Yue Cao
曹越
Yue Cao is a Chinese AI researcher turned entrepreneur, currently the founder of Sand.ai (三代科技), a video-generation startup that closed a roughly $50 million funding round in early 2026 . His path traces the recent arc of large-model development in China: after working in the visual computing group at Microsoft Research Asia alongside figures like Sun Jian, He Kaiming, and Ren Shaoqing , he joined the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence (BAAI) in 2022 as one of its earliest large-model-focused researchers . In 2023 he became a co-founder of Lightyears Away (光年之外), Wang Huiwen's high-profile AI venture , before leaving to start Sand.ai in 2024 . His research credentials include co-authoring Swin Transformer, which won the 2021 ICCV Best Paper Award (Marr Prize) . In 2025 interviews with 暗涌Waves and 源码资本, he described Sand.ai's strategy as deliberately "farther from Sora, closer to the endgame" — pursuing a product-plus-model dual track rather than pure research replication .
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Coverage
MaHui | Sand.ai Raises Over $100M Across Two Rounds, Existing Investor Source Code Capital Continues to Increase Stake
Source Code Capital led the seed round of Sand.ai in 2024 and was one of the company's earliest institutional investors.
Code Moment | Sand.ai Closes New ~$50 Million Funding Round, Doubling Down on Product + Model Dual-Track Strategy
Audio-driven video, dual-engine monetization reaching eight-figure ARR.
MaHui Entrepreneur | Sand.ai's Yue Cao: A Decade from Researcher to Entrepreneur Traces the Evolution of Large Models
"After starting my own business, suddenly everything just clicked."
MaHui Spotlight | Over a Dozen MaHui Members Showcase AI Hardware Strength at WAIC
Unitree, Li Auto, Moonshot AI, Galaxy Universal, Mech-Mind, Keenon Robotics, Lynksoul, Biren Technology, and more than ten other MaHui member companies appeared at WAIC
"After Putting Down the Hammer Looking for Nails, We Made Our First Million Dollars" | A Conversation with Mootion Co-Founder Tong Chao on Product-Making, the AI Video Startup Landscape, and Going Global
Stop looking at the hammer and look at the nail.
MaKe | Dark Current Dialogue with MaHui Member Yue Cao of Sand.ai: Farther from Sora, Closer to the Endgame
A Conversation with Cao Yue of Sand.ai: Farther from Sora, Closer to the Endgame
An adventure that tried to break free from inertia.
The times have changed: VCs used to fight over talent, now VCs fight over…?
The World Hasn't Changed: In the End, It's Still a Scramble
Exclusive | Kathy Xu says she hasn't exited primary markets, and just invested in an AI company
The facts may not matter; what matters is the signal.
Source Code Capital Teams Up with Top Universities and AI Leaders for Gen-AI Future Discussion
You can connect with frontline founders, leading researchers, and Source Code Capital investors to exchange industry insights, explore career opportunities, and brainstorm startup ideas.
