Huang Wang speaks at the launch of the firm's Amazfit smartwatch on Aug 30, 2016 in Beijing. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"The Xiaomi band reminds us of the success and glory we have achieved, while the smartwatch represents our ambitions for the future," said Huang, president and founder of Anhui Huami Information Technology Co Ltd.

Huang admits that people who recognize the brand are not as many as those who recognize the Xiaomi band, or the Mi band.

The company headquartered in Hefei, capital city of east China's Anhui province, was established in January 2014 and was financed by Xiaomi Corp, a leading electronics and smartphone maker in China, and Shunwei Capital Partners. The Xiaomi band was rolled out in August 2014.

Though Huami was named as one of the 50 fastest-growing tech companies in China by Forbes at the end of 2015, Huang said he actually has spent more than 18 years to achieve what he has got.

Huang Wang,  founder of Huami Technology [Photo provided to China Daily]

Born in 1975, Huang graduated in 1997 from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), which is based in Hefei. He majored in microelectronics and was recruited by the Shenzhen-based global technology giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd.

After joining the company, Huang participated in the founding of a joint R & D center by Huawei and Motorola, a global telecommunications giant then, until 1998, when Huang quit the job and returned to Hefei to start his own business.

"It was the experience in Huawei that gave me some basic ideas of how to run a company of my own," said Huang, who has founded four companies in the last 18 years.

The first company focused on embedded development tools based on the Linux system. "Through cooperating with Motorola's chip development department, our technology was globally applied in Motorola mobile phones," said Huang.

In 2009, Huang founded Hefei Huaheng Electronics Technology Ltd, which focused on a tablet personal computers and smartwatches.

"At that time, Apple Inc hadn't launched the iPad products yet and our products had been very profitable until around 2012, when the whole tablet personal computer business started to decline sharply, including the iPad, partly because smartphones began getting bigger," said Huang, whose company had also developed a smartwatch by 2013.

The Huami Technology is located in the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"To start with the tablet computer or smartwatch would be too risky. Back then, we didn't have enough feedback from the consumers for the much more sophisticated products, while a fitness band was much easier to make and is much lower in cost," said Huang. Huami is a biometric and activity data-driven company with significant expertise in smart wearable technology. Huami shipped 18.1 million units of smart wearable devices in 2017. As of December 31, 2017, Huami has shipped a total of 51.8 million devices since its inception in 2013, quickly establishing its global market leadership and recognition.

Huami owns a large biometric and activity database in the global smart wearables industry. Huami's mobile apps, Mi Fit and Amazfit, work hand in hand with its smart wearable devices and provide users with a comprehensive view and analysis of their biometric and activity data. As of December 31, 2017, Huami mobile apps had 56.1 million registered users, from whom Huami collects multi-dimensioned user data including heart rate, electrocardiograph, weight, body fat compositions, GPS running track, and step and sleeping duration. With a wide range of biometric and activity data from a large number of users, Huami is well-positioned to develop new application scenarios for smart wearable technology and drive innovation. 

Huami has been the sole partner of Xiaomi, a leading mobile Internet company and global consumer electronics brand, to design and manufacture Xiaomi-branded smart bands, watches*, scales and associated accessories "Xiaomi Wearable Products", including Mi Band series (*Excluding children watches and quartz watches). The strategic cooperation agreement with Xiaomi grants Huami the most-preferred-partner status globally to develop future Xiaomi Wearable Products and provides Huami with significant demand that drives fast roll-out of new products and ramp-up in business. Meanwhile, Huami's strong research and development capabilities and innovative products enrich Xiaomi's suite of offerings and enhance Xiaomi's user loyalty, leading to a mutually beneficial relationship between Huami and Xiaomi. In addition to Xiaomi Wearable Products, Huami leverages Xiaomi's established distribution network and global presence to promote smart bands and watches under its own brand, Amazfit.

On Feb 8, 2018, Huami Technology got listed in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), with the stock code HMI, making it the first US-listed company among the Xiaomi series brands.

Huang has been selected into the Innovator Promotion Program sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology.