Alumni Enterprise ”Cambricon” Attempts To be the first stock of AI-chips on Sci-Tech innovation Board

According to the website of Beijing Securities Regulatory Commission, the company Cambricon Technology, founded by SGY alumni Yunji and Tianshi Chen, has entered the pre-listing phase. According to publicly announced market report, Cambricon has signed the contract for pre-listing guidance with CITIC Security Company Limited on December 5^th,2019.

Cambricon was founded in March 2016, with 360 million yuan of registered capital. The founders, Yunji Chen and Tianshi Chen, are brothers, both of them being alumni of USTC’s School of the Gifted Young.

The elder brother, Yunji Chen, born in 1983, entered secondary school at the age of 9, and was recruited to the School of the Gifted Young when he was 14. At the age of 19, he became an PhD student in ICT (Institute of Computing Technology), Chinese Academy of Sciences, as an R&D Engineer of the first domestic CPU “Loongson”, and was appointed the Chief Architect of the 8-core “Loongson 3” when he was only 25 years old. In his post in the company he learned research and to consider factors related to the technological path. As for his job title, reflecting his humility and devotion to science, he would rather be considered “Researcher of ICT, Chinese Academy of Sciences” rather than the founder of Cambricon.

The younger brother, Tianshi Chen, also a gifted genius, was born in 1985, and whose growth path followed his big brother Yunji. He was admitted to the Gifted Young when he was 16 years old. He got his PhD degree in the School of Computer Science of USTC at the age of 25, with Guoliang Chen and Xin Yao as advisers. After graduating with his doctorate in 2010, Tianshi Chen became a researcher in ICT, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and was awarded the “Best Paper Award” of ASPLOS and MICRO conferences, and was the first Chinese to win these awards at these two top summits. Being more outgoing than his brother, he acts as the founder and CEO of Cambricon.

“USTC taught us not only scientific knowledge, but also scientific spirit.”

Many people wonder why both brothers from Jiangxi Province can succeed in both the academic arena, as well as build up a “unicorn” start-up?

Yunji Chen attended secondary school at 9, was admitted to the Gifted Young at 14, earned the doctoral degree at 24, and was promoted to Researcher-level (equivalent to Professor in the Chinese Academy Research Institutes) at the age of 29. When he was 33 years old, he won the Youth Science and Technology Prize of China and the Young Scientist Prize of Chinese Academy of Sciences. Two years younger, Tianshi Chen followed his big brother from the School of the Gifted Young in USTC to ICT.

Under the guidance of their parents, the brothers wanted to attend the School of the Gifted Young and become scientists since they were young. “Our parents put emphasis on the development of our curiosity and the ability to acquire knowledge. The books on the shelf, no matter what it’s about, be it engineering or history, were appealing to me.” Now as a father of twin daughters, Yunji Chen has a deeper understanding of formative education. “The development of interest is far more significant than guiding the direction. As for my hope, the priority is a healthy and sound growth, for both of them, Of course, I also wish they’ll embark on the scientific road.”

Yunji says: “Gifted with a good psychological equilibrium, I am calm when facing something big. As a result, in such crucial events which can have a decisive impact on your life, like the College Entrance Examination and the Unified National Graduate Entrance Examination, I never failed.” Every time critical issues arise, his equanimity always helps, and Yunji Chen owes this to his parents’ flexible mode of education.

In June, 2019, as a representative of his classmates, Tianshi Chen attended the commencement of undergraduates in the 2019 academic year in USTC. He said: “People say that USTC is the cradle of scientists. As a matter of fact, USTC teaches us not only scientific knowledge, but also the scientific spirt. Such a spirit is engraved in each USTCer’s genes. It is the belief that all thing can be turned around from bad to good, it is the courage to chase for the truth, it is the style of being cautious and practical. Personally speaking, I don’t suggest that everybody from USTC become a scientist. Jobs like engineers, reporters, civil servants, entrepreneurs, or artists, should also be under consideration. But what I’d like to say is that no matter what person you’ll be, never forget the scientific spirit USTC once instilled us, as this will benefit us our whole lives.”

If the IPO of Cambricon proceeds smoothly, it’ll become one of the first companies on the Sci-Tech Innovation Board focused on AI-enabled chip design, which will have a huge impact in perfecting the industrial chain of domestic chip production. Best of luck to the Chen brothers!