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At 2:30 p.m., in the “AI + Digital Audio-Visual” OPC community of the new district, Zhang Huikang had just finished a midday live broadcast. A year ago, he was a cross-disciplinary engineer at the Digital Medical Research Institute of Nanjing Medical University and the Orthopedics Department of Nanjing First Hospital; now, he is the founder of a startup company specializing in scientific research and technical services, and he operates a self-media account with over 60,000 followers.
Zhang Huikang’s “transformation” is not an isolated case. Since this year, the “OPC” (One Person Company) trend has been surging, with various regions actively establishing their own layouts. In Jiangbei, more than 10 distinctive OPC communities have been launched one after another, and a group of so-called “super individuals” have flocked in.
Among them, some have returned from Silicon Valley and developed AI-based sports health apps and launched them in North America; others have transformed from traditional software development and used AI to expand new application scenarios… Many wonderful entrepreneurial stories are truly taking root in Jiangbei.
PART 01
“AI is a lever”
For Zhang Huikang, starting an OPC business was not a sudden decision.
He has a background in mechanical design and has worked in a hospital for nearly a decade. He is proficient in 3D printing medical devices and enjoys exploring new technologies. At the end of 2022, just one week after the release of ChatGPT, he began to use this tool to assist his work and continuously optimized it, discovering more possibilities of AI. Subsequently, he started sharing his methods on social media and discussed with everyone how to maximize the use of AI tools to assist work.
In just two years, Zhang Huikang’s account had amassed over 60,000 followers, and many people even sent him private messages asking for “guidance”. In April this year, Zhang Huikang, whose account had become increasingly stable, established Nanjing Shuyanxue Technology Co., Ltd. and chose to set up shop in the new district. With rent-free office space that can be moved into directly, he set up a live streaming room here, and several new employees also joined him.
“AI is a lever that can infinitely amplify individual capabilities.” Zhang Huikang expressed his thoughts. “When I was involved in 3D printing before, I was one of the first engineers to apply this technology in the field of real medicine. Now, starting a business with AI is also riding on the crest of a new trend.”
Recently, he has been attempting to use the accumulated teaching videos as a corpus to train a vertical model for automatic answering questions; he is also writing a book about the use of AI tools, and is expected to submit the manuscript to the publishing house in the second half of the year… All of these were things he never thought of in the past.
PART 02
“The fulcrum is the actual market demand.”
Zhang Yu, who is 25 years old this year, has already embarked on his third business venture.
He has founded an e-sports brand and also made blockchain investments in Silicon Valley. Abroad, he witnessed many small teams with only a few members using AI to quickly turn their ideas into reality. Now, he has returned to his hometown Jiangbei and has become one of the members of OPC’s startup team.
Zhang Yu is currently working on a product called “DailyList”, which is an exercise and health APP. Like all OPC entrepreneurs, their product development cannot be done without the assistance of AI. The team consists of six members, with an average age of around 20. Although there is only one technical leader, with the help of AI tools, they quickly developed algorithms and models, completing more than half of the APP development work.
While technology significantly boosts efficiency, the other members focus more on researching demands and refining the product itself. They spend more time thinking – where is the market for the product?
“Under the AI wave, skills are no longer a must-have. What matters are thinking ability and a global perspective.” In Zhang Yu’s view, if AI is a lever, then the fulcrum for OPC’s entrepreneurship is the actual market demand. Only by identifying the right direction and leveraging one’s advantages can things be “accomplished”.
For instance, the target audience of DailyList is mainly overseas. The design has shifted from the traditional “self-discipline tool” to a more popular “adaptive health management tool” in the future. The product is expected to be launched in North America in mid-June. Currently, some listed companies have actively contacted for cooperation in developing smart hardware.
PART 03
“Starting a business requires a favorable environment.”
Zhang Zengpu’s story of OPC is also a courageous move that emerged after the passage of time and the accumulation of experience.
In the early days, Zhang Zengpu was involved in the development of domestic operating systems, and later worked on an online teaching system. “The product was successful, but there was no commercial loop,” he candidly reflected. “When the demand disappeared, the project also came to a halt.”
But he didn’t stop. After the AI boom at the end of 2022, the technologist immediately recognized with keen insight that this was “a major trend that must be involved in”. He founded Nanjing Fanzhi Technology Co., Ltd., and the core product is a knowledge management and compliance review platform for enterprises – the “ShenZhi” intelligent agent.
This intelligent agent can handle two typical scenarios: Firstly, it can help enterprises integrate scattered documents, cases and achievements across various regions and departments. Employees can quickly find the required information by asking questions. Secondly, it can conduct contract compliance reviews, automatically analyzing invalid items and missing items and providing suggestions.
In March this year, he learned about the vigorous construction of OPC community in Nanjing Jiangbei New District through the WeChat official account of the district. So he took the initiative to contact and settle in. “Starting a business requires a good atmosphere. Here, the environment is clean and bright. There is a running track downstairs. I can go for a walk for a while around 4 or 5 p.m., and it’s very comfortable,” Zhang Zengpu said. The park will also display the business of each enterprise on the large screen. If there is a cooperation need, you can directly get in touch.
Three stories, each with its own highlights, allow us to see the most genuine “ensemble” of the OPCE entrepreneurs in the north. Their common trait is “courage”: seizing opportunities, with a light-footed approach, and getting moving first.
OPC entrepreneurship is defined as “a one-person company”, but it is not just about “one person”. The steps have already been taken, but how far it can go ultimately depends on a driving force.
During the interview, several young people unanimously mentioned the assistance provided by the community. Zhang Huikang was attracted by the “zero-cost start-up” here – the venue was free of charge, water, electricity and network were all covered, and work could begin quickly. Zhang Yu’s worries outside of business were all taken care of by the “big manager”, who handled all the company registration, tax affairs, and accounting procedures in one go. The veteran entrepreneur Zhang Zengpu made new friends in the community, attended salons, sought resources, and had ideas collide, and new collaborations followed…
Indeed, the OPC community has lowered the threshold for “forming a company”, but has never lowered the threshold for “creating value”. Free space, bookkeeping services, computing power vouchers – these are the “light burdens” that cities impose on entrepreneurs. But the real “burdens” lie in understanding users, refining products, and exploring business models. These still fall on the shoulders of every “super individual”.
During this process, Jiangbei has always been a “talent scout”, enabling the brave ones to go further. As more “super individuals” come here with passion, thinking and perseverance, more stories will be written on the banks of the Yangtze River.
