At an age when most students are occupied with examinations, university applications, and the ordinary anxieties of late adolescence, one teenager in southern China found himself leading a small technology company. He still wore his school uniform, attended classes, and prepared for higher education, yet outside school, he was negotiating with suppliers, testing drone prototypes, and trying to keep a fledgling business alive. The contrast drew attention and eventually earned him an unusual nickname: the "CEO in a school uniform". But behind the label lies a far less polished story, one that involved waiting tables, delivering takeaway meals, and making difficult choices long before success became visible.
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Journey of a 19-year-old CEO in a school uniform
The inventor, Wei Siyuan, was born in Shenzhen, which is associated with China's technological progress. His parents were from the working class, and the boy's early interest was not based on paying for various classes or using any special connections, but on observing his surroundings, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
Sometimes, Wei Siyuan used to visit his mother at work; he admired the machinery, tools, and devices related to manufacturing processes. Dismantling items, putting pieces together, and assembling his own products attracted his attention; he enjoyed doing all of these activities in his free time throughout childhood.
The next significant event of his life was associated with his primary education period, when the boy met a teacher who aroused interest in the field of robotics. This hobby evolved into an activity that occupied an increasing part of Wei Siyuan's time.
How Wei Siyuan used robotics competitions to shape his future
By the time Wei reached junior secondary school, he had already met classmates who shared similar interests. Together, they participated in robotics competitions, spending countless hours refining designs and solving engineering problems.
One of the most significant experiences was taking part in RoboMaster, China's well-known student robotics competition. The team performed strongly and secured second place in their category, an achievement that gave them confidence that their ideas could move beyond school projects.
For many students, competitions end with certificates and photographs. Wei and his friends looked at things differently. They started discussing whether they could turn their technical skills into a business. Wei quietly registered a company while he was still a teenager, without informing his parents beforehand. They worried that entrepreneurship would distract him from his education and create unnecessary risks at such an early stage in life. Still, he continued.
The company focused on unmanned aerial vehicles and AI-powered technology products. With limited financial resources, the founders designed and assembled prototypes themselves. Manufacturing was outsourced only after they had working versions of their products.
Wei Siyuan funded his start-up by waiting tables and delivering food
Wei's business survived its earliest months through part-time work. After becoming legally eligible to work, he took jobs wherever he could find them. He waited tables in a hotpot restaurant and delivered food orders around the city. The income covered rent, electricity bills and other expenses linked to the company.
Those jobs existed alongside his studies and the growing demands of running a business. Some days were spent attending classes and others involved long working hours before returning to technical projects late at night. Yet the arrangement allowed the company to continue operating during a period when external funding was scarce.
The first drone and a breakthrough in overseas markets
The company eventually introduced its first consumer drone, a product that combined modern technology with design elements inspired by traditional Chinese aesthetics. Around this period, Wei's mother, who worked in foreign trade, began helping the young founders expand beyond China. Overseas online stores were set up, opening access to customers in markets including Europe and Australia. Their first significant earnings reportedly amounted to around 50,000 yuan. Rather than spending the money on himself, Wei used the revenue to pay employees and continue developing the business.
By the time he completed secondary school, the company had expanded to a team of 11 people. Some employees were considerably older than the teenage founder, including staff members in their thirties.
Giving back to the people he noticed every day
As the business grew, Wei turned his attention to something far removed from drones and artificial intelligence. At his former school, he had often seen sanitation workers resting outdoors with few facilities available to them. Heating food was difficult, and there was little dedicated space where they could take breaks comfortably. After earning more from the company, he donated 100,000 yuan to help create a rest area for those workers.
A second company and an AI sports product
Wei has not stopped with drones. He recently launched another company and introduced an AI-powered system designed for skiing enthusiasts. The technology analyses a skier's movements and offers coaching feedback based on those actions.
The product first gained traction overseas, where thousands of units were reportedly sold before efforts shifted towards expanding within China. The project reflects a broader trend among young Chinese entrepreneurs who are experimenting with artificial intelligence in specialised consumer products rather than focusing solely on traditional software.
As reported by the SCMP, among the business leaders Wei admires most is Lei Jun. His admiration once led him to wait outside a Xiaomi automobile research centre in the rain, hoping for a chance encounter with the entrepreneur. The meeting never happened, though Wei has said he still hopes to speak with him one day.
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