Sui Shaolong first drew public attention eight years ago, when he was named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list. Only two years before, he had returned to China to start his own business.

Trained as a mechanical engineer at Stanford University, the Chinese entrepreneur focused on heavy machinery and founded BuilderX Robotics in Beijing in 2018 by applying remote intelligent control systems to excavators, bringing software-driven precision and automation to machines long associated with brute force.

Sui stayed for years in the United States, working first at Tesla and then Apple, where he was involved in battery engineering and contributed to the development of the camera system for the iPhone 6 model. These experiences placed him at the heart of Silicon Valley's innovation ecosystem. Still, he decided to come back to China to pursue his entrepreneurial dream on his own terms.

"I wanted to step away from big platforms and see what I could build on my own," he says. "If you're too satisfied with what you've already achieved, there's no room left to grow."

Taking start-up root in Beijing

Sui settled in Beijing after returning from the United States in 2015, and went on to found BuilderX Robotics three years later, focusing on the intelligent development of construction machinery.

Beijing's push to become a globally influential innovation hub is underpinned by its deep pool of technology talent, mature industrial ecosystems and robust policy support for entrepreneurship.

"Choosing Beijing as the base for BuilderX Robotics was absolutely the right decision," Sui says. "I didn't expect that business and tax registrations could be completed entirely on a mobile phone.”

“The efficiency and convenience far exceeded my expectations," he adds.

Sui also speaks highly of Beijing's support for start-ups, noting that the Beijing Overseas Talents Center has played a significant role in his entrepreneurial journey. In particular, he says the growth camp programs organized by the center proved especially valuable.

"I once joined one of the growth camps and met many overseas returnee entrepreneurs from a wide range of industries," Sui says. "Exchanging ideas with them broadened my perspective and helped me see my own work in a much larger context."

Indeed, the city has plenty of opportunities on offer.

"Beijing never lacks quality opportunities,” according to Sui. “It is a city that keeps its doors open, warmly welcoming every entrepreneur with a dream."

Eight years into his entrepreneurial journey in Beijing, Sui is proud to see BuilderX Robotics named in the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch 2025 list this year, becoming the only Chinese mainland company recognized in the category of industry and manufacturing.

"There are no shortcuts in building a company," he says. "Impatience gets you nowhere. Only by staying grounded and patient can you find the right direction."

Behind that sustained drive, Sui has his own way of recharging amid a demanding schedule. In the rare moments away from work, he often goes for a run at one of Beijing's landmarks, the Olympic Forest Park.

Pointing to the koi fish in the park's central lake, Sui draws a parallel with his own work. "They don't grow overnight," he says. "Technology is the same. It has to be built steadily and tested over time."

Making heavy work safer and smarter

In building his company, Sui has consistently gone to the front lines. He has conducted field research deep inside mine shafts more than 10 meters underground, and walked through mining sites in the immediate aftermath of blasting operations. This made him notice the inefficiencies embedded in traditional heavy industry.

"On one site visit, I was struck by how many funeral homes lined the villages near the mines," he says. "It made me realize how much fear and anxiety every worker's family lives with."

The experience, he adds, drove him to use his technical skills to make the industry safer.

Today, BuilderX Robotics enables operators to control machinery remotely, while its AI assistance introduces features such as dust-see-through technology and AR bucket-depth indicator, achieving better visibility and accuracy in challenging environments.

"Now operators can work from an office. They can stay away from dust and collapses,” Sui says. “It's safer, and it also reduces time lost during shift changes, improving operations efficiency."

His innovative tele and AI solutions are redefining construction and setting new standards in the industry.

"We don't see 'good enough' as good enough," he explains. "Hardware iterations happen every couple of months, software improves every week, and the system now responds in milliseconds."

Forginga broader path for Chinese tech

BuilderX Robotics is also looking beyond China, as it has entered the Japanese market three years ago in partnership with Sumitomo Corporation, deploying its technology in core scenarios such as bulk cargo ports, open-pit mines and recycling site. The company is currently a key supplier to several Japanese enterprises, including Sumitomo Construction Machinery, koushuu-sangyou Corporation, and other leading waste-recycling companies.

"China's progress in AI is is extremely rapid," Sui says. "That advantage has made our products more competitive in overseas markets."

Japan's heavy-industry sector faces an acute aging workforce, with few young people entering the field, according to Sui. At the same time, Japanese customers are exceptionally demanding when it comes to efficiency.

"In their tests, our system achieved about 90 percent of the productivity of traditional on-site operations, well above their expectations," he says. "That performance led to repeated purchases."

Apart from Japan, BuilderX Robotics is now moving into European markets, including Poland, with international sales making up 10 percent of total revenue.

"The Chinese path to modernization is not about building behind closed doors," Sui acknowledges. "It's about ensuring that Chinese technology can protect our own workers while also benefiting partners around the world."

"We are about to expand into Southeast Asia and Europe, so more workers will benefit." he adds.

In fact, BuilderX Robotics' TikTok account draws thousands of daily likes and comments, with many overseas users impressed by China's manufacturing prowess and some asking about job opportunities.

"We aim to leverage innovation and market growth to help more blue-collar workers transform their careers," Sui says.