still want to contribute my efforts in the AI industry in the future. Choosing Lingang means choosing the future," Zeng Jianhong reflected.
