American Idol reject-turned-superstar William Hung, NBA powerhouse Yao Ming, Super Girl champion Li Yuchun, pianist Lang Lang, writer Han Han, and Olympics hurdles winner Liu Xiang all have one thing in common. Apart from being the hottest celebrities in the last couple of years, they were all born in the 1980s.

Writer Chun Shu, nicknamed Beijing Doll, appeared on the cover of Time in February 2004. She was featured alongside fellow writer Han Han, former computer hacker Manzhou, and rocker Li Yang as symbols of post-80s China.

However, that image needs to be modified to include the scores of techno-geeks who've made a name for themselves in the business world, and in the process changed the traditional face of Chinese enterprise in the world's fastest developing economy.

These technopreneurs include PCPOP's 25-year-old CEO Li Xiang, Comsenz CEO Dai Zhikang, Mysee CEO Deng Di and President Gao Ran, 163888 CEO Zhang Li, MaJoy President Mao Kankan, and Veryol CEO Zheng Ning. Their average age is 24.

Their success belies their lack of excellent academic results or an overseas education, unlike previous generations of enterprise leaders. For example, Comsenz's Dai failed 15 of his college courses; Gao Ran skipped most of his classes at Tsinghua University; and Deng Di spent more time teaching himself digital and computer technologies than on his journalism major.

Their social backgrounds are quite diverse. Some come from upper middle class families, while some had more humble rural beginnings in China's southwest. But in the information era, the Internet is the equalizer that can bring success to just about anyone with a passion for technology. The virtual space is their university, a concept that flies in the face of conventional education in China.

This brand of entrepreneur is not new. The American bestseller Geeks and Geezers by Warren G. Bennis and Robert J. Thomas describe the Geeks as those who change the world with digital technology and don't care about mainstream business regulations and routines. Bill Gates is one of them. And in China, the 80s offspring are its first generation of Geeks.

In an interview with China Youth Daily on June 6, Li Xiang said that it is the "Internet spirit" that his generation has. They totally ignore tradition and what they think is right, cutting out the routine.

"My direction and goals are very clear. I always knew that the Internet would be my career. I set a goal for each step, and went about achieving them one by one. So, I won't squander my money on material things and living it large, or give up when faced with difficulties."

Li's company PCPOP is the third biggest Chinese IT information website, earning 20 million yuan (US$2.5 million) through advertising in 2005. Li owns 50 percent share of the company's stock, which is worth 200 million yuan (US$25 million).

Dai Zhikang was born into a family of intellectuals. His father, for one, holds a PhD from the Daqing Petroleum Institute. Dai was introduced to the computer at an early age, which nurtured his passion for technology. He was a master programmer by the time he entered university. One of his most famous programs is the "Discuz!" Bulletin Board System (BBS) program designed during his college years.

"Initially I didn't mean to found a company," he confessed. "I just wanted to find a good job, and 'Discuz!' was what I needed to prove my ability. But during the design process, I found that I could make money off it. That's when I realized that I didn't want to work for others."

Despite the differences in social backgrounds, one thing that these technopreneurs have in common is strong family support. They weren't restrained in any way and were always encouraged to go out and do their own thing. MaJoy's Mao Kankan's family, for example, didn't hold a diploma in as high esteem as most other families might have. 

Zhang Jianguo, CEO of China's leading human resource website Chinahr.com, commented: "The best thing about post-80s enterprisers like Li Xiang and Dai Zhikang is their ability to innovate. They dare to try new things. It's not like people born in the 70s who always think too much and miss many opportunities."

However, Zhang also pointed out: "But the problem with them is that they have huge egos. Managing an enterprise requires an organic system of growth and teamwork. A good idea might be enough to set up a company, but when the company becomes big, how to run it is the issue those young enterprisers should pay attention to."
 
Dai Guang, Dai Zhikuang's father, voiced the same concerns: "You can launch a company with a technology, but how to transfer your role as a technology genius to that of manager when your company succeeds is a big problem."

These technopreneurs do recognize the importance of knowing the actual ins and outs of running a company.

Li said: "In 2003 (when I first founded my company), I had too much ego. I didn't take into account others' feelings. This taught me many lessons and made me change. I started looking at myself from an objective third point of view.

"I began to really communicate with my colleagues. And I've found that this was a very acceptable approach, for everyone. Therefore, the rules are not impossible to change. The thing is whether or not you want to."

(China.org.cn by Zhang Rui, June 23, 2006)