Miracle Plus Spring Roadshow 2024: a glimpse into China's startup ecosystem

June 13, 2024
admin

Often referred to as the Chinese equivalent of Y Combinator, Miracle Plus was founded by Dr. Qi Lu, a former Senior Vice President of Microsoft. This prominent startup accelerator was formerly the Chinese division of Y Combinator, but became independent and renamed themselves as Miracle Plus. It hosts two roadshows annually, once in the spring and another in the fall. The event we attended was held in Beijing, Zhongguancun, on 6 June 2024.

While Miracle Plus primarily focuses on the IT sector, it’s always fascinating to see the innovations from young, intelligent founders. Typically, the startup founders are in their mid to late 20s, hold degrees from top universities, and have a few years of experience at prestigious companies.

The spring roadshow was abuzz with discussions about Artificial Intelligence. Buzzwords like “embodied intelligence,” “computing power,” and “robotics” dominated the event. A striking feature of the roadshow was a wall showcasing various robot-focused companies, highlighting the sector’s growth and potential.

AI applications were a major highlight, with many companies emphasizing their ability to enhance efficiency by a factor of 10. This “10X efficiency” mantra was frequently heard, particularly from AI coding companies involved in areas such as autonomous driving software and large language model (LLM) testing. The consensus is clear: AI is set to significantly accelerate software-related iterations, making processes up to ten times faster.

Despite Miracle Plus’s IT-centric focus, several companies caught our interest. Notable mentions include an AI-driven material design platform, a nuclear fusion project, an AI-empowered strain breeding and screening firm, and a drug design engine. These innovative companies represent promising opportunities, and we may follow up with them in the near future.

The Miracle Plus Spring Road Show once again underscored the dynamic and rapidly evolving nature of China’s startup ecosystem. With AI at the forefront, the event showcased the remarkable potential of young entrepreneurs to drive significant advancements across various industries.