Wei, now 19, is the CEO of a Chinese start-up developing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and artificial intelligence-powered equipment.

His first commercial drone went on sale in 2024 and was later exported to overseas markets, while a second venture selling an AI-powered ski training system has also found customers both internationally and in China, earning him the nickname "CEO in a school uniform" among online observers.

Chinese teenage entrepreneur Wei Siyuan. Photo from Weibo

Born to working-class parents, Wei developed an interest in technology at an early age. His mother occasionally brought him to the factory where she worked, exposing him to tools and machinery that sparked his curiosity. He also enjoyed building and assembling objects as a child.

A primary school robotics teacher further shaped his interests. Through those classes, he gained technical knowledge and began to see engineering and technology as his future career path.

At Baoan Middle School, Wei participated in RoboMaster, one of China's best-known student robotics competitions, throughout junior secondary school. Together with two friends, he finished second in their category.

The experience inspired the trio to launch a company focused on producing affordable consumer drones. While many classmates were concentrating on university entrance examinations, Wei secretly registered a business without informing his parents, who worried entrepreneurship would distract him from his studies. Lacking financial support, he took part-time jobs waiting tables at a hotpot restaurant and delivering food to cover the company's rent and utility bills.

The founders designed and assembled their drones themselves, outsourcing manufacturing only after completing prototypes. Their first product, a drone featuring a Chinese-style design, went on sale in October 2024. By then, Wei had gained his mother's support. A foreign trade specialist, she helped him establish online stores overseas and reach international customers.

The business soon generated its first major revenue of 50,000 yuan which was immediately used to pay employee salaries, Wei said. By the time he graduated from secondary school, the company had grown to 11 employees, including several workers in their 30s.

The teenager, who cited Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun as his role model, has since launched a second company and introduced an AI-powered product designed to analyze skiers' movements and provide coaching recommendations. The product initially sold thousands of units overseas and is now being promoted in China.

His start-up has also benefited from support programs in Shenzhen, one of China's leading technology hubs, where local authorities encourage young entrepreneurs to develop innovative products using the city's extensive electronics supply chain. In Shenzhen, where more than 150,000 start-ups founded by people under 35 were operating as of 2024, entrepreneurship among students is increasingly common.

The young entrepreneur recently drew attention after donating 100,000 yuan (US$15,000) to sanitation workers at his former secondary school in Shenzhen, southern China's Guangdong Province. Wei said he noticed that the workers lacked a comfortable place to rest and could only warm their meals by placing them in hot water. Now that his company became profitable, he decided to support them, he said.

Wei's story reflects a broader trend among a new generation of Chinese technology entrepreneurs. Unlike many internet founders of the previous decade, younger entrepreneurs are increasingly building companies focused on AI, robotics and advanced manufacturing, sectors that require strong engineering expertise, long development cycles and sophisticated industrial supply chains, according to CGTN.

Founders such as DeepSeek's Liang Wenfeng, Unitree Robotics' Wang Xingxing and AgiBot co-founder Peng Zhihui have become prominent figures in China's emerging technology landscape.

One online commenter from Shenzhen said students often start small businesses while still in junior secondary school and typically receive support from their parents. "A young and promising teenager," another online user praised Wei. "I am hopeful about the future of technology."