Anhui Dongchao Technology

Anhui Dongchao Technology Co., Ltd. (EASPEED) is a high-tech enterprise specializing in the research and development of interactive aerial imaging technology. The company was formally established in August 2016 by a team of graduates from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), including Han Dongcheng and Fan Chao, who started the venture while still pursuing their master's degrees. Han Dongcheng, born in 1992 and the company's chairman, along with his co-founders, leveraged their academic background in optics to address a gap in the domestic market for this technology, which was previously dominated by foreign firms.

The company's core offering is its independently developed "Medium-free Holographic Imaging Technology." This technology revolves around a key product, the negative refraction flat lens (DCT-plate), which utilizes the principle of light field reconstruction to project a real, full-sized image into the air that users can interact with directly. This creates a touchless human-computer interaction, offering benefits such as preventing fingerprint smudges, cross-infection, and static electricity. The technology broke a technical monopoly previously held by a Japanese company and has been recognized with numerous awards, including the top prize at the first National Disruptive Technology Innovation Competition.

Dongchao Technology serves a diverse client base by providing solutions for various sectors. Its business model is centered on developing and selling products and comprehensive solutions tailored to specific industries. Key markets include smart healthcare, where it provides contactless self-service kiosks for hospitals to reduce infection risks; smart automotive, offering innovative in-car display and control systems; public facilities, with applications like contactless elevator controls and information kiosks; and exhibition displays, creating interactive and immersive experiences for museums and galleries. The company has also expanded into smart home applications and has exported products to countries like France and Malaysia. Revenue generation is driven by the sale of these hardware products and integrated solutions. The firm has a robust intellectual property portfolio, with over 800 applications filed.

The company's journey began with initial funding scraped together by its founders from a side business of taking graduation photos. A significant milestone was achieved in late 2017 with the successful development of the first DCT-plate sample. This breakthrough attracted an angel investment of 8 million RMB from Hefei HI-TECH VC in January 2018, enabling the company to purchase equipment and achieve mass production by the end of that year. Subsequent funding rounds, including a Pre-A round from CASSTAR in 2019, a Series A in 2020, and a Pre-B round in 2022, have supported its growth and market expansion.

Keywords: aerial imaging, holographic display, touchless interface, human-computer interaction, negative refraction lens, DCT-plate, light field reconstruction, smart healthcare solutions, smart automotive cockpit, interactive displays, public facility technology, contactless terminals, Anhui Dongchao, USTC spinoff, Han Dongcheng, smart home controls, museum exhibition tech, medical self-service kiosks, elevator control panels, holographic teleprompter, optical technology