Chapter 880
Are you willing to accept this?
Zhang Zhongmou looked at Lin Haoran and directly voiced his deepest doubts, which he also considered the most fatal weakness: "Mr. Lin, I understand your sentiments and strategic considerations."
However, we must face the reality that Hong Kong, and even the whole of Asia, currently lags behind the United States, especially Silicon Valley and Texas, in core semiconductor technologies, top talent, complete industrial chains, and cutting-edge innovation ecosystems, except for Japan, which has made some achievements in specific fields.
This is not something that can be quickly remedied by funding and determination. By placing the headquarters and core of a semiconductor company with huge investments in Hong Kong, we may very well lose at the very beginning due to the lack of 'soil' and 'climate'.
Although I have no intention of joining Mr. Lin's camp, I still suggest that if he wants to build a semiconductor giant from scratch, it would be best to establish the company in the United States!
Zhang Zhongmou's last words carried a frankness based on professional judgment, as well as a well-intentioned reminder of Lin Haoran's grand plan.
In his view, this might be a more responsible response than a direct rejection.
However, after hearing this, Lin Haoran's smile deepened.
He was not swayed by this sharp question.
Yes, Hong Kong today certainly doesn't seem to have the fertile ground to give birth to semiconductor giants.
It can be said that everything needs to be started from scratch.
It's definitely going to be very difficult.
However, he was very confident.
If the United States can do it, and Japan can do it, why can't Hong Kong do it?
Since Taiwan and South Korea could do it in later generations, and even mainland China could break through numerous blockades in later generations.
So, with his foresight, substantial capital, early planning, and the addition of Zhang Zhongmou as a key figure, why can't Lin Haoran create miracles in Hong Kong?
This thought flashed through Lin Haoran's mind like lightning, giving him the strongest confidence to answer Zhang Zhongmou.
He did not immediately refute, but slowly said, "Mr. Zhang, you are right. The gap is objectively real, and the difficulties are also very real."
However, I would like to ask you a question: what kind of place was Silicon Valley more than 30 years ago, before the invention of the transistor?
What was the climate like in Tokyo and Osaka before Sony and Toshiba ventured into semiconductors in Japan?
He paused, looked at Zhang Zhongmou and continued, "These places that later became semiconductor hubs were, in their early days, deserts or the margins."
Are they able to rise to prominence simply by waiting for the soil to become fertile on its own?
No, they relied on vision, determination, huge investment, and a group of pioneers who dared to sow seeds in the desert and firmly believed that they could grow into towering trees!
As for me, since I dared to enter this industry, I have the determination. In my opinion, money still calls the shots in this world. As long as I invest enough funds, I can solve most problems.
Talented people aren't coming? We can offer salaries that are 50% higher, or even double, than those in Silicon Valley or Texas Instruments, plus attractive stock options!
Lack of technology? We can spend money to acquire promising small companies and labs, or obtain technology licenses at high prices!
Unable to buy the equipment? We can obtain it through complex channels and at a premium!
The industrial chain is incomplete? We can invest in or support related supporting enterprises!
Lin Haoran's tone was resolute, carrying an undeniable sense of financial strength and determination: "Mr. Zhang, I admit that starting in Hong Kong means we will have to pay a much higher price and make a much greater effort than in the United States."
But I also believe that the power of money can greatly accelerate this process and bridge the so-called 'soil' and 'climate' gaps.
We don't need to accumulate experience slowly over ten or twenty years like the United States and Japan did back then.
We can use our substantial capital to buy time, technology, and talent, and build the framework of a world-class company in the shortest possible time!
This is the source of Lin Haoran's confidence.
In his view, semiconductor technology is still very backward, and now is the best time to enter the market.
It can be said that the golden age of semiconductors has only just begun.
The technological path, market breakthroughs, and even potential disruptive innovations for the next few decades are not entirely clear to him, a person from the future.
But its general outline and key turning points are seen further than any industry expert in the world today.
This is his true, unique "trump card".
He paused briefly, then looked at Zhang Zhongmou with even greater sincerity: "And you, Mr. Zhang, are the key soul that will make all of this possible."
Having money alone, without the right strategy, top-notch technical judgment, and excellent management, will only lead to money going down the drain.
But with you at the helm, my funds can be used to their fullest potential, transforming into technological advantages, product advantages, and market share in the most efficient way.
You are an 'alchemist' who can transform capital into core competitiveness!
