ZHAO Yan of Bloomage Biotechnology: The Power of Symbiosis, Made in China and Life Regeneration | WISE2025 King of Business Conference

The business world in 2025 stands at the crossroads of a new era. Amid the reconstruction of business narratives and the sweeping wave of technology, the WISE2025 Business Kings Conference, with the theme of "The Scenery Here is Exceptional", aims to identify the certain future of Chinese business in the face of uncertainty. Here, we record the opening chapter of this intellectual feast and capture the voices of those who remain steadfast in the changing landscape.

From November 27th to 28th, the 36Kr WISE2025 Business Kings Conference, hailed as the "annual barometer of technology and business", was held at the Conduction Space in the 798 Art District in Beijing.

This year's WISE is no longer a traditional industry summit but an immersive experience in the form of "tech - themed short dramas". From AI reshaping the boundaries of hardware to embodied intelligence opening the door to the real world; from the globalization of brands in the wave of going overseas to traditional industries equipping with "cyber prosthetics" - what we present is not only trends but also the insights gained from numerous business practices.

In the following content, we will dissect the real logic behind these "exciting dramas" frame by frame and explore the "exceptional scenery" of business in 2025.

On the morning of November 28th, Zhao Yan, the Chairperson of Huaxi Group and the Chairperson and President of Bloomage Biotechnology, delivered a keynote speech titled "The Power of Symbiosis: Made in China and Life Regeneration".

Zhao Yan, the Chairperson of Huaxi Group and the Chairperson and President of Bloomage Biotechnology

The following is the transcript of Zhao Yan's speech, edited by 36Kr:

In China, I am one of the pioneers in using biomanufacturing technology to produce bioactive substances. This industry is often referred to as the "future industry" or the "emerging industry", which involves using "cell factories" to produce bioactive substances needed by humans.

I'm Zhao Yan from Bloomage Biotechnology. It's a great honor to be at the 36Kr conference. Today, I'd like to share my thoughts on "The Power of Symbiosis: Made in China and Life Regeneration".

When it comes to Bloomage Biotechnology, people often associate it with a scientific term - hyaluronic acid, commonly known as "hyaluronic acid" in the market. The public's first impression of it usually lies in the medical aesthetics field, seeing it as a filler and a means for women to enhance their beauty. However, I'd like to emphasize that hyaluronic acid has been largely misinterpreted by the public.

In this event discussing the future of technology and business, I'd like to reveal the true nature of this substance. It is one of the most fundamental bioactive substances in life and is widely present in human tissues. For example, artificial tears in eye drops and joint lubricants in orthopedic surgeries all rely on its repair and regeneration functions.

In our bodies, hyaluronic acid is always the first to participate in any process of stem cell differentiation and induction. It is not just an additive in cosmetics but also the cradle of life and the underlying foundation for life's continuation. It is the core component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of all human cells. Especially in the skin, human aging is closely related to it.

Currently, Bloomage Biotechnology ranks first globally in hyaluronic acid production. We hold over 70% of the market share in the raw material segment of the global pharmaceutical market and more than 40% in the cosmetic - grade raw material segment.

The growth of Bloomage Biotechnology is not only a successful business case but also a typical example of a company growing alongside the rapid development of Chinese manufacturing. Made in China can not only build aircraft carriers and cross - sea bridges but also create the "key" to life in the microscopic world.

Interestingly, the principles of macro - manufacturing in the physical world and micro - repair in the biological world are surprisingly similar.

Take the Huajiang Gorge Bridge in Guizhou, the world's highest bridge just completed in China, as an example. Spanning a 2 - kilometer gorge, its construction method is truly astonishing: first, a drone was used to pull a thin steel cable across the gorge. Then, thicker steel cables were gradually added, and finally, the bridge was completed.

