High-standard cleanrooms deliver reliable production conditions for integrated circuits, biomedicine and other products. This episode of Entrepreneurship Heroes features an innovator dedicated to developing more precise cleanroom testing equipment.
Wan Guibo, Founder and General Manager of Suzhou Kangqi Environmental Technology Co., Ltd., claimed the First Prize at the 2023 Sci-Tech Innovation Suzhou Youth Sci-Tech Entrepreneurship Competition.
Inside the cleanroom simulation exhibition hall, Wan Guibo demonstrated a particle counter. “One minute ago, our test recorded 990,000 particles ≥0.3μm and 300,000 particles ≥0.5μm. This means the cleanliness level of this space exceeds Class 300,000, with readings far above the standard limit,” Wan Guibo explained. Tiny particles, airborne bacteria and other contaminants invisible to the naked eye severely compromise product quality, making precise testing instruments indispensable.
With years of experience in the clean technology industry, Wan Guibo identified a substantial performance gap between domestic and imported cleanroom testing equipment. “Foreign brands dominate most of our domestic market share. That’s why I founded Kangqi Environmental in 2019: to boost the precision of domestic cleanroom testing devices, realize import substitution, and achieve independent controllability of core domestic technologies,” he stated.
Wan Guibo’s original aspiration for entrepreneurship drew four postdoctoral and doctoral researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences to join his team, embarking on the journey of independent research and development.
“In the early startup phase, we had no revenue and all products remained in the R&D pipeline. Instrument development entailed high costs, and our company funds nearly dried up several times,” Wan Guibo recalled. In 2020, Suzhou Venture Park offered district-level leading talent incentives, granting a RMB 2 million subsidy plus a 200-square-meter free office space.
Countless rounds of trials, redesigns and iterations followed. Two years after founding the company, Wan Guibo launched the first full line of proprietary products, including portable manual cleanroom detectors and real-time online monitoring systems.
He shared that these products have secured cooperation with leading listed enterprises in the cleanroom sector. “Our testing accuracy now rivals that of foreign counterparts. We have participated in drafting national industry standards, been recognized as a Suzhou Leading Talent Enterprise this year, and ranked among China’s Top 100 High-Quality Cleanroom Suppliers,” Wan Guibo added. The company’s equipment is widely deployed in clean manufacturing scenarios covering pharmaceuticals, electronics, semiconductors, aerospace, precision machining and food production.
Driven by technological innovation, the enterprise has obtained dozens of core invention and utility model patents to date.
Wan Guibo believes advances in scientific instruments are the fundamental engine of technological progress. Looking ahead, he shared his vision: “What we are undertaking is profoundly meaningful. Moving forward, Kangqi will stay grounded and focused on this mission, striving to build a world-renowned brand in the cleanroom testing industry.”
Wan Guibo’s story perfectly illustrates the maxim “Hard work begets good fortune.” May everyone keep creating value for society and find their own life purpose.
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