Chapter 505: [Zhang Yiming's story with headlines]

(Ps: Chapter 504 has been lifted. Everyone goes back to subscribe and pull data, so it ’s a bit hurt to block it)

After a while, Cao Yi came to Toutiao's office address and learned that a VC came to him in person. The headline that happened to present surprised investor Wang Qiong, general manager of Hainer Asia.
This is very rare. In the early days of the capital market, it was not very optimistic about the headlines. This year, Blue Star Technology and Ali extended their olive branches, and the founder Zhang Yiming and Ao Jiao both rejected it.
In the reception room, Zhang Yiming, the founder of Headline, and Wang Qiong, an investor, brought together the three who came to visit Cao Yi.
"It's true. I can't understand the headline model. The reason why I am interested is because of Bluestar's favor." Cao Yiru said.
This remark made Zhang Yiming dumb, but it has really changed recently. Because of Bluestar Technology, there have been a lot of VC's active telephone consultations. No, there are already VCs visiting us.
The words Bluestar Technology seem to have strange magical powers.
Cao Yi said: "But the very real problem is that the entire information market has basically been divided up, and almost all users have been covered by news clients such as NetEase, Sou Arc, Tencent, and Phoenix. As investors I would like to ask: There are already portals. Both NetEase and Sou Arc claim to have 200 million users. In addition, there are still fresh fruits, Wumei, ZAKER and the like. Is there any room for your headlines? "
Cao Yi added: "As for how this product makes money, commercialization, etc., the status quo of the headlines is not yet that step. As an investor, we are only discussing whether this market can still accommodate the next new information customer. End, the product is good? But the market has been divided up. "
Zhang Yiming said succinctly: "Headline is a slow-moving product."
At this time, Ms. Wang Qiong also spoke: "Remember that I went out with Yiming last year to show our products to others. Everyone will think that the technology is good, but how much does technology have to do with success? The existing portals do not use this technology, and they all have It meets the needs of users very well, so they will question, is the value and benefits of this technology to users so great? "
Immediately after, Zhang Yiming said frankly, "We can't answer these questions immediately, we can only rely on subsequent figures."
As the exchanges continued to advance, Wang Qiong introduced Cao Yi's past developments to Cao Yi.
"In October last year, Yiming took the product out for a lap, and it did not go well. At that time, we judged that smartphone shipments will continue to increase this year, even more than last year. We must seize this opportunity. So at the end of last year , Hainer Asia invested another 1 million US dollars in the A + round and provided a bridge loan of 1 million US dollars. The two million US dollars are intended to make the headline have enough time to grow a little bigger, and the data is more Be convincing. "
After hearing that, Cao Yi asked briefly: "What about the data now?"
Zhang Yiming: "As of March, there are 3 million daily live data in the headline, and it has been steadily increasing."
Sitting next to himself, Wang Qiong joked: "In the past, I brushed my face and brushed at least 20 friends from the investment community to meet them and introduce Yiming's products. But in a circle, Still no one is optimistic about the headlines. Recently, one or two of them expressed their willingness to invest because of Bluestar Technology, but the offer was too low and did not meet our expectations. The domestic capital market was almost optimistic about Yiming and Today ’s headlines before Bluestar Technology. Agency, it's really frustrating. "
In fact, Zhang Yiming is even more frustrated that the current capital market understands him and today's headline is Bluestar Technology, but it is exactly what he does not want to accept, because he does not want to be the brother of any of the giants.
On the other hand, Zhang Yiming was also frightened. The headline technology is the intelligent recommendation engine, and the blue star technology of intelligence is undoubtedly the most slippery one, or the Blue Coast, anyway, Luo Sheng is the current AI number one player.
Now rejecting Bluestar Technology, Zhang Yiming knows that once Bluestar Technology really exerts its power, the odds of headlines wanting to stand out from the competition are almost zero.
Not only will my dream of becoming a 100 billion-level company become the world's largest content creation platform, I also feel very sorry for Haina, the investor, because Toutiao is the only company that makes projects that participate in the headlines from 0 to 1. the whole process.
Cao Yi watched Zhang Yiming's methodical way: "In today's Internet entrepreneurial circle, 'burning money' seems to be a problem that every startup company will encounter every day. What is Zhang's opinion on this industry competition today?"
After hearing this, Zhang Yiming thought for a moment before answering: "If your system has a much higher overall efficiency than your opponents, in fact, by simply burning money, it can generate competitiveness. For example, two cars, it If the conversion from fuel combustion to power is several times worse, then if you burn oil alone, the larger the scale, the greater the loss. So whether it is burning or not burning, it should be on the premise of this efficiency. under."
