QILIAN REN

Building in public | From IVD & manufacturing to AI and indie software making

Shanghai, China

About

Experience

  • Indie Software Maker / AI Developer at kuroneko-cmd.dev
    Aug 2024 - Present · 1 yr 11 mos

    I spent years working with Japanese companies in the China market, starting in manufacturing and later in in-vitro diagnostics (IVD). That cross-border experience shaped how I think about products, systems, and constraints. In recent years, cost containment and VBP (volume-based procurement) have made both manufacturing and healthcare tougher for Japanese businesses. Rather than fight the tide, I decided to pivot into AI and independent software development — not only to make a living, but to build things that genuinely create value. This is a mid-career reinvention. I’m now in my second year of learning and shipping, building calm, practical tools that combine product thinking with hands-on experience across China–Japan business contexts. Here I share concise business and tech insights — lessons from AI, product design, and day-to-day indie making — alongside reflections on strategy, execution, and what it means to build sustainably in public.