Li Zekai is included in the 'Perspective' section not because he founded a unicorn, but because as a scholar and mentor, he built the infrastructure for China's hard-tech entrepreneurship behind the scenes. While many chase trends, he chose to delve into foundational fields like motion control and robotics for decades; while capital seeks short-term returns, he insists on long-term incubation, accompanying companies through their most difficult stages. His vision is reflected in his deep understanding of industry laws and long-term investment in talent cultivation. He not only made DJI a success but also shaped a sustainable hard-tech ecosystem through the Songshan Lake base and XbotPark. This strategic vision of not seeking personal glory but paving the way for others is precisely the spirit of the times that the Perspective section aims to record.

Li Zekai pursued advanced studies at a top overseas university, focusing on automation, motion control, and robotics, which established his direction of rooting in foundational technology. In 1999, he joined HKUST as a professor and co-founded Googol Technology, starting from motion control technology and entering the underlying layer of high-end manufacturing. ^[1] [2] Googol Technology focuses on motion control core components, providing basic support for intelligent manufacturing, reflecting Li's long-term commitment to foundational technology. In 2006, he met Frank Wang and his startup team; when few saw potential in consumer drones, he recognized their technical idealism and practical spirit, providing decisive support in direction, technology, and resources, accompanying DJI through its most difficult early stage. ^[3] DJI later became a global benchmark in the drone industry, earning Li the title 'Godfather of DJI'. In 2014, he led the creation of the Songshan Lake International Robotics Industry Base, establishing a complete incubation system for hard-tech startups, integrating R&D, supply chain, market, and talent development. ^[4] In 2023, Googol Technology successfully listed, becoming a landmark enterprise in China's high-end manufacturing underlying technology. ^[5] By early 2026, his ecosystem had incubated over 270 hard-tech companies, with many niche champions and unicorns emerging from his system. ^[6]

Li Zekai's business philosophy centers on 'doing what is difficult yet right'. He rejects short-sightedness and chooses to embed himself in hardcore domains, cultivating the longest-cycle, most difficult, and most consequential work. While others chase rapid expansion and short-term returns, he focuses on foundational technology R&D and talent cultivation. He often says: 'The greatest achievement of my life is cultivating a generation of young people who can change the world.' ^[3] He steps out of the ivory tower into the industrial battlefield, connecting knowledge with practice, guiding direction with vision. In supporting DJI, he used his deep industry knowledge to help the team avoid pitfalls, maintained core technology with a global vision, and navigated market cycles with calm determination. ^[3] At the Songshan Lake base, he moved beyond traditional incubator models, truly following industry laws, filling gaps for early teams, linking resources, and stabilizing direction. ^[4] He founded the XbotPark (Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing College) to redefine engineering talent cultivation, emphasizing practical ability, engineering thinking, and innovative spirit, encouraging students to create, experiment, and persist. ^[7] He believes China's hard-tech sector lacks not capital but doers who can settle down, tackle tough problems, and dedicate time and energy to foundational technology. ^[7]

Li Zekai's influence lies not in wealth rankings but in the growth of countless enterprises; not in the spotlight but in the maturity of the industrial ecosystem. He stays behind the scenes yet lifts up the brilliance of many. He has cultivated a generation of young people who can change the world, including DJI founder Frank Wang. ^[3] The Songshan Lake base he built has become a crucial cradle for China's hard-tech entrepreneurship, incubating over 270 companies in robotics, smart hardware, and high-end manufacturing. ^[6] His engineering education philosophy continuously supplies the industry with young talents who are innovative, practical, and industry-savvy. ^[7] The 2023 listing of Googol Technology marked capital market recognition of his long-term investment in foundational technology. ^[5] Media describe him as a 'silent yet crucial bridge-builder' in China's hard-tech landscape, whose vision lies in doing what is difficult yet right, walking a long and valuable path. ^[8] His model is widely studied as a paradigm of industry-academia collaboration. He maintains a scholar's restraint and a strategist's clarity. In an era of speed and hype, he shows us that true influence lies in steady and determined steps; true greatness stems from paving long-term paths for successors. ^[8]

Li Zekai leaves a business proposition: how to transform academic research into industrial value, and how to cultivate young people who can change the world through education. His lifelong dedication proves that true vision lies in doing what is difficult yet right, walking a long and valuable path. His model—from laboratory to industrial base, from mentor to ecosystem builder—provides a replicable path for China's hard-tech sector. In an era of speed and hype, his calmness and determination remind us that true influence lies in paving long-term paths for successors. His archival value lies not only in his contribution to DJI but also in his construction of an industrial forest that can continuously nurture excellent enterprises.