When the tech startup Zankeapp.com catapulted to a $300,000 ARR back in 2014, its founder, Tiancheng Xu, was already setting benchmarks in the tech industry at the mere age of 14.
In 2024, now aged 26, Tiancheng is recognized as a forerunner in AI innovation, having recently launched SpeakUp AI, a venture poised to transform content creation through generative AI.
Who is Tiancheng Xu?
Raised in a technologically rich environment, Tiancheng's early fascination with programming and robotics was evident.
His childhood, immersed in the worlds of RFID and radio technology, was different from his peers-his playground was technology. As Forbes reports, "his entry into the tech scene was not just about participation; it was about revolutionizing it."
By 14, Tiancheng had already launched his first major venture, Zankeapp.com, which reshaped social media advertising in the Asia-Pacific. His platform provided a much-needed solution for cross-border merchants to reach global audiences effectively.
"Working until the early hours, the thrill was not just in the creation but seeing our clients hit record sales-it was exhilarating. This success planted the seed for my journey, fueling my ambition to impact even more people on a global scale. That's the very root of my entrepreneurial journey," Tiancheng reflected.
Xu's prowess in programming and his understanding of market needs quickly turned Zankeapp.com into a success story, boasting an annual recurring revenue of $300,000 and serving over 2,000 clients across China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore by the time he was just 15. His innovative approach to ad tech was notably recognized by major companies, including Meitu, Inc. (HKG: 1357), which benefited greatly from the platform's superior ROI on ad spend.
After excelling in ad tech, Xu shifted his focus to AI during his time at college in University of Washington and UC Berkeley, with concentrations in Data Science, Human-Computer Interaction, and Information Architecture. Later, Tiancheng Xu advanced to a pivotal role at Microsoft, where he led the development of the Multimedia Redirection feature for Azure Virtual Desktop.
"This feature was crucial to Microsoft and to the industry, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, as it's truly an enabler that allows remote work to happen for our Fortune 500 clients,"Tiancheng explains. He has also made significant strides in Azure Machine Learning by integrating GitHub and Visual Studio Code into the machine learning workflow, reducing deployment times by 50% and fostering adoption by over a million developers globally. This work not only impressed his supervisors but also caught the attention of Microsoft's CTO, leading to the creation of a new team dedicated to these integrations.
Venture Capital: From Evaluating Innovators to Leading Innovation
Outside of work, Xu engaged deeply in the venture capital sector, utilizing his technical expertise and market insights. He served as a judge for Goldport Capital, a prominent $1B VC fund, where he focused on evaluating potential investments in technology startups, particularly those specializing in software and AI technologies. His role included detailed analysis of the startups' technological foundations, business models, and market potential, which informed critical funding decisions. "Judging at Goldport allowed me to delve deeper into the startup ecosystem, analyzing and predicting the technological shifts that will define the future," he shares. With the rise of technologies like ChatGPT, Xu felt compelled to forge his own path in the burgeoning AI space, rather than simply judging from the venture capital sidelines.
SpeakUp AI: A Revolution in Content Creation
Founded in Seattle, the heart of America's tech innovation hub, SpeakUp AI has rapidly progressed from a compelling idea to a force representing the future in the AI domain. The platform's mission is clear: to simplify and democratize the creation of digital content across different media formats, making professional-grade production accessible to all. SpeakUp AI's vision extends beyond simple audio production; it aims to pioneer the future of cross-modal digital content creation globally.
"Generative AI is the new paradigm shift, akin to how TikTok's recommendation algorithms overtook Facebook's relationship-based content matching," Xu explains. SpeakUp AI quickly garnered support from top-tier investors, including Ming Deng, Partner at Goldport Capital, praised Tiancheng Xu and SpeakUp AI, highlighting the platform's impact on the AI content creation landscape: "His technology fundamentally changes how content is created, transitioning from traditional methods to seamless, AI-driven productions. We are excited to support a platform that we believe will set new standards in the industry and offer unprecedented ease and quality to content creators."
SpeakUp AI's core product allows users to generate podcasts using cloned voices, which can replicate the nuances of the original speaker's tone and inflection. This original approach not only eliminates the need for traditional recording setups but also integrates automatic music scoring and social media integration for seamless content publication. This integration has proven to be a game-changer, boosting production efficiency by tenfold and significantly reducing the time and cost associated with content creation.
Within the few days after launch, the platform boasts users from 85 countries, who have produced over tens of thousands podcast episodes. This user base includes 670+ corporate clients-ranging from startups to NGOs and real estate agencies-with 70% of them being first-time podcast producers. This rapid adoption underscores the platform's ease of use and the effectiveness of its AI technology in lowering entry barriers for content creation.
As SpeakUp AI continues to redefine the boundaries of content creation, Tiancheng Xu stands at the forefront of a new digital dawn. With ambitious plans to introduce text-to-video capabilities and AI avatars, his vision is not just to innovate but to revolutionize how we interact with technology daily. What will the next chapter hold for this visionary leader? One thing is certain: the world will be watching.
