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Controversy surrounding Meizu that had been simmering since before the Lunar New Year appears to have reached a turning point.
According to information obtained by 36Kr from internal sources, Meizu recently announced a major restructuring that will see more than half of its employees leave the company, affecting roughly 400 people.
Those departing face three possible outcomes. Some will receive severance packages exceeding the legal minimum, others will move to newly separated business units, while a third group may be absorbed by partner companies. Most employees were expected to complete the necessary procedures by March 13.
As part of the restructuring, 36Kr reported that Meizu's Pandaer lifestyle technology brand team will be spun off to operate independently, taking responsibility for its own profits and losses. Meanwhile, part of Meizu's augmented reality glasses team is expected to be absorbed by the AR hardware company RayNeo.
Earlier, on February 27, Meizu attempted to address growing speculation, stating that it had decided to suspend in-house development of new smartphone hardware and was in discussions with third-party hardware partners.
After the restructuring, the remaining smartphone-related staff at Meizu will number about 400. According to 36Kr, those who remain are expected to be reassigned in two directions. Some may join the team working on Meizu's Flyme automotive operating system, while others may shift toward <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a> software development.
In addition, the core assets of Meizu's smartphone division have already been packaged and integrated into hardware companies within the <a href="/company/geely">Geely</a> ecosystem. These assets include software code, product documentation, technical interface documentation, engineering code libraries, and visual interaction materials.
A source familiar with the matter said most of the remaining staff are concentrated in Zhuhai, where Meizu's headquarters is located. The team is unlikely to continue operating under the Meizu brand, and employees may eventually transition to a new corporate entity.
In response to inquiries from 36Kr, Meizu said Flyme's open ecosystem will become the company's foundation moving forward, forming what it described as a sustainable, closed-loop business model.
“Organizational adjustments accompanying strategic transformation are a normal part of industry development,” the company said. “Aside from suspending domestic smartphone hardware R&amp;D, all other businesses are progressing steadily.”
Meizu added that its overseas smartphone business, AI-powered smart glasses, and Pandaer brand continue to operate normally. It also denied reports that its AR team would be absorbed by RayNeo, calling the claim inaccurate.
For many employees, signs of disruption had already emerged before the holiday.
In the weeks leading up to the Lunar New Year, Meizu began terminating outsourced staff, slowing internal approvals, and extending the holiday break while delaying the official return-to-work date. Many employees interpreted these moves as signals that the smartphone business was under pressure.
According to 36Kr, the smartphone division still had a narrow window for survival earlier this year. Before the holiday, the team reportedly attempted to pursue an acquisition by a well-known AI company, but negotiations ultimately failed.
“The other party believed the Meizu brand had no value,” a source familiar with the talks said.
In its earlier announcement, Meizu identified one major factor behind its shift: rising memory prices.
“The level of competition in the smartphone market is far beyond imagination,” the company said. “With memory prices skyrocketing, the commercialization of new smartphone products has become increasingly difficult.”
A recent report from Counterpoint Research showed that in the first quarter of 2026, DRAM prices rose 50% quarter on quarter, while NAND flash prices surged more than 90%.
The increase has significantly altered the bill of materials structure of smartphones.
According to the report, memory now accounts for 43% of total device costs for smartphones priced below USD 200, representing a 25% quarter-on-quarter increase. For smartphones priced above USD 400, memory costs are expected to account for 20–23% of total device costs by the second quarter of 2026.
The rise in memory prices has compressed profit margins across the smartphone industry.
Since late last year, China's smartphone market has entered a period of instability.
In January, smartphone brand Realme announced that it would return to the Oppo system, aiming to improve efficiency through deeper integration.
By March, many smartphone makers had introduced the largest collective price adjustments in nearly five years. Oppo, OnePlus, Vivo, <a href="/company/xiaomi">Xiaomi</a>, and Honor raised prices across multiple product tiers by around RMB 500, (USD 72.4) with some models abandoning the segment below RMB 1,000 (USD 144.7) altogether.
The withdrawal of Meizu's smartphone business also reflects how the surge in artificial intelligence investment is reshaping established technology sectors. Companies across the industry are reassessing their priorities, shifting resources toward AI, software, and ecosystem development while hardware margins tighten.
KrASIA features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3721227876039047">article</a> was written by Qiu Xiaofen for 36Kr.
Note: RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.91 = USD 1 based on estimates as of March 16, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