The repair process of human tissues and organs follows a similar pattern. When the skin is cut or a wound is created during surgery, the wound is like a gorge. As a bioactive substance, hyaluronic acid is like the "pilot cable" pulled by the drone. It must cross the wound first. Only under its guidance can other bioactive substances and repair factors in cells, such as collagen, elastin, ectoine anti - inflammatory factors, and various amino acids, gather around to control inflammation and promote wound healing.

In the macro - physical sense, the bridge connects geographical barriers; in the micro - biological world, hyaluronic acid connects broken tissues. This is the power of Made in China. We are all learning the laws of nature and using industrial power to reproduce these laws, just on different scales.

The research in life science is truly fascinating. Whether in the manufacturing process of the physical world or within our bodies, no single substance can function independently. The power of life comes from "symbiosis".

Just like our human body, all organs and tissues work together in harmony. If any organ gets sick, the whole body will be affected. Our "global village" is like a spaceship floating in the universe. If there is a problem with the bow, the middle, or the stern of the ship, the whole ship will be at risk of disintegration.

The operation of human life follows a similar principle. The most basic unit of life is the cell, which forms various tissues. Only when these tissues work together can life function healthily.

Let's get back to the business that I and Bloomage Biotechnology are engaged in. It involves a basic theory in life science: the environment where cells live, also known as the extracellular matrix (ECM), is the cradle for cell survival.

On April 17th this year, an article in the international top - tier journal Cell defined the extracellular matrix (ECM) as the 13th important marker of life aging. Once there is a problem with the ECM, the human body will age, and this aging can be transmitted. In the ECM, the most important substance is hyaluronic acid, which plays a leading role and then drives collagen, elastin, and other substances to function. Only when all substances work together can the cell's living environment be good, and life can be full of vitality.

This "symbiosis" logic exists not only under the microscope but also in the physical world and in the cities we live in. People often say that I'm "cross - border", but that's not the case. I believe that everything we do serves six words: making life "healthy, happy, and beautiful".

Therefore, Bloomage Biotechnology not only explores anti - aging and tissue regeneration in the field of life science and the microscopic world but also aims to create better interpersonal communication spaces in the city. The "Huaxi LIVE·Wukesong" we operate in Beijing has become a vibrant urban center for young people.

Many people think that it is an independent project from life science, but in fact, they share the same logic. Recently, we named this venue the "Bloomage Biotechnology·Runbaiyan ECM Center".

If we look back to 2008, this venue fulfilled China's century - long dream. As the basketball competition venue for the Beijing Olympics that year, it hosted many exciting games that made countless Chinese people excited. This is the only "dual - Olympic venue" in China built and operated by a private enterprise.

Since the end of the 2008 Olympics, we have been thinking deeply: how can this huge building continue its vitality? Should we let it lie dormant, or should we make it full of continuous energy? We clearly realized that without innovation and continuous content creation, it might become a "zombie venue" or just a small commodity wholesale market.

Therefore, over the past 16 years, through continuous operation and renovation, we have developed it into a landmark urban complex integrating culture, sports, business, and tourism in China. I define it as the "urban ECM center".

In this place, people can gather, communicate, and have wonderful life experiences, and their emotions can be fully released here.

In 2009, Beyoncé chose this venue for her first Asian performance. Now, whenever international and domestic superstars come to China, this place is their top choice for holding concerts. We have successfully transformed a concrete building into a place full of warmth, experiences, culture, and passion.

This is exactly the same as our logic in life science research in the microscopic world. At the micro - level, we are committed to optimizing the extracellular environment (ECM) of cells, allowing cells to interact and better promote tissue regeneration. In the city, Huaxi LIVE·Wukesong brings people together for emotional communication.

Therefore, the theme slogan of our venue is "Life Converges Here, and Civilization is Born Here", which is also the reason why we named it the "ECM Center". What I want to express is that the macro and the micro are interconnected. One is the cradle of life, and the other is the cradle of urban civilization.

