Chatbots, fuel cells in startup competition
Print Edition
CHATBOTS that can perceive our emotions, fuel cells that make electric-car charging easier and phone applications that allow us to see photo stories based on favorite online novels all sit at the vanguard of new technologies in Shanghai.
The brightest creative minds are presenting their projects in the 2017 Startup competition organized by the Shanghai Technology Innovation Center.
About 515 startup teams reached the finals last week, which were held in four local “incubators” — including Xinze Incubator and Co-Way@Vanke Cloud Park. About 1,810 of the projects are expected to share in 380 million yuan (US$55 million).
The top 250 projects in Shanghai will go on to compete in the 6th China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition.
“I hope more industry leaders in multinationals, domestic companies and scientific institutes will come out and set up their own startups,” said judge Chen Min.
Meet some of the finalists:
Chatbot
When you ask your mobile phone to find “a love song that can make me cry like a baby,” the phone’s chatbot not only finds you a song to suit your mood but also consoles you with the words “don’t be too sad.”
Chatbots, also known as “chatterbots” and “artificial conversational entities,” are computer programs that talk to us. They are commonly used in online customer services, phone apps, computer help services and now also appear in service robots and smart home devices like televisions. The term was coined by its inventor, Michael Mauldin, in 1994.
Kenny Chien, a former Microsoft engineer, founded Shanghai-based Emotibot Technology in 2015 with the aim of making chatbots understand and resonate with humans.
That has been achieved by the company’s algorithms, which integrate artificial intelligence in language processing, deep learning and affective computing. “I really wanted to see the application as depicted in the movie “Her” before my retirement,” said Chien, “so I decided to set up my own company. I want to make it happen in every ordinary home.”
He said the company has experienced rapid growth, particularly this year, and he expects sales in the tens of millions of yuan.
Emotibot’s products are deployed by companies wanting to humanize online customer services in areas such as banking, insurance, e-commerce and telecommunications.
For example, chatbots can save e-commerce companies labor costs, particularly around massive online shopping festivals like Singles’ Day in November. If customers are angry or have a complaint, chatbots can first calm them down, then transfer them to human staff.
Fuel cells
CNFC Energy, set up last October, is focused on infrastructure involving fuel cells.
The company’s products transform existing gas stations into electricity-charging stations to meet the demand of an increasing number of electric cars on the roads.
“Many electric car owners won’t take their cars for long-distance rides because they fear they will run out of electricity on the road and be unable to find a charging site,” said Qin Jiangyang, company chief executive. “If we can take advantage of the existing network of gas stations, charging won’t be such a problem.” He said the company’s fuel cell ionizes gasoline, diesel or natural gas without producing pollutants.
Before launching his startup, Qin worked for decades in the energy industry for companies like China National Petroleum Corp. His company bought the core fuel cell technology from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and its developer, Tu Hengyong, an associate professor at the university, was hired as chief scientist for the startup.
Photo stories
Bai Xiaodong is chief executive of a startup called Shanghai Chuying Culture Co. The company promotes photo stories adapted from online literature.
“We entered this contest not so much seeking investment as to raise our public profile,” said Bai. His company is tapping into the boom of China online literature, which draws legions of fans and often results in adaptations into TV series, movies or mobile games.
“Adaptation takes time and money, and most online literature doesn’t have those luxuries,” Bai said. “We retell the stories in photos, like comics. It is cheaper, faster and popular with readers.”
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