Meizu slashes workforce as smartphone unit winds down

Smartphones

Consumer Economy

China

… outlet. It provides backend infrastructure, including APIs and cloud databases, intended to simplify the replication of unified systems across chain networks.
According to Sunmi, more than 7,000 enterprises across roughly ten countries have adopted Max, and the company is focused on enhancing customization to embed such infrastructure choices over time.
Sectors where chainization is most visible, including retail and F&amp;B, are also those in which payment infrastructure and operational efficiency play a central role in the customer experience. Yet companies expanding overseas often do so before fully adapting their systems to new markets. That gap can create opportunities for integrated, next-generation solutions to be adopted from the outset, rather than retrofitted later.
In that context, companies that support globalizing chain brands at the level of operational infrastructure, such as Sunmi, may find themselves positioned at a critical juncture in the next phase of consumer globalization.
This article was published in partnership with <a href="https://www.sunmi.com/en/">Sunmi</a>.

Sunmi lays the rails for brands chasing global chain expansion

Fintech

Enterprise Services

Hardware

Internet of Things

Payments

… technology companies push the category. Earbuds, in particular, have a lower barrier to adoption.
<h3>36Kr: What will companies compete on?</h3>
DH: Comprehensive capability.
Operating systems, integration between software and hardware, ecosystem building, and product definition.
<h3>36Kr: What functions do your earbuds offer?</h3>
DH: We categorize them into several groups.
Practical features include smart message notifications, schedule reminders, and instant notetaking.
There are also more exploratory use cases. For instance, if you see something in a museum and do not recognize it, you can consult the earbuds. If you see a product offline, you can compare prices online or purchase it immediately.
You can also call a ride or complete other tasks.
<h3>36Kr: Since your earbuds are positioned as a second, complementary device, what technical challenges arise?</h3>
DH: The biggest challenge is the OS.
An OS must handle three responsibilities: hardware scheduling, software coordination, and human-machine interaction.
Second, AI hardware must communicate with users through microphones and speakers, and provide visual feedback through screens.
Third, it must connect many software services to fulfill user requests. In many cases, the system cannot make decisions on its own.
<h3>36Kr: Does that mean integrating a large software ecosystem?</h3>
DH: Exactly. We already integrate services such as Didi, Flight Master, QQ Music, Ximalaya, Xiaoyuzhou, and SMZDM.
Even though we are a small company, many large tech companies are willing to cooperate with us. That has exceeded our expectations.
<h3>36Kr: If the AI era requires a native OS, how is it fundamentally different from smartphone operating systems?</h3>
DH: Smartphones and PCs rely on graphical interfaces.
In the AI era, interaction will be based on natural language and vision. Operating systems must solve problems like invoking AI models and understanding users, and these are things Android, iOS, and Windows never had to handle.
Another difference is the separation of interaction and computation.
Typically, AI hardware runs a lightweight OS on the device to handle interaction, while heavy computation happens in the cloud. Both sides must work together.
<h3>36Kr: Could you build this on top of Android?</h3>
DH: We evaluated all existing operating systems. At one point, we considered modifying Android's graphical interface code and integrating AI features. But we eventually realized the complexity was extremely high.
<h3>36Kr: Is your competitive advantage the OS or the hardware?</h3>
DH: Ultimately, our strength lies in the AI OS and our ability to integrate software and hardware.
<h3>36Kr: Why are many companies building AI earbuds with cameras?</h3>
DH: Every tech company is trying to figure out how AI will translate into real-world scenarios.
Wearable devices could create entirely new user needs and usage scenarios.
For example, if you see a bottle of Coca-Cola offline, an online platform could capture that demand and convert it into an online purchase. That creates new traffic.
<h3>36Kr: What exactly do you mean by capturing traffic?</h3>
DH: About 30% of daily demand happens online, while roughly 70% occurs offline.
When you see a store, a product, or a parking space, you may want to record it, scan a QR code, or search for information.
Using a smartphone in those moments can be inconvenient. As a result, a lot of potential traffic disappears.
<h3>36Kr: Those scenarios sound fragmented. How valuable can they really be?</h3>
DH: When smartphones first emerged, people also underestimated their traffic potential. But smartphones created fragmented time usage, which enabled platforms like Douyin. GPS also enabled location-based services like Meituan.
Before smartphones existed, no one asked why they should search for nearby restaurants or book rides online.
With AI and wearable sensing, many everyday actions will become simpler.
In the future, every offline scenario can potentially be improved through better experiences.
<h3>36Kr: Some people worry that always-on cameras could create privacy risks. How do you address that?</h3>
DH: We deliberately chose a low-resolution two-megapixel camera.
The goal is simply to allow AI to understand the environment. The images are not visible to users and are deleted after processing.
We also implemented multiple privacy safeguards.
For example, the charging case includes fingerprint authentication. We have also designed secure cloud storage and other privacy protection measures.
KrASIA features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3716670530106761">article</a> was written by Qiu Xiaofen for 36Kr.

