Inside Li Zexiang's InnoX Academy: seed rounds paid in workers and factory space
DominiqueCAPaul · x · 2026-10-23
The author visited Shenzhen InnoX Academy, the hardware incubator founded by Li Zexiang — often called the godfather of robotics in China, whose student Frank Wang started DJI out of his HKUST lab with Li's early backing.
- Beyond equipment: most incubators offer 3D printers and CNC machines; InnoX also has stress-testing rigs for corrosion, drop tests and sustained use, so you learn how your product fails before shipping
- Filling the hardest gap: prototype-to-first-batch is where hardware startups lose speed; InnoX has manufacturing staff on site who build your first larger batch and help write SOPs for efficient scale production
- In-kind investment: some manufacturers in its network invest by putting up capital and people — a seed round can include 35 workers and factory space to produce your first 100k units
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