"I invited you not only because of your technology and experience, but also because I believe that only an industry leader like you can truly manage such a huge capital investment and forge an unprecedented path to success on this special land of Hong Kong."
This is an unprecedented challenge, but it may also be an unprecedented achievement: using capital and top talent to create a semiconductor giant in a place that seems to lack the necessary conditions!
This in itself will be a legend in business history!
Lin Haoran combines the "money is everything" theory with Zhang Zhongmou's "Midas touch" ability to depict a grand blueprint for breaking through the impasse with capital violence and rapidly building miracles in the desert.
This not only demonstrates his unparalleled confidence in his financial resources, but also bestows upon Zhang Zhongmou a very high position and high expectations. He is not only a manager, but also the core engine for creating miracles.
Entering the semiconductor industry will definitely require burning through cash, and it's very likely a bottomless pit.
But what Lin Haoran has in abundance is money.
He not only possesses a vast wealth accumulated through his foresight, but also a snowballing cash flow generated through his companies in the global financial market, real estate market, and many other promising industries.
The semiconductor war is a war of attrition involving capital, technology, and talent, and he has ample ammunition to sustain him until the day of victory.
However, he also knew that Zhang Zhongmou would not be so easily persuaded by these words to leave Texas Instruments, the world's largest semiconductor company, and join a new company that was still in the process of being established.
Zhang Zhongmou listened quietly.
Lin Haoran's answer was both within his expectations and beyond them.
That unwavering belief in the power of capital, that boldness that "problems that can be solved with money are not problems," is something he has rarely encountered in his career.
He had to admit that the picture Lin Haoran painted was extremely tempting, and he was indeed somewhat moved by Lin Haoran's bold and logical argument of "money paves the way, talent is the core".
At the same time, Zhang Zhongmou also realized that the young man in front of him was not acting on impulse.
Instead, it was the result of careful consideration and possessed resources and a determination to break through that are unimaginable to ordinary people.
This spirit of "knowing there are tigers in the mountains, yet venturing into the tiger's den," along with the extreme trust placed in him as a "trump card" of enormous capital and personal ability, not only put him under immense pressure but also stirred up the long-dormant passion within him that belonged to pioneers and conquerors.
As a manager with a technical background, he is well aware of the ruthlessness of the semiconductor industry, which is both a technology-intensive arena and a capital-intensive meat grinder.
However, he was not so easily persuaded.
Texas Instruments' ability to become a giant is also due to decades of continuous and massive investment.
With virtually unlimited capital backing, many obstacles can indeed be forcibly removed.
But the problem is precisely that near-infinity is itself a dangerous illusion.
After a long silence, Zhang Zhongmou finally spoke: "Mr. Lin, your confidence in the power of capital is impressive, and I also believe that sufficient funds can accelerate many processes."
However, in the semiconductor industry, especially for a company aspiring to become an industry giant, success cannot be achieved solely through the accumulation of capital.
Lin Haoran did not rush to refute, but instead showed an understanding smile.
He picked up the teacup in front of him, took a small sip, and smiled, "Mr. Zhang, you are right, I am all ears."
Zhang Zhongmou continued, "First, the accumulation and breakthroughs in technology have their own inherent laws."
Some core technologies cannot be acquired simply by purchasing them, nor can they be mastered immediately by poaching a few star engineers with high salaries.
It requires time to mature, for the team to gel, and for room to experiment. Capital can shorten these periods, but it cannot completely skip them.
"Second, the construction of the industrial chain. The semiconductor industry, from design, manufacturing, packaging and testing to equipment and materials, is an extremely complex and precise ecosystem."
Even in Silicon Valley, a new company needs the support of the mature ecosystem around it.
In Hong Kong, you almost have to build this ecosystem from scratch. It's not as simple as investing in a few supporting companies. It involves the interaction of standards, logistics, intellectual property rights, and even the adaptation and shaping of local policies and regulations.
This is a complex system engineering project, time-consuming, labor-intensive, and fraught with uncertainty.
"Third, and I think most importantly, is the ability to unite talent and the shaping of culture."
High salaries and equity can attract talent, but how can we get the world's top engineers and scientists to settle in Hong Kong, far from traditional semiconductor centers, for the long term?
How can we convince them that this is not a testing ground for capital, but a place where technological ideals can be realized, where there are long-term commitments, and where they can participate in writing history?
This requires more than just money; it also requires a clear vision, a stable strategy, outstanding leadership, and a unique corporate culture cultivated over time.
However, if you distance yourself from the main ecosystem from the very beginning, the challenges in this regard will be magnified exponentially.