China's Guangfan positions AI wearables as the next computing platform

Artificial Intelligence

Deep Tech

… its assumed average jet fuel price was USD 85 per barrel for the second half, and even though it was 83% hedged against Brent crude oil until the end of June, the company said it is still exposed to movements in the "crack spread," the price difference between crude oil and jet fuel.
Air New Zealand said its jet fuel price assumption "is no longer appropriate," and the "crisis is expected to meaningfully affect second-half earnings."
The carrier also said it has made "initial fare adjustments" and may need to make further changes to pricing, its network and schedules.
Apart from the Middle East strain, Cathay reported a loss at HK Express before net finance charges and taxation of HKD 996 million (USD 127.2 million) for 2025, worsening from HKD 204 million (USD 26.1 million) a year earlier. CEO Lam described the amount as "substantial" and attributed it partly to short-term factors, including new routes that "will take time to mature." The disclosure document also said that some aircraft were "grounded due to industrywide Pratt &amp; Whitney engine issues that continued without improvement."
A bigger problem was shifting customer behavior, especially last summer, when many travelers shunned Japan over an unfounded rumor that a major earthquake was about to hit the country. Lam said this had a "rather big impact" on traffic, as HK Express relies heavily on Japanese routes.
Lam said that this is no longer a factor and that the budget carrier's traffic has rebounded, but refrained from making any predictions about a return to the black.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/transportation/cathay-logs-higher-profit-as-iran-war-jolts-airlines-with-sudden-shifts">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.
Note: HKD figures are converted to USD at rates of HKD 7.83 = USD 1 based on estimates as of March 16, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

Cathay logs higher profit as Iran war jolts airlines with "sudden shifts"

Transportation

Travel

Mobility

Hong Kong

… conflict."
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/transportation/china-s-24bn-global-port-push-reveals-supply-chain-security-goals">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.

China's global port push reveals supply chain security goals

Logistics

Latin America

In a segment where many startups were once expected to be flattened by rivals with deeper pockets once interest gathered, AIsphere is now trying to tell a different story. The company behind the video generation platform PixVerse said it has reached unicorn status after closing a Series C funding round, the company announced on March 13.
The round was led by CDH Investments, with participation from Antler, EnvisionX Capital, iGlobe Partners, Lion X Ventures, UOB Venture Management, and 3W Fund, alongside other investors. The amount raised and the company's latest valuation were not disclosed.
The claim lands with more weight than a typical funding announcement because PixVerse had already been framed as a business with a sturdier commercial base than much of the hype surrounding generative <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a>. When 36Kr covered the company's <a href="https://rwegrgdf5.eu.org/aisphere-touts-pixverse-as-the-canva-for-video-generation-and-lands-the-funding-to-prove-it">Series B round</a> in September 2025, founder and CEO Wang Changhu said subscription revenue from PixVerse's products was already covering most of its costs. In that context, the new unicorn framing suggests PixVerse’s rise is driven not only by investor enthusiasm for AI, but also by revenue-backed growth.
PixVerse reported more than 100 million users across 175 countries as of last September. The new funding will be used to accelerate the company's global expansion from a newly established office in Singapore. PixVerse joins a growing group of Chinese-founded companies that have used the city-state as an international base, including <a href="/company/bytedance">ByteDance</a>, <a href="/company/shein">Shein,</a> and Mihoyo, which operates globally as Hoyoverse. The Singapore office will support enterprise operations, sales, partnerships, and global market development, with a particular focus on North America and Asia.
That expansion reflects a broader shift in how PixVerse is positioning itself. The company is no longer presenting the product solely as a consumer-focused video app built around trends. Instead, it is attempting to build a case across several fronts following the latest fundraise, including consumer scale, enterprise adoption, and technical development.
In its announcement, PixVerse linked the Series C round to the January 2026 launch of R1, which it described as the first “real-time video generation model,” as well as the continued rollout of its V5.6 model. According to Artificial Analysis benchmarks as of March 13, V5.6 ranked fifth globally in text-to-video generation and fourth in image-to-video generation.
Wang's description of the company's ambition offers a clearer view of the product strategy than the funding language. PixVerse, he said, is “reconstructing how people interact with content.” The statement reflects the company's long-held view that AI-driven video generation is not only about reducing the cost of existing production workflows, but also about enabling new forms of content that can be generated, modified, and experienced with far less friction than traditional methods.
More broadly, the AI video generation market is beginning to sort itself into more durable categories. For a while, discussions centered on whether startups could survive once large tech companies entered the field. Now, the more important question is which companies can translate model quality into products people return to, businesses pay for, and creators build routines around.
PixVerse is one of several Chinese companies attempting to make that case, alongside products such as <a href="/company/kuaishou">Kuaishou’s</a> Kling AI, <a href="/company/minimax">MiniMax’s</a> Hailuo AI, and Shengshu’s Vidu.