Why is the ECM (extracellular matrix) so important? Because no matter how advanced technology becomes, our ultimate goal is to make every life vibrant and achieve high - quality longevity. Bloomage Biotechnology is committed to making people healthy, beautiful, and happy, enabling them to live actively beyond 120 years old.

With the development of AI technology, we predict that in the next decade, major diseases such as cancer and chronic diseases (e.g., hypertension, hyperlipidemia) are expected to be overcome. However, other bodily functions - such as cognitive ability, brain health, and the vitality of limbs and organs - require each person to take responsibility for their own health.

Bloomage Biotechnology focuses on aging intervention and tissue regeneration. We advocate using synthetic biotechnology to efficiently produce bioactive substances that are essential for the human body but difficult to synthesize on its own. For example, among the 20 amino acids needed by the human body, 9 cannot be synthesized independently and must be obtained from food.

In this situation, how can we obtain these substances more efficiently? This is exactly the problem that Bloomage Biotechnology is solving. Our goal is to use food instead of medicine when possible and use medical devices instead of surgery when possible, truly helping people achieve high - quality longevity.

Finally, I'd like to share some of my thoughts on the future. I studied biology, and the underlying logic of biology has a profound impact on the business logic of Bloomage Biotechnology and Huaxi Group. In the biological world, single - cell organisms are fragile. Only by establishing a good extracellular matrix, realizing cell - to - cell connection, support, and signal transmission, and having all tissues work together can life have high quality.

The same applies to industries. In the past 30 years, Made in China has solved the problem of "from nothing to something". We have built bridges, roads, and satellites, astonishing the world.

In the next 30 years, Made in China needs to solve the problem of "from something to something better", achieving a leap from industrial manufacturing to biomanufacturing and moving from "Made in China" to "Created in China". Only by mastering core technologies and getting out of the vicious competition can enterprises truly stand firm and survive economic cycles.

In this process, Bloomage Biotechnology doesn't want to be just a profit - making company, nor does it want to be a lonely industry leader. By naming the Wukesong Stadium the "ECM Center", we aim to send an industrial signal: Bloomage Biotechnology is willing to be the "ECM" of the biomanufacturing industry, creating a benign, open, and collaborative ecological environment.

Only in a good ecosystem can we co - create, co - build, and finally achieve symbiotic and win - win results.

To achieve this goal, the core is to integrate "industry, academia, and research" and completely solve the pain point of the low conversion rate of scientific research results in China. For this reason, we have invested 3 billion yuan in Tianjin to establish a pilot - scale platform for biomanufacturing.

"Pilot - scale testing" is the most crucial step for biomanufacturing to cross the "valley of death". Next year is the beginning of the 15th Five - Year Plan. We hope that through five - year efforts, we can increase the conversion rate of scientific research results from the current less than 10% to the world - advanced level of 35% - 50% using this platform. We look forward to enabling every small and medium - sized enterprise to develop in a benign, open, and collaborative ecosystem, allowing the results of scientific research institutions to be converted, and truly moving from "Made in China" to "Created in China".

For an enterprise to survive and develop continuously, it must have two core capabilities: one is continuous technological innovation ability; the other is continuous business profitability. To achieve this, it is necessary to realize the "integration of three chains and five forces".

Use technological strength to build product strength, thereby obtaining competitiveness, and finally shaping brand strength, and building the enterprise's immunity to cross economic cycles.

Enterprises should actively become industry leaders and pioneers, an indispensable part of the supply chain and the ecological chain, and as providers of value chains, create real value for society, enterprises, and individuals.

In summary, to achieve success, one must integrate four "SHI": Shi (world pattern); Shi (policy trend); Shi (Chinese market); Shi (enterprise leadership).

Currently, Chinese enterprises are at a crucial stage where crises and challenges coexist, but at the same time, there are also full of opportunities, integrating these four "SHI".

What we need to do is to respect every life and make every life vibrant. This is the original intention of founding this enterprise and the peak we are pursuing.

Although the journey is long, we will surely reach our destination; although the task is difficult, we will surely succeed!