As you may know, I was born and went to college and graduate school in Beijing. I came to the United States for further studies and ultimately landed in Silicon Valley, where I have enjoyed a career building startups from the ground up. Recently, I was invited by the People’s Republic of China to be a delegate representing accomplished business entrepreneurs, professors and researchers of Chinese decent in the technology field worldwide to contribute to President Hu Jintao’s new initiative to make technology and science the primary drivers for China’s economy.

About 300 delegates, most of whom are returnees already working in China such as Robin Li of Baidu.com, were chosen, and I was one of the 18 representatives from the United States, and one of only four CEOs. A part of my function as a delegate was to attend the PRC’s 60 year anniversary celebration in Beijing on October 1^st. I was honored to be in such a momentous event, and was impressed with President Hu’s address to the delegates where he laid out his plan to focus China’s economic vision on innovation.

President Hu has engaged with the delegates in a similar way that Baynote applies its technology for our customers: He is taking wisdom of the crowds to make more well-informed decisions.

Here are some photos that I took that capture the essence of the celebration:

When I returned to Silicon Valley, I was energized and enthusiastic that the work we are doing at Baynote is making an impact beyond the borders of the United States. It was humbling to be surrounded by some of the smartest minds in the world, from scientists and professors, to entrepreneurs, who have all made a strong impact on technology innovation.

My visit to China was followed by a meeting at Baynote’s Cupertino offices with Mr. Li Yuanchao, head of China’s Organization Department of the Central Government and member of the Central Committee Political Bureau, and a delegation of several Ministers and the Chinese Ambassador to the United States. Mr. Li toured Baynote as well as four other Silicon Valley companies, including Cisco and Google, during his brief trip to California. The purpose of his trip was to learn from us how to operate technology-focused companies that are economically successful and technologically innovative so he could take what he learned and apply it to China’s plans.

Included below are some key points that I made during my presentation to Mr. Li. My goal in this presentation was to give him a better sense of what entrepreneurship is all about, and to pass on some lessons that I have learned over the years that are applicable around the world.

• It’s all in the people. Get the right people on the bus and the wrong ones off, and then decide where to drive. You need talents with experience, education, but more importantly with passion!
• A startup is a process. Research the market in the real world by talking to potential buyers and tapping into the wisdom of crowds. Don’t take no as a bad feedback. On the contrary, too many yes’s mean caution.
• A few things must be created from day one: A core team, leapfrog innovations, and a culture that will serve as the foundation throughout the company’s journey.
• It’s ok to fail many times. Without moments of despair, you don’t have a lasting startup. Take a flywheel iterative approach to anything: market, technology, business model…
• In order to succeed, you must have a strong desire to learn and change: Be open to learning from your peers and taking constructive criticism, as it allows for growth. Did I mention the wisdom of crowds?!
• Always challenge the conventional norm.
• Be open and direct. There is no place for politics in startups.

Mr. Li’s visit encouraged me that President Hu’s initiative is very real and imminent. We may see a Silicon Valley in China in the future, a great thing for the international collaboration for technology development. I look forward to seeing how Baynote’s input will be applied to China’s efforts to improve technology and science – not only throughout the region but around the world.