PixVerse hits unicorn valuation with new Series C funding

Venture Capital

Singapore

Southeast Asia

<a href="/company/li-auto">Li Auto’s</a> fourth-quarter results for 2025 suggest stabilization after a difficult year, but not a full recovery.
The Chinese <a href="/industry/ev">electric vehicle</a> maker returned to a slim quarterly profit in the December period. It posted net income of RMB 20.2 million (USD 2.9 million) after a third-quarter loss, while vehicle margin improved to 16.8% from 15.5%. Free cash flow also turned positive at RMB 2.5 billion (USD 363.3 million), compared with negative RMB 8.9 billion (USD 1.3 billion) in the previous quarter.
The year-on-year picture remained weak. Revenue fell 35% to RMB 28.8 billion (USD 4.2 billion), vehicle sales declined 36.1% to RMB 27.3 billion (USD 4 billion), and the company remained in the red with an operating loss of RMB 442.6 million (USD 64.3 million).
That makes the quarter more useful as evidence of operational control than of restored earnings power. Li Auto did show it could recover from a weak third quarter without sacrificing gross margin entirely, with gross margin rising to 17.8% from 16.3% in Q3. The comparison with last year remains more important. Gross margin was 20.3% in the fourth quarter of 2024, and Q4 2025 operating performance remained well below that prior-year base.
The company’s own disclosures suggest caution when interpreting the quarter-on-quarter improvement. Li Auto said the sequential rise in vehicle margin was mainly due to the estimated Li Mega recall cost recorded in the third quarter, partly offset by a lower average selling price caused by product mix changes after the start of Li i6 deliveries. In other words, part of the rebound reflected a cleaner comparison base rather than a clear improvement in underlying demand or pricing.
Expenses provided some support. Q4 operating expenses fell 1.3% from the prior quarter, helped by a 4.4% decline in selling, general, and administrative expenses to RMB 2.6 billion (USD 377.8 million). R&amp;D spending remained high at RMB 3 billion (USD 436 million) as Li Auto continued investing in <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a> and product development. That mix aligns with management’s current message: the company is trying to preserve technology spending while tightening its sales and operating model.
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The transcript adds a clearer frame for 2026. Management is positioning the year around three levers: tighter store-level execution in its direct sales network, a new L-series cycle led by the all-new Li L9, and a steadier ramp in battery EV models including the i6, i8, and the upcoming i9. Founder and CEO Li Xiang said the company is still targeting 20% year-on-year sales growth in 2026, even as he described the period as the most competitive year yet in China’s high-end automotive market.
That ambition still runs ahead of the near-term numbers. Li Auto guided first-quarter 2026 deliveries of 85,000–90,000 vehicles and revenue of RMB 20.4–21.6 billion (USD 3.0 billion–3.1 billion), both below the level recorded a year earlier. Management is clearly asking investors to look beyond the current trough toward a new product cycle. The guidance, however, does not yet show a clear path toward recovery.
The balance sheet gives Li Auto room to make that argument. The company ended 2025 with RMB 101.2 billion (USD 14.7 billion) in cash, and Q4 operating cash flow was positive at RMB 3.5 billion (USD 508.6 million). That cushion matters because Li Auto is not attempting to cut its way back to growth. Management said 2026 R&amp;D spending should remain around RMB 12 billion (USD 1.7 billion), with roughly half tied to AI-related initiatives including chips, computing power, and autonomous driving.
Still, the full-year numbers show how much ground the company must recover. Total revenue fell 22.3% in 2025 to RMB 112.3 billion (USD 16.3 billion). Operating margin turned negative 0.5% from positive 4.9% in 2024. Net cash from operations swung to an outflow of RMB 8.6 billion (USD 1.2 billion) from an inflow of RMB 15.9 billion (USD 2.3 billion) a year earlier, and free cash flow dropped to negative RMB 12.8 billion (USD 1.9 billion) from positive RMB 8.2 billion (USD 1.2 billion).
The result leaves Li Auto with a credible stabilization story, but not yet a clear turnaround. The fourth quarter showed that margins and cash flow can recover when comparisons become cleaner and execution improves. What it did not yet show is that the company has rebuilt the earnings base it had a year earlier, or that the expected 2026 product cycle is already visible in reported growth.
Note: RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.88 = USD 1 based on estimates as of March 13, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

