Hello World
Origin of Oasa
30th Birthday
The genesis of Oasa traces back to my 30th birthday. On that day, while lying on the grass in a park near my home, I pondered my mission in this world. At the time, I was working at Dreame, grappling with two conflicting thoughts. One was to choose a stable life, enjoying the simple pleasure of lying on the grass and feeling the breeze. The other was to embark on a new entrepreneurial journey, despite the potential for more hardship.
In this hustle and bustle of the world, everyone yearns for their oasis, and home is the closest thing to such a sanctuary. We should leverage robotics to free ourselves from our busy lives, making home our true oasis. With this belief, and reflecting on my growth and work experiences, I decided to pursue my entrepreneurial dream. But with the opportunity to make a meaningful difference and create more value for users.
Growth Background
When I was a child, I enjoyed playing strategy games such as the "Total War" and "Civilization" series. My father was once the head of a startup incubator and participated in internet startups in 2008. During my time at the incubator, I witnessed many projects transition from the lab to countless households, growing from two-person teams to billion-dollar companies. These experiences instilled in me the seed of entrepreneurship from a young age.
Clear Water Bay StartX
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Clear Water Bay StartX
My entrepreneurial journey began at 23 while studying at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. In 2015, during my pursuit of a master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering, I joined the Clear Water Bay StartX led by Professor Li Zexiang. There, I met many outstanding individuals, including DJI’s Frank Wang. It was also there that I met my business partner, Junbin Zhang, and together we founded Narwal.
First Entrepreneurial Journey
After graduating from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2016, my team and I co-founded Narwal Robotics. Over the next four years, we developed the world's first self-cleaning mop and vacuum robot, the Narwal J1. During this period, I was primarily responsible for software development, overseeing decision-making systems, simulators, and software frameworks.
Robotic Lawn Mower
After working at Narwal and Dreame, I realized the limited impact of further improvements in vacuum robot navigation systems. This led me to consider other areas where robotics could offer greater convenience. I observed that the robotic lawn mower industry, much like the early days of the vacuum robot industry, faced numerous issues, such as clumsy path planning, difficult perimeter wire and RTK deployments, poor edge cutting, and unsatisfactory basic mowing functions. I saw this as an opportunity to leverage my experience and expertise in the vacuum robot industry to develop a product that truly addresses consumer needs.
Oasa's Vision
While visiting major cities, I came across the concept of "urban oasis"—green spaces where city dwellers can relax and unwind. This is the vision I have for people's homes. My goal is for Oasa to leverage automation technology to transform homes into self-maintaining sanctuaries. By freeing people from tedious maintenance tasks through advanced robotics, Oasa aims to help you step into your oasis.
Building the Team
Building the team was easier than I anticipated, largely because most members were our former colleagues. My co-founder, Rick Qiu, whom I met and befriended while working at Dreame, left his position at DJI to join me in founding Oasa. With Rick's help, we recruited a highly skilled team from DJI and the autonomous vehicle industry. Like Rick and me, all team members left their secure positions to join Oasa because they wanted to make a meaningful impact.
User Research
To create an excellent robotic lawn mower, we had to start with the users. We traveled across the United States, examining the various landscapes and environments the robot would need to handle. We visited New Jersey, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Seattle, Houston, and New York, and discovered that most people's yards were less than a quarter-acre, diverse, and complex. The existing technology was clearly inadequate for these challenges. We engaged with people, asking about their yard activities. Yard layouts and items varied greatly, including barbecues, gardening, pet areas, pools, trampolines, and playgrounds. For a robot to be truly useful, it must be capable of handling these diverse scenarios.
Challenges
Our first major hurdle was securing funding. We needed investors, but our innovative approach was difficult for many to understand. While other mowers used RTK technology, we opted for LiDAR-Vision Perception systems for their superior setup ease and performance.
From 2022 to 2023, numerous competitors entered the market, increasing external pressures. I faced the dual challenges of securing funding and navigating a competitive market. However, I remained steadfast in my belief that all resources should be dedicated to creating an exceptional product experience. I aimed to earn the respect of our users. Many did not understand my approach and questioned my decisions, suggesting that our limited funds be allocated to marketing, promotion, and even early crowdfunding. Nevertheless, through perseverance, we secured the largest funding in the robotic lawn mower industry when we had only three months of runway left.
Developing the Reel Mower System
Developing the reel mower system was a significant challenge. We chose this system for its superior cutting performance, easier cleaning, and reduced risk of jamming compared to rotary blade mowers. However, the engineering design was extremely complex. Since no other company used this system, finding a suitable manufacturer was also difficult. Ultimately, we produced a prototype.
Next, we had to test it. We initially planned for EVT 3 to be the final product version and conducted user research and real-world field testing in Houston and Los Angeles. However, I was not satisfied with the results. I delayed product development by two months, believing significant improvements could be made to meet all users’ needs. This led to some disagreements. The marketing team protested because we would miss the scheduled product photo shoots. Investors also pressured me due to the impact on our deadlines.
Despite this, I was determined to persist. I believed this would have a significant impact on our customers. Ultimately, we developed EVT 4. We raised the chassis height to 4.3 inches, increased motor power, and improved the wheels to handle higher lawns, more diverse terrains, and provide better flexibility and power.
Current Progress
Despite the challenges, progress has been excellent. The R1 lawn mower is complete, and the product launch is on schedule.
Thank you very much for your support in helping me realize my dream on my 30th birthday. Now that we have reached this point, I believe the R1 will be the first step in improving users’s lives.
I look forward to the day we can help you step into your oasis.
