Skinow

Beijing Xuezu Technology Co., Ltd., operating as Skinow (huaxuezoo.com), is a technology service company catering to China's burgeoning ice and snow industry. Founded in July 2014 by CEO Hou Liqiong, also known as "Daming," the company initially launched as "Huaxuezu," a vertical media and social platform for ski enthusiasts. Hou's background in the travel industry, with roles at TripAdvisor and Kuxun, informed the company's direction. The venture was co-founded by Dai Zheng, who brought extensive tech experience from his time at companies like Sina and as part of the founding team at Qunar.

The company's trajectory shifted in 2015 after its founders experienced firsthand the long queues and inefficiencies at a local ski resort. This led to the development of its B2B offering, "iSNOW Ice and Snow Enterprise Cloud Service," a SaaS management platform designed to optimize operations for ski resorts and ice rinks. This platform provides a comprehensive suite of services, including ticketing systems, online transaction processing, and integration with offline cashier systems, aiming to create a seamless O2O experience and improve the customer journey from online booking to on-site activities. By 2018, the company expanded into developing its own smart hardware to further enhance its service offerings. Revenue is generated through service fees and a percentage of the gross merchandise value (GMV) processed through its SaaS system.

In addition to its core B2B SaaS product, Skinow maintains its C-facing operations through the Jiku Sports (极酷运动) app. This app serves individual consumers by offering recommendations, venue bookings, and a platform to connect with fellow sports enthusiasts across 17 different interest and lifestyle sports, including skiing, hiking, and surfing. The company also operates several independent IP brands, such as the "Global Test Skier" program and the "HIGHSNOW" relay race, to engage the community. Skinow has successfully secured multiple funding rounds, including a Pre-A round in 2017, a 30 million RMB Series A in 2018 led by Shenzhen Capital Group, and a 40 million RMB A+ round in 2023 from the SZZ Supercar Club, with notable investors like Meihua Ventures participating across rounds.

Keywords: Beijing Xuezu Technology, Huaxuezu, ski industry SaaS, iSNOW, Jiku Sports app, sports technology, ski resort management, winter sports, China ski market, Hou Liqiong, Dai Zheng, sports tourism, B2B SaaS platform, online to offline, ticketing systems, ice and snow industry, venture capital, Shenzhen Capital Group, Meihua Ventures, sports community app