Li Auto ends 2025 on a steady note, but turnaround remains in progress

East Asia

Electric Vehicles

Dreame's entry into the chip race is becoming increasingly multifaceted. In addition to the previously reported <a href="https://rwegrgdf5.eu.org/dreame-backed-nxmind-enters-commercialization-with-tianqiong-chips-targets-orbital-computing">Tianqiong chip series</a>, NXMind, a chipmaker incubated by Dreame, outlined several additional chip development programs at this year's Appliance &amp; Electronics World Expo.
Fu Haiyang, head of NXMind, told 36Kr that the results of these five chip initiatives are intended not only for Dreame's internal use but may eventually be offered to external partners.
According to information shared at the launch event, one initiative involves a smartphone system-on-chip (SoC) called Chixiao 01, designed with an emphasis on improved graphics performance. The processor will support full-scene ray tracing at 120 frames per second at 1.5K resolution.
The Chixiao 01 will also feature a proprietary neural processing unit architecture capable of delivering <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a> computing power of up to 200 TOPS (tera operations per second). By comparison, Qualcomm's latest flagship processor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, offers around 80 TOPS of AI computing performance.
NXMind is also developing an integrated autonomous driving chip designed for Level 4 self-driving systems. The company aims to deliver computing power of 2,000 TOPS per chip, roughly three times the capability of most mainstream smart driving chips currently on the market. That target would position the product in direct competition with Nvidia's flagship autonomous driving platform, the Drive Thor series.
According to the company, the chip will integrate Dreame's technological capabilities in areas such as computer vision and LiDAR (light detection and ranging), and will be manufactured using a two-nanometer process node.
NXMind is simultaneously developing a processor for personal computers. The chip is expected to deliver computing power of 1.5 petaflops and will feature a unified memory architecture that supports multi-device interconnection and networking.
These efforts join the Tianqiong chip series, which is designed to support robotic vacuum cleaner control. According to Fu, Tianqiong chips will use a heterogeneous computing platform that combines multi-core CPUs, dedicated NPUs, and an independent microcontroller unit. The chip will be manufactured using a 22-nanometer process and is expected to debut in Dreame's robotic vacuum cleaners scheduled for release in the second half of this year, enabling the machines to navigate more complex environments with greater precision in obstacle detection and avoidance.
As previously reported, NXMind is also developing the Yaotai series of space computing modules designed for deployment in computing satellites. The company aims to achieve industry-leading reliability, lifespan, performance, and stability.
The long-term goal is to build a space-based supercomputing cluster consisting of up to two million computing satellites, roughly twice the size of Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink constellation.
whereRelatedArticle
Despite the scale of its ambitions, however, sources told 36Kr that among the five chip categories announced, only the general <a href="/industry/robotics">robotics</a> chip has so far entered the tapeout and mass production stage.
Another person familiar with the matter told 36Kr that Fu, the head of NXMind, does not have a prior background in the semiconductor sector, and Dreame's chip team currently numbers only a few hundred people.
Chipmaking is a capital-intensive and highly competitive business. NXMind is targeting several areas simultaneously, including robotics SoCs, smartphone processors, autonomous driving chips, and space-based computing infrastructure, in an attempt to provide foundational computing power across industries such as robotics, smartphones, automotive, and aerospace.
At the same time, these efforts are intended to support Dreame's broader product ecosystem.
One advantage for Dreame lies in its downstream presence. Its established robotics hardware products and ecosystem provide an existing market for some of these chips, while its core business continues to generate relatively stable cash flow.
Even so, overtaking global incumbents across five vastly different semiconductor segments at the same time remains an uphill challenge for most companies to achieve alone.
KrASIA features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3719316885304961">article</a> was written by Qiu Xiaofen for 36Kr.

