Businessman Zhang Xu has embarked on a new entrepreneurial journey by founding DeepSleep at the Grand Union of Innovation (GUi), an innovation hub in Hefei in East China's Anhui province.
Zhang Xu, founder of DeepSleep.
Zhang is a seasoned veteran with eight years' experience of working at iFlytek, a voice technology company in China that provides solutions in the realm of artificial intelligence-powered communication.
With a robust background in smart hardware, AI algorithm implementation, and product line operation and management, Zhang said he aims to address the pressing issue of sleep disorders affecting over 300 million people in China.
Driven by personal and familial experiences with sleep disturbances, Zhang has long envisioned drawing on AI technology to revolutionize sleep health. DeepSleep's mission is clear: to develop a standardized, non-invasive AI sleep health system that offers personalized solutions for every individual.
Like many talents in the technological field who pursue dreams of entrepreneurship, Zhang chose Hefei for his company's headquarters this year. Supported by the GUi's operation team, DeepSleep benefits from crucial resources like office space and financial consultancy, vital for a startup's growth.
"Although we haven't developed our product yet, the GUi has already reserved a booth for us in the exhibition hall on the first floor of the office building," Zhang said, adding all these seemingly trivial forms of support are critically needed by a startup.
With a hardware R&D center in Shenzhen in South China's Guangdong province, Zhang maintains a dual-city work rhythm. His extensive experience in Beijing and Shanghai's tech industries has prepared him well for this dynamic lifestyle.
For Zhang, building a tech innovation company from scratch means overcoming various challenges in the research and development and operational processes, and then transforming technology into industrial applications.
Although the entrepreneurial journey is accompanied by pressures related to R&D and operations, Zhang said achieving milestones such as securing funding and attracting core talent aligned with the company's vision have brought him greater confidence in future development.
Zhang's journey reflects a commitment to proactively chase industry engagement over passive dependence on established tech giants, as the launch of DeepSleep aligns with his long-term values.
As the 2026 Global Tech Talents Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, organized by the GUi, is now open for registration, more entrepreneurs like Zhang are encouraged to cultivate their dreams in this fertile ground, paving the way for future innovations.
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