Rongbao · September | Groundbreaking New Product Launches in Large-Memory Software, Robotics, Nanopore Gene Sequencing, and More

About Rong Bao: Published monthly, Rong Bao rounds up noteworthy news and insights from Gaorong Ventures and its portfolio companies.

Each issue shares just ten items — including key funding updates and milestones, but also new trends, innovations, and perspectives we find compelling.

In the spirit of Gaorong's vision to "create" a better life through innovation, we believe every step forward opens up infinite possibilities.

New E-Commerce · Pinduoduo Announces New Round of 100,000 New Farmer Training Initiative

During the 2020 Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival, Pinduoduo announced a new round of its 100,000 new farmer training initiative. As new farmers become an increasingly vital force in moving Chinese agricultural products online, the platform will continue refining its talent recruitment and local cultivation mechanisms to strengthen rural human capital and support China's agricultural development.

The initiative will focus on supporting a new generation of farmers — better educated, internet-savvy, passionate about agriculture, technically skilled, and business-minded — introducing them to agricultural production regions nationwide and driving rural development through large-scale online sales of farm products.

As of end-June 2020, Pinduoduo's dual system of "model innovation + talent cultivation" for agricultural e-commerce had already helped over 100,000 new farmers return to their hometowns to start businesses.

Additionally, Pinduoduo will continue developing new e-commerce operators through online platforms like "Duoduo Orchard" and offline initiatives like "Duoduo Farm Park," helping more agricultural producers transition to agricultural merchants.

Since the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Media Group, and the All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives jointly launched the "Golden Autumn Consumption Season" on September 7, Pinduoduo has distributed 500 million yuan in harvest festival consumer coupons and launched the "Duoduo Harvest Pavilion" to stimulate domestic agricultural consumption and help farmers achieve both bountiful harvests and strong sales. From the pavilion's opening on September 7 through September 21, total transaction volume of harvest festival-labeled agricultural and sideline products across Pinduoduo's platform exceeded 2.1 billion yuan.

Big Memory · MemVerge Officially Launches Big Memory Software, Transforming In-Memory Computing Architecture

On September 24, MemVerge, inventor of big memory software, officially launched Memory Machine™ software. The powerful combination of Memory Machine™ and Intel Optane persistent memory fundamentally transforms in-memory computing infrastructure.

As the industry's first software-defined memory pool combining DRAM and persistent memory, Memory Machine™ deploys simply and maintains full application compatibility. The MemVerge team was first to push persistent memory performance boundaries, delivering DRAM-like speed and making the previously impossible a reality. At the same time, MemVerge provides enterprise-grade in-memory data services, transforming decades-old, fragile DRAM memory layers into new, highly available memory tiers. Enterprises worldwide have begun deploying Memory Machine™ to harness the power of big memory.

Beyond the standard edition, MemVerge also released an upgraded version offering the industry's first enterprise-grade data services, enabling persistent, compatible access to highly available memory. Memory Machine™'s patented ZeroIO™ memory snapshot technology eliminates IO to storage, allowing multiple terabytes of data to be snapshotted and recovered from PMEM in seconds.

Smart Wearables · NYSE: ZEPP Unveils Multiple Smartwatches, Launching in Walmart North America Stores

On September 22, NYSE: ZEPP held its fall product launch, unveiling multiple new smartwatches and earbuds.

According to company data — global shipments of Xiaomi bands reached 13.4 million units in the first half of the year, ranking first worldwide; Amazfit smartwatch shipments reached 1.74 million units, ranking fifth globally.

The launch featured the Amazfit GTR 2, Amazfit GTS 2, Amazfit X curved watch, and the Amazfit ZenBuds sleep earbuds.

NYSE: ZEPP also announced a partnership with Walmart, with its Amazfit-branded smartwatches hitting shelves at 2,870 Walmart stores across North America starting in September. In the first half of this year, the company's overseas performance was particularly strong, with international shipments accounting for over half of total volume.