Lin Haoran had to admit that Zhang Zhongmou truly deserved to be called a top semiconductor management master of this era; with just a few words, he got straight to the heart of the problem. Technological laws, ecosystem building, and talent and culture—these three mountains cannot be easily moved by money alone.
He was not deterred by these questions.
"Mr. Zhang, thank you for your candor. The three points you raised are indeed the ultimate challenges that any semiconductor company with long-term aspirations, especially a company like ours that has chosen the 'new frontier' strategy, must face and solve."
"I have some preliminary thoughts on these three points, which could perhaps be called the basic framework for how we can build an oasis in the desert. I would like to ask for your feedback." Lin Haoran said with a smile.
"Oh? Mr. Lin, please go on!" Zhang Zhongmou immediately became curious.
"First of all, I completely agree with the laws of technological accumulation. Core technologies require time to accumulate, refine, and experiment, and cannot be bought with money."
However, we can optimize this process to the maximum extent through strategies, and even achieve leapfrog development in some areas.
My approach is a dual-track strategy of catching up in basic areas and making breakthroughs in cutting-edge technologies.
"On the one hand, we acknowledge the gap in basic processes and technologies that are relatively mature but necessary for us to build manufacturing capabilities, but we do not pursue complete independent research and development of all aspects."
We can quickly obtain a reliable 'baseline' through technology licensing, collaborative research and development, or even by acquiring small teams or companies that own relevant technology patents.
This will cost money, but it will greatly shorten our time from zero to one. The goal here is to catch up quickly and ensure that we can produce qualified products.
"On the other hand, and more importantly, we must concentrate our best resources, including funding and the top team you will lead in the future, to bet on the 'key technology directions for the next five to ten years' that you mentioned."
In these emerging fields that have not yet been completely monopolized or standardized by giants, the starting line gap between everyone is relatively small.
By leveraging our capital advantage to attract top talent and build special forces, we can conduct high-intensity, high-investment research and development, making it entirely possible to achieve breakthroughs quickly and even take the lead in certain areas.
Use purchased technology to ensure survival and initial revenue generation, and use independently developed "sharp tools" to break into the market, establish technological barriers, and build brand reputation.
This is the technological path I envision.
Zhang Zhongmou nodded slightly. This "dual-track strategy" was indeed much more mature and feasible than simply "buying, buying, buying".
It acknowledges the existing gaps but also points out the possibility of using capital to achieve differentiated competition.
"Secondly, regarding the construction of the industrial chain ecosystem," Lin Haoran continued, "my idea is to initially build a global collaborative network with Hong Kong as the core."
“We will not replicate a complete, traditional vertical industry chain in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is positioned as a core technology R&D center, a high-end manufacturing base, a strategic decision-making center, and a capital operation platform.”
It requires an environment that is both highly technology- and capital-intensive, and Hong Kong's internationalization and financial advantages precisely support this.
"As for other links in the industrial chain, we can currently achieve optimal global allocation."
For the time being, chip design can establish cutting-edge laboratories in Silicon Valley and Tokyo to attract the most active creative ideas in those areas;
In addition to the high-end line in Hong Kong, the initial manufacturing capacity could be expanded to include large-scale, mature process production lines in regions with advantages in land and labor costs and a certain electronic industry foundation.
For equipment and materials, strategic partnerships have been established with top global suppliers, and these partnerships have even been deepened through investment and joint research and development.
"We leverage Hong Kong's status as a free port and financial hub to create an efficient service platform that provides unified procurement coordination, logistics optimization, intellectual property management, and financing support for this global network."
In this way, we not only have independent control over core processes, but also gain cost advantages and flexibility through global collaboration, and can quickly access the latest global technologies and market dynamics.
We are building a virtual, but highly collaborative, vertically integrated entity, rather than a physically centralized industrial cluster.
This might seem like a forward-thinking model today, but I believe it's the best path for ambitious newcomers like ours.
A glint of light flashed in Zhang Zhongmou's eyes.
This idea broke away from the conventional thinking on industrial development at the time and was extremely forward-looking.
It not only acknowledged the limitations of Hong Kong's local conditions but also cleverly combined the wave of globalization with Hong Kong's unique advantages, turning a passive situation into an active one.
This requires exceptional resource integration capabilities and an international perspective, and Lin Haoran's demonstrated financial strength and determination seem to be precisely for this purpose.
