（SINGAPORE, 28.10.2025）To make its next great leap, Changsha must welcome aboard all its enterprises—the innovative start-ups, the probing scientists, and the artistic visionaries. They are the vital crew for the ship that will carry the city’s economy to new horizons.
Currently, amid widespread talk of China’s economic slowdown, many established Changsha enterprises continue to thrive, insulated by their strong reputations, market share, and expertise. The city still pulses with vibrant energy, seemingly indifferent to the alleged trends.
According to available reports, Changsha’s economy expanded by an estimated 5.3% in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year. This growth underscores the city’s economic stability and resilience amid a complex and challenging global economic environment.
Ms. Oak Lin, a marketing executive at Hunan Sijiu Technology in Changsha, told Fortune Times that sales continue to be good, pointing to a promising Halloween and Christmas season. She attributes this to robust overseas demand, noting that the tech-driven DIY segment of the handicraft industry has always been resilient to economic shifts.
“Our sales in America actually rose during the pandemic,” she added. “With many people confined to their homes, our machines were a perfect solution for handy individuals with disabilities. They enabled them to pursue their creative activities independently and make an income.”
Sijiu is a hi-tech handicraft company that fuels global creativity with intelligent DIY solutions. Its advanced equipment, including smart engravers and heat presses, combined with AI-powered software, allows designers and creators to effortlessly personalize apparel, décor, and other products. Sijiu provides a seamless journey from concept to finished creation.
The company’s newest invention is a desktop machine that could instantly fabricate bespoke iPhone 17 cases. User just selects the preferred material, color, and pattern, and the device would create the requested unique design on the spot.
The company was founded in 2018 by a native Hunanese and now operates 15 subsidiaries and 3 branch offices. It handles all its own R&D, production, and branding, and its products have reached over 10 million users in more than 50 countries.
Ms. Lin revealed that most of Sijiu’s machines are purchased by foreign buyers, as local clients tend to favor production through ad-hoc contracts, believing this to be more cost-effective.
AthenaEyes, a medical health company headquartered in Changsha, has created and implemented an AI diagnostic machine that applies Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) principles. By analyzing the tongue, face, and pulse of a person, the device could accurately establish his physical condition.
After scanning a patient, the machine would produce an immediate, comprehensive health report that includes diagnostic results, evaluation of his constitution, and a tailored plan for treatment.
Yang Liu, the company’s marketing director, told Fortune Times that their “Bianshi” large language model, the very brain behind the machine, is trained on knowledge and expertise from Chinese physicians with at least eight years of experience.
“Furthermore, the model also incorporated more than 1 million copies of clinical diagnosis. Hence diagnosis accuracy easily exceeds 90%,” he stressed.
According to Mr Yang, AthenaEyes aims to quickly deploy the technology for the general populace. By quickly finding out the health of the people, the machine could enable better organization of patient treatments and ensure primary care resources are used where they are needed most.
“While China has many fine musical instrument makers, our unique strength lies in our unparalleled expertise in modeling the music of the swinging 1960s. No one can match us in this specific area,” Mr. Mars Chen, Vice President of Hotone Audio, told Fortune Times.
Hotone, a Changsha-based company, specializes in R&D, production, and sale of professional audio equipment. Its core product lines include guitar pedals, amplifiers, effects units, and related musical instrument accessories.
The company is a global brand with an extensive export footprint, particularly in the US market. Under its primary and allied brands, the company has launched a portfolio of over 100 products.
But as Mr. Chen has pointed out, Hotone’s reputation is built mainly on its digital amp and effects modeling technology. This is showcased in flagship products like the Ampero series, which use a proprietary engine to digitally replicate the tone and dynamic response of classic analog amplifiers and pedals, especially vintage gear from the 1960s to the 1980s.
At Hotone’s facility in Changsha, product assembly and testing are done largely by hand and ear. When asked why the company has not automated its production line, Mr. Chen responded with conviction, explaining that machines still lack the delicate touch required for handling such precise instruments.
“But automation will come one day,” he added thoughtfully, “when technology advances enough to perform flawlessly. We look forward to that day.”
Rooted in Changsha, Zoomlion is a premier Chinese multinational and a top-tier global manufacturer of heavy machinery. The company’s extensive product portfolio features excavators, cranes, concrete machinery, and aerial work platforms.
“In general, we have 15 vehicle categories, but when you break these down by specific models, the number exceeds 700,” said Mr Chen Hang, overseas sales manager of Zoomlion.
A further demonstration of Zoomlion’s vast capabilities was the 2022 launch of an all-terrain crane featuring a record-breaking 101-meter boom.
Even more impressive is the pervasive use of AI throughout Zoomlion’s factory, where heavy vehicles weighing at least 800 tons —primarily ordered by clients in the Middle East, Africa, and Russia—are assembled from components in minutes.
“While our factory floor is less crowded now, we have not lay anyone off,” said Ms. Christiana Chen, Zoomlion’s assistant general manager. “Instead, we are retraining our workforce to prepare for our expansions.”
With its high-quality products and solutions, Zoomlion has extended its services to more than 170 countries and regions globally. The company has established 13 overseas R&D and manufacturing bases, over 30 major business hubs, and more than 400 secondary service points worldwide. International operations now contribute more than half of its total revenue.
Changsha is home to several hundred thousand corporations. While companies like Sijiu, AthenaEyes, Hotone, and Zoomlion are just a few examples, the collective viability and creativity of the city’s business ecosystem could propel Changsha—currently ranked 15th in industrial power among Chinese cities—into the nation’s top tier.
