19-Year-Old Wei Siyuan Balances School and Running Two Companies

Meet Wei Siyuan: The 19-Year-Old 'CEO in a School Uniform' Who Built Two Companies and Donated 100,000 Yuan to Sanitation Workers

At an age when most teenagers are preoccupied with exams and university applications, 19-year-old Wei Siyuan from Shenzhen, China, was juggling schoolwork with running a technology company. Wearing his school uniform by day and negotiating with suppliers or testing drone prototypes by night, Wei earned the nickname "CEO in a school uniform" for his extraordinary dual life.

Wei's journey began in humble surroundings. Born to working-class parents, his fascination with technology developed early, inspired by visits to his mother's workplace, where he observed manufacturing machinery and tools. His childhood was spent dismantling and assembling items, a hobby that laid the foundation for his later pursuits. A pivotal moment came during his primary school years when a teacher introduced him to robotics. This interest deepened over time, eventually leading him to participate in robotics competitions during junior secondary school.

One of Wei's most significant early achievements was securing second place in RoboMaster, a prestigious student robotics competition in China. This success convinced him and his teammates that their technical skills could extend beyond school projects. While still a teenager, Wei quietly registered his first company, focusing on unmanned aerial vehicles and AI-powered technology products. Despite his parents' concerns about the risks of entrepreneurship, Wei pressed on, designing and assembling prototypes with his team before outsourcing manufacturing.

To fund his fledgling business, Wei worked part-time jobs, waiting tables at a hotpot restaurant and delivering food orders. These earnings helped cover essential expenses like rent and electricity, allowing the company to survive its early days without external funding. Balancing these jobs with school and business responsibilities often meant long, exhausting days.

The company’s first breakthrough came with the launch of a consumer drone that combined modern technology with traditional Chinese design elements. Wei's mother, who worked in foreign trade, later assisted in expanding the business to international markets, including Europe and Australia. Their first major revenue milestone was earning 50,000 yuan, which Wei reinvested into the company to pay employees and fund further development. By the time he graduated from secondary school, his team had grown to 11 members, some significantly older than him.

As his business flourished, Wei turned his attention to giving back to his community. Noticing the lack of proper facilities for sanitation workers at his former school, he donated 100,000 yuan to create a rest area where they could take breaks comfortably and heat their food.

Wei's entrepreneurial journey didn’t stop with drones. He recently launched a second company, introducing an AI-powered system for skiing enthusiasts. The technology analyses a skier's movements and provides coaching feedback. This product initially gained traction overseas, selling thousands of units before efforts shifted towards the Chinese market.

Among the entrepreneurs Wei admires most is Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi. In a bid to meet him, Wei once waited outside a Xiaomi automobile research centre in the rain, though the encounter never materialised. Despite this, Wei remains hopeful about meeting his role model someday.

Wei Siyuan's story is a testament to perseverance, innovation, and a commitment to making a difference—qualities that have propelled him from a curious child in Shenzhen to a teenage entrepreneur with two companies and a growing legacy.