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# Lessons from Bob Xu of ZhenFund
- URL: https://www.antoinebuteau.com/lessons-from-bob-xu-of-zhenfund/
- Published: 2025-10-23T14:51:30.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-18T22:12:07.000Z
- Description: Bob Xu, founder of ZhenFund and co-founder of New Oriental Education & Technology Group, brings an entrepreneur’s perspective to early-stage investing, pairing candid advice with sustained support for young founders navigating business building and the complexities of success.
- Author: Antoine Buteau
- Tags: Profile, Investing, Venture Capital Profiles

Bob Xu (Xu Xiaoping), a prominent figure in China's venture capital landscape, is the founder of ZhenFund, a leading early-stage investment firm. Before becoming one of China's most celebrated angel investors, he was the co-founder of New Oriental Education & Technology Group, a multi-billion dollar education company. Known for his candid advice and unwavering support for young entrepreneurs, Bob Xu has shared a wealth of knowledge on building businesses, investing, and navigating the complexities of success.

![Infographic for "Lessons from Bob Xu of ZhenFund".](https://www.antoinebuteau.com/content/images/2026/07/lessons-from-bob-xu-of-zhenfund-optimized.webp)

### On Entrepreneurship and Building a Business

1. **On the core of entrepreneurship:** "What is entrepreneurship? It is not about how much money you have, but about your desire to change the world."
2. **On starting a business:** "Don't start a business for the sake of starting a business. Find a problem that you are passionate about solving."
3. **On the importance of a team:** "When I invest, I look at the team first. A great team can turn a mediocre idea into a great company, but a bad team will ruin even the best idea."
4. **On leadership:** "A leader must have the ability to unite people and make them believe in a common goal."
5. **On focus:** "Don't try to do everything at once. Focus on one thing and do it better than anyone else."
6. **On execution:** "Ideas are cheap. Execution is everything."
7. **On dealing with competition:** "The best way to deal with competition is to focus on your own users and make your product so good that they can't live without it."
8. **On the entrepreneurial spirit in China:** "The entrepreneurial spirit in China is unstoppable. It's a national phenomenon."
9. **On what entrepreneurs should focus on:** "What is the most important thing for entrepreneurs? It is to find the needs of the users and to satisfy them."
10. **On long-term vision:** "A true entrepreneur is not just thinking about today, but also about the next five, ten, or even twenty years."
11. **On co-founder relationships:** He often stresses that the relationship between co-founders is "more important than a marriage" for the success of a startup.
12. **On equity distribution:** "The distribution of equity should be based on contribution, not on seniority or personal relationships."
13. **On the qualities of a good CEO:** "A good CEO should be a good salesperson, a good recruiter, and a good fundraiser."
14. **On building a company culture:** "Culture is the soul of a company. It's what holds everyone together when things get tough."
15. **On innovation:** "Innovation is not just about technology. It's about finding new ways to solve old problems."

### On Investment Philosophy

1. **On investing in people:** "I don't invest in projects, I invest in people. The person is always more important than the business plan."
2. **On his investment criteria:** "I have three criteria for investment: the team, the market, and the product. But the most important is the team."
3. **On the role of an angel investor:** "My job as an angel investor is not just to provide money, but also to provide advice, resources, and emotional support."
4. **On what he looks for in founders:** "I look for founders who are passionate, resilient, and have a strong desire to learn."
5. **On trusting his gut:** While data is important, he has often said that many of his best investment decisions were based on his intuition about the founder.
6. **On the importance of speed in investment:** In the fast-moving Chinese market, he believes "speed is everything" and is known for making investment decisions very quickly.
7. **On failure:** "I am not afraid of my portfolio companies failing. I am more afraid of them not trying something ambitious."
8. **On the power of youth:** "I believe in the power of young people. They are the future, and I want to help them build it."
9. **On investing in Chinese students returning from overseas:** "These 'sea turtles' have a global vision and local knowledge, which is a powerful combination." This has been a cornerstone of his investment thesis.
10. **On the role of ZhenFund:** "ZhenFund is not just a fund, it's a family. We are here to help our entrepreneurs succeed in any way we can."
11. **On being a "mentor" investor:** He sees his role as more of a mentor and coach than just a source of capital.
12. **On the future of venture capital in China:** "The golden age of venture capital in China is just beginning."

### On Life, Career, and Success

1. **On the definition of success:** "Success is not about how much money you make. It's about how many people you help."
2. **On pursuing your dreams:** "If you have a dream, you must protect it. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it."
3. **On the importance of reading:** "Reading is the best way to learn and grow. I read every day."
4. **On continuous learning:** "The world is changing so fast. If you don't keep learning, you will be left behind."
5. **On overcoming setbacks:** "Everyone faces setbacks. The key is to learn from them and never give up."
6. **On the power of relationships:** "Your network is your net worth. Cherish your relationships."
7. **On giving back:** "When you become successful, you have a responsibility to give back to society."
8. **On his own journey:** Reflecting on his struggles to get a visa to study abroad, he learned the importance of perseverance. "Never, never, never give up."
9. **On personal branding:** He is a master of personal branding, using his public persona to attract the best entrepreneurs.
10. **On the value of friendship:** "The friendship and trust between the three founders of New Oriental were the cornerstones of its success."
11. **On passion:** "You must find something you are passionate about. It is the only way to have a truly fulfilling career."
12. **On risk-taking:** "If you don't take risks, you won't achieve anything great."
13. **On humility:** Despite his success, he often emphasizes the importance of staying humble and open to new ideas.
14. **On his nickname "Godfather of Angel Investment in China":** While he is often called this, he maintains a down-to-earth approach, focusing on the entrepreneurs he backs.

### On the Broader Tech and Social Landscape

1. **On the Chinese Dream:** "Entrepreneurship is the best embodiment of the Chinese Dream."
2. **On the comparison between Silicon Valley and China:** "China is learning from Silicon Valley, but it is also innovating in its own unique way."
3. **On the mobile internet in China:** "The mobile internet has transformed China and created opportunities that were unimaginable just a decade ago."
4. **On the next generation of Chinese entrepreneurs:** "The new generation of Chinese entrepreneurs is more global, more ambitious, and more innovative than ever before."
5. **On social responsibility:** "Entrepreneurs have a social responsibility to make the world a better place."
6. **On the role of education:** "Education is the key to unlocking human potential. It changed my life, and I want to help it change the lives of others."
7. **On the importance of English:** As a co-founder of New Oriental, he has always stressed that learning English is a gateway to global opportunities.
8. **On the future of China:** "I am incredibly optimistic about the future of China. The talent and energy here are simply amazing."
9. **On his ultimate advice for young people:** "Be bold, be curious, and be kind. And most importantly, believe in yourself."