In 2024, about 55 percent of Shenzhen’s GDP came from manufacturing and high-tech industries. That’s roughly 275 billion US dollars, according to public data. The city is not only strong in innovation across fields like information technology, telecommunications, artificial intelligence, biotech, and new energy. It’s also still one of the world’s most important production hubs for electronics, from smartphones to semiconductors.

Here are a few more numbers. Shenzhen has over 133 top-tier manufacturing facilities, more than 25,000 high-tech enterprises, and over 50,000 companies working in robotics-related fields.

So when Patrick, an entrepreneur from Silicon Valley, told me he wanted to build a simple hardware device for a new project, I said I could help him figure out the supply chain and manufacturing side.

We met at a Starbucks in Shenzhen on a Thursday afternoon. He walked me through his product idea, the market he was aiming for, and the components he thought he would need. He was also really curious about how things worked on the ground and wanted to visit factories in person. I told him I’d see what I could do.

Within two hours, I had found everything he needed through my local contacts. That included a display supplier, a molding factory, a speaker component maker, a metal parts supplier, and a small assembly line. I even connected him with a large manufacturer like Skyworth, and reached out to two titanium factories based in northern China.

Shenzhen really is a kind of Disneyland for hardware builders. The full supply chain is within reach, mostly within a two-hour drive. That day made me realize I might be in a good position to offer this kind of support to other overseas entrepreneurs. Even if someone only has an idea, I could help them figure out product design, sourcing, manufacturing, and logistics. I mentioned the thought to a friend of mine who has over ten years of experience in smart hardware, and another friend in the Bay Area. Both of them immediately saw the value.

Recently I’ve also seen more AI and robotics startups from the US coming to Shenzhen in search of production solutions. There’s a natural connection between Silicon Valley and the Greater Bay Area. Being here on the ground, I can feel it growing.

After the tour with Patrick, I kept thinking about how much potential there still is, especially in the hardware and robotics space. It’s exciting to watch that world open up.

Here are a few small things I’ve noticed that you only really understand after spending some time in China:

1. Huaqiangbei is chaotic for first-time visitors, especially foreigners. It can feel like a maze, and people often overpay if they’re not familiar with how things work.

2. With the right support in Shenzhen, your business plan might move five times faster than in the US or Europe.

3. Many products made in China are high quality and competitively priced.

4. Not everything is cheap. And not everything fits into a simple good or bad label.

5. When it comes to work and business, life in China is more similar to the US than people often expect.

6. Language isn’t the biggest barrier. What really matters is how people think, how trust is built, and how to access the right networks and resources.

7. Many people in China understand the US better than most Americans understand China.

These are just a few things I’ve come across while working here. I’m looking forward to meeting more founders and hearing more ideas. Shenzhen always has something new around the corner.