Lin Haoran's idea was actually very simple: as long as the technology was developed and firmly controlled in his own hands, even if he couldn't place the entire industrial chain in Hong Kong and the mainland in the short term, he would have the time and ability to gradually transfer these core links back in the future, and eventually form a complete independent and controllable industrial chain.
It's just a matter of timing and priority.
Lin Haoran temporarily put aside this longer-term vision and focused on solving the immediate problem of "persuasion".
He then shifted to the most crucial point: "Finally, regarding talent, I've done my research. There are quite a few Chinese engineers and even experts in the semiconductor industry in Silicon Valley, Texas, and even Europe. In the initial stage, apart from recruiting a few top experts, we can mainly rely on Chinese engineers."
They have a natural affinity for Eastern culture, while also being very familiar with the American technology system.
If we could offer Hong Kong a compensation package, technological challenges, and career development platform that rivals or even surpasses Silicon Valley, especially if we could invite a leading figure like yourself to take the lead.
I believe that attracting a large number of outstanding Chinese engineers to 'return' or 'move eastward' is a perfectly feasible starting point.
Lin Haoran continued, "Furthermore, we should not only focus on mature engineers."
Hong Kong and its neighboring areas boast many excellent universities, such as Hong Kong University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and future top universities in mainland China.
We can establish generous scholarships and joint laboratories, and build in-depth cooperation with these universities to identify and cultivate potential local talent in advance.
In the long run, establishing our own talent development mechanism is fundamental. Initially, we should attract overseas Chinese elites with high salaries to build the core framework; in the medium term, we should cultivate local talent through cooperation; and in the long term, we should form a self-sustaining, ever-growing pyramid-shaped talent pool.
"As for your concerns about culture building, I believe that precisely because we are starting from scratch, we can avoid the problems of large corporations and create a unique culture that we want."
We can establish a few unshakable core principles from the very beginning: for example, prioritizing technological contributions and eliminating bureaucracy;
We encourage open communication and allow for trial and error, but require rapid learning.
It emphasizes teamwork, but also respects individual heroic breakthroughs;
The company's long-term success is deeply tied to the personal wealth and reputation of each core member.
Whether these principles can be effectively implemented depends on how you lead by example, how you design systems, and how you put them into practice in your daily management, if Mr. Zhang is willing to join.
As the person in charge of the company, you are the most direct embodiment and guardian of this culture.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhongmou's long silence was replaced by a complex emotion that mixed astonishment, solemnity, and a hint of relief.
Lin Haoran's response not only fully addressed his three core questions, but also demonstrated a profound and systematic insight into industry, talent, and organization that transcends his age.
It has to be said that he was somewhat persuaded.
He took a deep breath before saying, "Mr. Lin, what you have presented to me today is not just ambition, but also an almost complete 'battle plan' for building a semiconductor giant in Hong Kong."
From the dual-track technology approach and ecological network to talent strategy and cultural shaping, each element is interconnected and addresses the core issues.
I must admit that, from a professional standpoint, I find it difficult to find any fundamental logical flaws.
"But we both know that even the most perfect blueprint is just a blueprint. In the semiconductor industry, the final competition is about execution, the ability, resilience, and resources to turn ideas into reality brick by brick when faced with countless unknown difficulties."
I am currently a vice president at Texas Instruments, a senior executive at a globally renowned semiconductor company, with a stable position. Joining your program is nothing short of a huge career adventure for me, even a high-stakes gamble.
Why do you think I should leave Texas Instruments based on your words and risk joining a fledgling company, gambling on a future that everyone considers unlikely?
Zhang Zhongmou's question hits the nail on the head.
This is not a technical or strategic issue, but an ultimate question about personal motivation and the realization of value.
Lin Haoran smiled.
It would be really difficult for someone else to answer this question.
But the person who answered was Lin Haoran, who felt that this was the simplest question.
Because he knew that Zhang Zhongmou, who stood before him, was not someone who was content with the status quo.
He has grasped the deepest desire in the heart of this future "King of Semiconductors".
“Mr. Zhang, you asked me why, but the answer may not be in my words, but in your own heart,” Lin Haoran said with a smile.
"Oh? Mr. Lin, what does this mean?" Zhang Zhongmou asked, puzzled.
Lin Haoran smiled slightly and continued, "Vice President of Texas Instruments, a senior executive of an industry giant, is certainly the pinnacle that countless people dream of."
But is this really the end for you?
Or are you content to remain on a comfortable platform, one that you can perhaps already see its limits? (End of Chapter)