Dreame unveils Chixiao 01 smartphone processor among five new chip initiatives

Dreame

Semiconductors

StairMed, a brain-computer interface (BCI) developer, has secured RMB 500 million (USD 72.7 million) in a funding round led by <a href="/company/alibaba">Alibaba Group</a>, with participation from SDIC Unity Capital. Existing investors including <a href="/company/tencent">Tencent</a>, FountainBridge Capital, OrbiMed, Oriza Seed, Qiming Venture Partners, Lilly Asia Ventures, Source Code Capital, and SSCI Leading Fund also joined the round. Springhill Fund served as financial adviser.
With this deal, StairMed has raised a total of RMB 1.1 billion (USD 159.9 million) over the past year.
Last December, the company unveiled its second-generation high-throughput wireless invasive BCI system, WRS02, which increases electrode channels to 256. Beyond restoring motor control, the system is also designed to explore language reconstruction as a potential future application.
By early this year, using a self-developed surgical robot, StairMed completed clinical implantation of its 256-channel BCI system and validated brain-controlled interaction functions. The company plans to begin multicenter registration clinical trials later in 2026, aiming to enroll and implant approximately 40 patients within the year.
The year 2026 could mark an important stage for BCI development. While technical systems are approaching real-world deployment, policy developments are also providing momentum. Last year, China’s National Healthcare Security Administration released guidance aimed at establishing pricing frameworks for neurological medical services. The guidance includes BCI-related procedures as independently billable medical services, signaling institutional support for integrating BCI technologies into mainstream healthcare.
In a previous interview, Zhao Zhengtuo, co-founder of StairMed, said the clinical value of BCI-based therapies could be verified within the next three to five years, particularly in improving patients’ quality of life and ability to work.
“In five to ten years, [BCIs] will begin to show potential in consumer health,” Zhao said. “Because BCIs enable direct communication between humans and machines, they could redefine human-computer interaction and dramatically enhance efficiency.”
For BCI platforms, however, technological limits extend beyond hardware. Ultra flexible neural electrodes, integrated system design, and clinical validation are all important, but the depth of neuroscience research and understanding of the brain ultimately determines how far these systems can advance.
whereRelatedArticle
In that process, data may become a decisive factor.
“The company that accumulates the largest and richest brain datasets will be best positioned to define the next wave of applications and technologies,” Zhao said. Once large volumes of data are collected from a single brain region performing specific tasks, researchers could train what he described as a “foundation model” for brain data, similar to how large <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a> models are trained today.
Such a model could then be applied to new patients, potentially improving the initial decoding performance and brain control capabilities of their BCI systems.
The participation of technology companies such as Alibaba could accelerate that effort. Capabilities in multimodal large models, computing infrastructure, intelligent hardware, and ecosystem development could eventually combine with StairMed’s hardware and clinical translation experience, potentially supporting the development of next-generation BCI systems and related applications.
From the beginning, StairMed envisioned BCI technology eventually reaching consumer-grade applications. The company chose to start in healthcare because it provides both a necessary regulatory pathway and an area with urgent real-world demand, offering a practical environment for refining the technology.
“Our hope is not just to restore motor or sensory function, but also to push the boundaries of human control,” said Li Xue, another co-founder of StairMed. “In the past, we controlled limbs with our brains. In the future, we might control external devices via BCIs, potentially surpassing normal human limits.”
Early results already suggest that possibility. Paralyzed patients implanted with BCI devices have reportedly shown advantages in specific tasks, such as cursor control speed, after training.
Looking ahead, the convergence of BCIs, AI, and advanced hardware could allow people to control intelligent agents and external devices with complex intent through thought alone.
In StairMed’s long-term vision, the brain could connect with multiple external systems through BCIs, bringing the concept of human–machine integration closer to practical use.
KrASIA features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3720572708665989">article</a> was written by Hai Ruojing for 36Kr.
Note: RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.88 = USD 1 based on estimates as of March 13, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

Alibaba leads RMB 500 million investment in BCI startup StairMed

Biotechnology

Health Tech