Satellite Internet · GalaxySpace Super Factory Breaks Ground, Advancing China's Satellite Internet Build-Out

On September 28, GalaxySpace announced it would invest in building a satellite internet industry demonstration project in Nantong Economic and Technological Development Area, focused on creating a next-generation satellite R&D and intelligent manufacturing base. The GalaxySpace satellite intelligent super factory is targeting annual production capacity of 300–500 satellites.

GalaxySpace has already developed independent capabilities in payload and complete satellite design, becoming the first domestic company to build full industrial chain capabilities including Ka-band satellite terminals, China's first low-orbit Q/V-band gateway station, and ground operation and network control centers. The company has also constructed an integrated terrestrial-satellite 5G communications network experimental system.

GalaxySpace's independently developed inaugural satellite was not only China's first low-orbit broadband communications satellite with 24 Gbps capacity, but also the only broadband internet satellite produced by a Chinese private company. It was the first internationally to verify low-orbit Q/V/Ka-band communications and achieved China's first low-orbit satellite internet 5G communications test. The company's second satellite has completed payload development and entered final assembly.

On April 20 this year, the National Development and Reform Commission included "satellite internet" in new infrastructure for the first time. GalaxySpace founder, chairman, and CEO Xu Ming said the company will leverage its "aerospace + internet" advantages to work with upstream and downstream partners in building an entirely new satellite internet industrial ecosystem, jointly enhancing China's satellite internet industry competitiveness globally and advancing China's satellite internet construction.

Automation · Rubben Technology Closes Nearly $10 Million Series A, Launches Flagship RVT Intelligent Teach Pendant

In September, Rubben Technology, focused on robot motion planning and 3D vision products, announced completion of a nearly $10 million Series A round led by Gaorong Ventures. Gaorong had previously invested in Rubben's angel round in early 2018.

Founded in April 2018 by experts in robot control and motion planning, computer vision, and optics, Rubben Technology focuses deeply on motion planning and 3D vision. Positioned as a core component supplier, the company is dedicated to providing partners with high-quality hand-eye products and professional, rapid technical services, aiming to become the "intelligent hand-eye expert" for the automation industry.

To address the difficulty of using industrial robots, Rubben integrated its technical expertise in robot planning and control to launch the RVT Intelligent Teach Pendant (RVBUST Teach Pendant), revolutionizing robot programming and human-machine interaction. Replacing traditional point-by-point teaching, it redefines the robot teach pendant. The RVT makes robot operation more intuitive and simple, allowing beginners with zero foundation to master deployment and debugging of multiple mainstream robot brands within hours, dramatically lowering the barrier to industrial robot operation.

Gene Sequencing · Qitan Technology Releases China's First Domestic Fourth-Generation Gene Sequencer, Strengthening Market Position

On September 21, Qitan Technology released the QNome-9604, a fourth-generation nanopore single-molecule gene sequencer — China's first independently developed instrument of its kind, filling a domestic market gap.

Qitan Technology is dedicated to independent R&D and manufacturing of nanopore gene sequencers and supporting reagents. It is currently the only Chinese company to have developed working prototypes in this field and successfully obtained valid data. In May 2020, the company completed a Series A round of over 100 million yuan led by Gaorong Ventures.

The QNome-9604 is compact and portable. Launched alongside it were the QCell-3841 sequencing chip and Qeagen-8 sequencing kit. Together, the system achieves read lengths over 150k, with stable 500M output over 8 hours, suitable for microbial detection, amplicon sequencing, and other rapid, flexible applications. Its separable chip design significantly reduces per-use costs.

In practical application, the QNome-9604 offers several distinctive advantages: longer reads better suited for detecting genomic structural variation and metagenomic sequencing; real-time output enabling point-of-care testing and rapid diagnosis; direct detection of nucleic acids passing through nanopores, allowing detection of DNA methylation, RNA, and modifications; simple library preparation for end-to-end solutions; and a compact, portable instrument that liberates gene sequencing from specialized laboratories to grassroots and community settings, enabling on-site testing anytime, anywhere — with potential for consumer-grade applications.

