Yifan Li

Hesai CEO and Founder of Sharpa

Shanghai, China

About

I am a roboticist by training, and an entertrepreneur by passion. At school, I studied advanced motion control theory, to control the movement of any machine to the highest precision. In reality, I enjoy building things, especially things that move on its own, from the most critical sensors on a self-driving car (LiDAR), to a mechatronic diamond that senses motion and opens itself, when I proposed to my wife, in 2012.

Experience

  • Founder at Sharpa
    2024 - Present · 2 yrs 6 mos

    We manufacture time - by making robots useful.

  • Co-Founder & CEO at Hesai Technology
    Nov 2014 - Present · 11 yrs 8 mos

    We develop the "eyes" of future robots and cars

  • Young Global Leader (Class2021) at World Economic Forum
    Mar 2021 - May 2026 · 5 yrs 3 mos

  • Principal Engineer at WD, a Western Digital company
    Aug 2013 - Oct 2014 · 1 yr 3 mos

    I help develop the advanced robotics motion control system for the next generation hard drives