Inside China’s Chip Revolution: Exclusive Interview with ChipCreate Chairman Zhao Zhu on the Future of MEMS Infrared Sensors

 

Zhao Zhu of ChipCreate and Lingmai Sensor Visits Kinghelm and Slkor Headquarters

In the fast-moving world of semiconductor innovation, few companies have risen as quickly — or as strategically — as ChipCreate Technologies and its subsidiary Lingmai Sensor. Guided by a philosophy of precision, depth, and service, the company has spent over 15 years perfecting one of the most technically demanding frontiers in modern sensing: MEMS-based infrared temperature detection.

Driven by continuous R&D and a fully integrated supply chain, ChipCreate has developed high-performance, cost-effective domestic sensor solutions that are now replacing legacy products once dominated by European, American, and Japanese manufacturers. Its technology powers a wide range of applications across consumer and industrial sectors, serving industry leaders such as Midea, Fotile, Dreame, Moonlight Group, and Han’s Laser.

In this exclusive feature, Kinghelm Media interviews Zhao Zhu, the founder, chairman, and CEO of ChipCreate and Lingmai Sensor — a visionary technologist whose balance of academic rigor and industrial insight has positioned his company at the forefront of China’s next-generation semiconductor movement.

From Energetic Materials to Microelectronics: A Founder Forged by Intensity

ChipCreate: A Decade of Technological Breakthroughs (2014–2023)

Born in 1981 in China’s Liaoning Province, Zhao Zhu did not begin his journey in semiconductors — but in a field that demanded equally uncompromising precision. He completed a seven-year combined bachelor’s and master’s program at the North University of China, majoring in Safety Engineering with a focus on energetic materials — including initiation systems, transmission mechanisms, and controlled explosives — where even the smallest miscalculation could mean life or death.

“Transitioning from energetic materials to microelectronics wasn’t just a career change — it was a complete reset,” Zhao recalls. “I spent 12 to 13 hours in the lab every day. Each month, our progress was challenged through rigorous research defenses. That discipline taught me endurance — the ability to keep going long after fatigue sets in — and that same persistence is what drives long-cycle innovation in semiconductors today.”

Founding Journey: From Studio Startup to National High-Tech Enterprise

ChipCreate’s Certifications and Industry Recognitions

After graduating in 2007, Zhao Zhu spent two years gaining industry experience before taking an entrepreneurial leap in 2009 by founding a small independent design studio. What began as an informal collaboration among a handful of engineers with a shared vision eventually evolved into ChipCreate Technologies, officially established in Beijing in 2014.

Over the next decade, the company earned recognition as both a Zhongguancun High-Tech Enterprise and a National High-Tech Enterprise — achievements grounded not in marketing slogans, but in genuine engineering innovation and proven technical results.

In 2023, Zhao took the next strategic step by founding Lingmai Sensor in Shenzhen, extending ChipCreate’s reach to the heart of China’s manufacturing powerhouse. This move united the strengths of Beijing’s innovation ecosystem with the Greater Bay Area’s industrial agility, positioning the company to respond faster to market demands and better support downstream clients.

Technology Stack: “Sensor + Algorithm + Product-Level Calibration” as a Core Engine

Flagship Products of the LeaMEMS Brand

Unlike conventional chip vendors that merely sell wafers or packaged dies, ChipCreate operates through a full-stack, application-driven model that seamlessly integrates:

• MEMS Infrared Sensor Chips

• Algorithm Libraries (Lib Functions)

• Product-Level Calibration and Validation Processes

• Custom Sensor Modules and Complete End Solutions

This vertically integrated strategy reflects Zhao Zhu’s guiding philosophy:

“We don’t just sell sensors — we deliver functionality.”

Through its flagship brands LeaMEMS and LinKon, ChipCreate has emerged as a formidable global competitor — and in many cases, a direct replacement — for industry leaders such as Melexis (Belgium), Heimann Sensor (Germany), Excelitas (USA), and Nicera (Japan).

Market Positioning: A “1-Centimeter Wide, 1-Kilometer Deep” Strategy

 

LeaMEMS’ Innovative Customer Service Workflow

Zhao has deliberately steered clear of the conventional startup path of rapid diversification. Instead, he champions a vertical specialization strategy:

“In this field, success demands mastery across hardware, optics, materials, thermodynamics, and real-world application environments. If you spread yourself too thin, you end up mastering none. Our philosophy is simple — focus on a narrow domain, and go infinitely deep.”

This disciplined focus has enabled ChipCreate to develop solutions with exceptional repeatability, minimal substitution risk, and robust intellectual property protection — giving the company both pricing power and strategic leverage in an industry long plagued by commoditization.

Service Model: Breaking Industry Convention with Full Lifecycle Support

Unlike conventional sensor vendors that outsource calibration and leave system integration to the customer, ChipCreate runs its own factory-level calibration and validation line, equipped with advanced infrastructure including:

• Blackbody radiation sources for precision temperature reference

• Constant-temperature water baths for stability testing

• Controlled thermal chambers for environmental validation

• Custom fixtures and proprietary in-house software for seamless data integration

ChipCreate’s five-step engagement framework delivers true end-to-end value:

1. Customer Sample Testing – Extracting real-world thermal profiles

2. Algorithm Customization – Embedding optimized Lib functions for each application

3. Calibration & Production Validation – Ensuring field-level accuracy and repeatability

4. Delivery & Mass Production – Streamlined for scalability

5. Ongoing Sensor + Software Library Support – Continuous optimization post-deployment

This vertically integrated model dramatically reduces clients’ engineering complexity, enabling what Zhao calls “plug-and-deploy sensing” — high-performance infrared detection that works right out of the box.

Industry Insight: “Domestic Substitution Is Rising — But So Are the Challenges”

Zhao Zhu: Building China’s Next-Generation Strength in MEMS Infrared Sensing

“Yes, localization and domestic alternatives are advancing rapidly,” he says. “But that also brings overcapacity, price wars, and product homogenization. True innovation today isn’t just about making chips — it’s about understanding the entire application ecosystem. That’s why we insist on owning both the sensor and its algorithmic intelligence.”

He’s equally clear-eyed about what it takes to endure in semiconductors.

“This industry doesn’t reward impatience,” Zhao notes. “If you’re chasing quick wins, this isn’t your field. We chose the harder, steeper path intentionally — because we’re here to build something foundational, not just transactional.”

Looking Forward: Engineering a Global Competitor From China

With China now accounting for over 50% of the world’s sensor consumption, the balance of technological power is shifting — and the country’s ability to rebuild once foreign-dominated technologies from the ground up is becoming clear. For Zhao and his team, however, the mission extends beyond business. It’s strategic.

“The world doesn’t need another assembler,” Zhao says. “It needs original sensor companies with defensible, homegrown technologies. That’s the role we’re determined to play.”

Together, ChipCreate and Lingmai Sensor — alongside fellow innovators Kinghelm and Slkor — are redefining what it means to be a semiconductor company in China. They aren’t just supplying components; they’re shaping entire technology categories.

As part of a new generation of full-stack MEMS and RF sensing pioneers, these companies demonstrate that true leadership in semiconductors doesn’t come from imitation, but from persistence, engineering rigor, and the courage to innovate from first principles.