Industrial Internet · Kunzhan Technology Creates Footwear Industry's First C2M Model, Driving Traditional Retail Transformation

On September 25, Kunzhan Technology and listed footwear company TTY Biopharm unveiled the footwear industry's first C2M (consumer-to-manufacturer) model.

Their "C2M + production line livestream" manufacturing approach aims to break traditional footwear companies' inventory accumulation constraints and solve the industry's chronic "high inventory" problem. With Kunzhan's technical support, brand livestreams can move directly onto smart production lines — consumers place orders after seeing shoe styles, and production begins immediately. Backend intelligent data systems enable small-batch, customized flexible manufacturing.

Kunzhan Technology founder and CEO Min Wanli noted this model innovation could trigger new transformation in traditional industrial retail. In early 2020, TTY Biopharm partnered with Kunzhan to launch the "Cloud Shoe Digital Warehouse" intelligent upgrade project, building a full-chain digital system integrating "design — production — warehousing — logistics — sales." Currently, this intelligent operating system's first-phase value creation focuses on production-sales coordinated smart manufacturing: smart factories equipped with intelligent production scheduling systems break from traditional production models, shifting to consumer demand-driven manufacturing. The intelligent scheduling system helps achieve production line balance, optimal use of production resources, and improved on-time delivery rates. From a business results perspective, simulations demonstrate that intelligent scheduling can improve rush order on-time delivery rates by 20% and shorten rush order production cycles by 21%.

Gaorong Perspectives · Decoding the Future Consumer Giant Battlefield: Transferable Trust Is What Makes a Brand

Recently, Gaorong Ventures partner Rui Han spoke at 36Kr's "2020 China Investor Future Summit," sharing his views on VC investment opportunities in China's consumer sector and the new consumer industry.

He noted that the underlying structural opportunity in Chinese consumer investment lies in generational transition — specifically, in the shifting weights and priorities of consumer decision factors as people enter new life stages.

Going forward, scenarios and functions will replace product categories as the primary labels for future-facing consumer companies. New-species companies will seize the opportunity to merge "product and service," "channel and brand" into unified offerings presented to consumers as complete products, while private-domain tools will become the most revolutionary infrastructure for consumer goods companies worldwide in two to three decades — providing channels while layering on services.

For potential paths to success for future consumer giants, Rui Han believes companies can: establish trust anchors through high-potential categories; naturally extend that trust along scenarios or functions; and build advisory mindsets through service layers to holistically address scenario and function needs, continuously capturing wallet share.

Recognition · Gaorong Ventures Wins Global PE Forum "2019–2020 China Top 20 VC Firms" and Other Honors

Recently, the "2020 Global PE Forum" was held in Beijing, announcing the 2019–2020 China PE/VC industry awards. Gaorong Ventures was named to the "2019–2020 China Top 20 Venture Capital Firms."

Additionally, Gaorong Ventures received honors including 21st Century Business Herald's "2019–2020 TMT Investment Competitiveness Top 20 VC Firms," ChinaVenture's "2019–2020 Best Venture Capital Firm," and "2019–2020 Most LP-Favored Investment Firm."

Rong Hui · Visiting Huawei to Discuss 5G + Cloud + AI Opportunities

On September 19–20, Huawei Cloud and Gaorong Ventures hosted a private session titled "Open Discussion on 5G+ Opportunities, Strategy and Organization." Nearly 30 CEOs and CTOs from Gaorong portfolio companies across frontier technology, industrial upgrading, consumer, and internet sectors visited Huawei for in-depth discussions with Huawei strategy, technology, and solutions experts on innovation opportunities from the convergence of 5G commercialization, cloud maturity, and AI implementation with various industries, while also studying Huawei's strategic planning and organizational management experience.

In the wave of digitalization and intelligent transformation, only when technology collides with industry can we truly discover how technology can transform industrial processes and convert technological dividends into industrial dividends. Gaorong Ventures looks forward to deeper exchanges with more industries and platform partners on future opportunities, helping industries and users achieve a better future.