Cao Yi continued to ask: "We must face up to a very realistic problem. In the competition, the LAT Big Three is a topic that cannot be bypassed, and may face a choice. Which queue should we stand in? There are multiple-choice questions that everyone in the Internet entrepreneurial community has to face. Has the headline thought about this? "
Zhang Yiming replied without hesitation: "Thinking is to try not to stand in line."
Cao Yi watched him: "It doesn't seem like you should stand in line."
Zhang Yiming: "Be realistic. Maybe we have to use Luo Sheng's AI technology. There is no doubt about the technical potential of this blue star technology."
Cao Yi laughed: "Frankly, I really appreciate your reality, but if you stand in the team, what impact will it have on the development of headlines?"
Zhang Yiming replied: "Into the new year, the two giants, Bluestar Technology and Ali, have fought around the payment market. The whole industry is hesitant because the giants are guarding each other and entering the other's field. If you stand in line, you may compete It will be more intense. This is very possible. I think this is the main point. We do n’t have to absolutely not stand in the team, or we ca n’t stand in the team. I think it may be more meaningful if we have the opportunity to grow relatively independently. "
After a pause, Zhang Yiming added: "Because in fact, the current pattern of the domestic Internet has also been around for a long time, it is more than a decade. If there can be a new company and a new heart platform, I think this is also a Good demonstration. "
Cao Yi laughed suddenly and said, "General Zhang's approach is very direct, and the industry has also seen it. At the beginning of the month, there were rumors that Blue Star Technology was going to make headlines. You are direct, you don't come, I still I want to do it alone. Is this the case for Bluestar Technology, for Ali, and for all the giants? "
Zhang Yiming confronted Cao Yi with a serious expression and responded, "When I saw this news, a colleague came to me and asked me that I didn't join the headline as an employee of Bluestar Technology, maybe he was a former employee of Bluestar Technology I do n’t know, he and I did n’t come to be employees of Bluestar Technology, so the response I gave him, in fact, I did n’t create a headline to become a Bluestar Technology employee. But this is not because we cooperate or compete with Bluestar Technology. Whatever the problem, I just want to express a meaning that we want to be a platform-level company that is of great value to society, so this expression is not targeted. "
Cao Yi: "It's not how boring it is for others to buy shares, but how boring it is not to grow up by yourself?"
Zhang Yiming nodded: "Yes, the main thing I want to express to employees or the industry is that the headline still has its own aspirations."
This answer is almost the same as the original response to Pang Lei, but Cao Yi did not know this, and he did not even know that his big boss behind the scenes was actually the ultimate BOSS of Blue Star Technology.
Cao Yi asked with a laugh: "Mr. Zhang, wouldn't you be worried that your attitude or expression would make any one of Bluestar Technology and Ali uncomfortable?"
Hearing such a problem, Zhang Yiming couldn't help but touch the lower bridge of his nose, thought for a while, lowered his eyebrows, and laughed at himself: "I think they are all very smart. Entrepreneurs shouldn't be angry because of that. "
Zhang Yiming's story has been told for almost 40 to 50 minutes. Cao Yi felt that it was almost the same. On the one hand, it was to listen to the story told by the founder. On the other hand, what Cao Yi did not come out was that his boss gave the task explicitly. To invest in headlines, invest in Zhang Yiming.
It's just that as a qualified and excellent VC, this sense of urgent need has not been exposed throughout the process.
Cao Yi laughed: "Before I saw you, I remained skeptical, but after communicating with you, I started to believe that you can make a company."
Zhang Yi clearly has a holistic view in the process of storytelling. He is not eager for quick success, arrogant but not proud, and very easy to learn. Compared to other founders, he is closer to being able to do big things.
When Wang Qiong heard Cao Yi's words, he couldn't help but be pleased. This VC had a drama.
Zhang Yiming's modest polite smile and said goodbye ~ EbookFREE.me ~ but there was no response like award.
Cao Yi really began to admire him, and admired the big guy at the headquarters. It really looked like a torch. The potential of the startup company almost depends on the founder, and then he smiled and said, "Zhang, I represent Anaheim Asia Technology The venture capital fund hopes to be able to lead your company's Series B financing. I brought in $ 70 million this time, and I want to give it all to you. "
Zhang Yiming: "..."
Wang Qiong: "..."
Hearing the $ 70 million figure really scared the two of them. They hadn't had time to understand the so-called Anaheim Technology Venture Fund, their investment background, their strength, etc.
But when this remark came out, it was a $ 70 million face-lift. Nothing else, at least, proved that this North American venture capital agency is not a bad money maker.
Zhang Yiming suddenly felt that even if he did not attach to the giants, the headlines would usher in a new dawn.
Global Monopoly of Technology