We're Looking for Those Who Stand Against the Wind | 2026 "36Under36" Nominations Now Open

"The wind is here. The road lies ahead." Produced by 36Kr Venture Capital Research Institute

By Jing Luo, Meng Du

How to describe the venture capital industry in 2026?

Looking back at the past year, "Dark Currents / Waves" has tried to find the most fitting characterization: when AI rebuilds the industrial foundation, when hard tech becomes the baseline, when globalization and local innovation intertwine — we have fully embraced the new narrative, the new generation of the primary market.

From Red Xiao's hackathon in 2016 to Butterfly Effect in 2026, we know there are always those standing at the front lines of entrepreneurship; as scientists step out of laboratories toward mass production, we firmly believe there are always those carving out new paths.

These people share one thing in common: they are not shaped by trends, they stand firm in turbulent currents, and they define their own form through continuous creation. Youth is what unites them. Each has proven through action that true value never lies atop the winds of hype, but in the soil of long-term commitment.

Distilling this year's venture capital circle: The wind is here. The road lies ahead.

In 2026, young people are thrust to the forefront. Post-95 and post-00 founders are emerging, and teen "geeks" are capturing prizes at major hackathons. They speak for themselves: "This is the young people's stage, this is the young people's era." We cannot predict the full landscape and figures of the primary market's future, but documenting the samples of an era, documenting this group — that always matters.

"36Under36" has run for nine years. At the threshold of 36, we know age is merely a boundary.

Thirty-six is the golden age where accumulation and edge coexist. With substance beneath you, the fire not yet lost; having seen the ups and downs, still resolute. This is not a mark trapped by age, but the confidence to set out again. Who can predict the storms ahead? The sharpness of youth deserves to be written, and the arena loves to hear some passionate stories. In past lists, we have seen this power again and again:

In 2023, we witnessed the infinite possibilities of youth in "You're Only 36, You Can Become Anyone You Want to Be"; in 2024, we re-anchored the meaning of innovation in "Two Roads Diverged, But You Cannot Travel Both"...

And this year, we seek those who stand facing the wind.

In 1959, at age 36, Jin Yong faced a triple intersection — the arduous founding of Ming Pao, the arrival of middle age, and an era of turmoil. In the afterword to The Return of the Condor Heroes, he wrote a stark self-reflection: "The encounters and transformations of worldly affairs ultimately always come down to each person's inherent character."

The venture capital arena's storms never cease, and trends come and go without pattern. We seek those who withstand the winds with their temperament, who establish themselves through steadiness. Under36s standing at the center of the world — may we stand facing the wind, and may we stay forever young.

The 2026 "36Under36" application channel is now officially open! ⬇️

Image source | Unsplash

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