Tech startup: I really do make mobile phones!

Chapter 105 Orange Treasure Returns
The conference room door was gently pushed open, and Gong Yun led in a young man in a sharp suit.

The man looked only a few years older than Wang Teng, but he exuded a calm and composed aura in his every move.

Gong Yun opened the frosted glass to block the curious glances from the employees outside, and introduced with a smile, "Gentlemen, this is General Manager Chen from Orange Technology!" After the introduction, she stood quietly behind Chen Mo.

He Jian and Wang Teng exchanged a glance, then quickly stood up to greet each other.

After all, they are the ones who need their help today.

Chen Mo's gaze swept calmly over them—He Jian, wearing a neatly pressed shirt, with a calm and reserved look in his eyes, and Wang Teng, who looked slightly excited, wearing a T-shirt over a jacket, his face showing the fatigue and anticipation of a long journey.

"Mr. Chen, hello! I am He Jian, and this is Wang Teng. We are from Touchbao in Shanghai!" He Jian took a step forward, extended his hand, and spoke in a steady and firm voice.

"Hello, Mr. Chen!" Wang Teng followed closely behind, warmly shaking Chen Mo's hand: "I've heard so much about you!"

This hand might even have been shaken by Lei Jun! I guess this is a way of indirectly shaking hands with my idol!
Wang Teng, young and impetuous, couldn't keep things to himself. At this moment, he really wanted to ask the young leader of Orange Technology: Did you really have a face-to-face conversation with Lei Jun? But due to the occasion, he swallowed his words.

"Mr. He, Mr. Wang, welcome to Shenzhen!" Chen Mo returned the handshake, gesturing for them to sit down across the conference table: "Please sit! It's quite a journey from Shanghai to Shenzhen, you two must be tired. May I ask what brings you here today?"

Chen Mo cut to the chase, his gaze sharp as he looked at the two men.

He Jian and Wang Teng exchanged a glance.

He Jian cleared his throat and leaned forward slightly: "President Chen, to be honest, we have had some major disagreements with President Liang of Touchbao on some ideas and directions, and now we have decided to go it alone."

Unable to contain himself, Wang Teng eagerly added, "President Chen, we already have a very mature project concept!"

"We want to create an app store called 'App Store' for the Android platform, aiming to become the Apple App Store within the Android ecosystem! We believe this is a huge gateway to the future of mobile internet!"

He paused, his eyes gleaming: "Mr. Chen, we know you have a keen eye! Your willingness to invest in supporting domestically produced genuine software is a testament to your courage and foresight!"

"I'm sure you also have a very positive view of the vast potential of China's mobile internet market! That's why we've come here today hoping to get your investment in our 'App Treasure' project! Give us a chance to prove ourselves!"

Regarding the competition between TouchPal's domestic and international routes, He Jian has accepted reality, while Wang Teng is unwilling, extremely unwilling, and has not yet admitted defeat.

After listening to his words, Chen Mo leaned back slightly in his chair, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the smooth tabletop.

A fleeting, extremely subtle look of surprise crossed his face.

He initially thought these two were tech gurus who couldn't stay at TouchPal and had come to join Orange Technology, but he never expected them to be there with an independent project to attract investment.

They didn't come to seek refuge with Orange, but to attract investment.

Moreover, their project is "App Treasure".

Wait a minute! I'm in the North China Power Electronics Building, not the SEG Electronics Building. Have you all taken the wrong route in this life?
But soon, his thoughts were occupied by another more important discovery—if he could bring "App Treasure" to market ahead of schedule, he could not only steal Tencent's thunder, but might even sell it to Baidu for tens of billions in the future.

After all, there are no other apps like 92 App Assistant or Green Bean Pod on the market yet. If "App Treasure" were to emerge earlier and seize the opportunity, creating a monopoly, by 2013 when Baidu was desperately looking for its last ticket to the mobile internet era...
This little accident only made Chen Mo pause for a fraction of a second.

He quickly adjusted his expression, refocused his gaze, and regained the composure he had displayed in his two lifetimes.

Orange Technology's cash flow is indeed not abundant, and the newly established Yuancheng is still in dire need of funding.

But this thought did not show on his face at all.

"Oh? 'App Store'! A competitor to Apple's app store?"

Chen Mo's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a calming power.

"This idea is indeed very interesting. The domestic Android ecosystem is currently lacking a unified, localized distribution platform. I can consider cooperating with your project."

He Jian and Wang Teng were both stunned.

They had anticipated all sorts of difficulties, prepared their explanations and persuasion, and even mentally prepared themselves for a polite refusal. But they never expected Chen Mo to agree so readily!

In the conference room, only the soft sound of the fresh air system could be heard for a moment.

He Jian, being the more experienced one, quickly suppressed his astonishment and was the first to react, tentatively bringing up the plan they had discussed at the hotel the day before.

"Mr. Chen, you're so generous! How about this? You provide the funding, and we'll be responsible for the technology development and project operation. We'll register a small studio to operate the 'App Treasure' project."

"You will own 70% of the shares, and our team will own 30%. What do you think?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Teng, who was standing next to He Jian, suddenly turned his head to look at him, his eyes filled with disbelief and surprise.

Yesterday at the hotel, the two of them were discussing a range of 10% to 15%, but He Jian raised their shareholding to 30% the moment he opened his mouth.
This...this almost feels like "getting something for nothing"!
Wang Teng suddenly felt his face burning and his hands and feet feeling a little awkward. He moved his lips, but he was too embarrassed to refute immediately, after all, he was also one of the beneficiaries.

Chen Mo took in their reactions, a slight smile playing on his lips, and gently shook his head.

“Mr. He!” His voice carried a hint of a smile, yet it exuded confidence: “Your proposal sounds very tempting, but if I may be frank, this plan puts almost all the risks on our Orange.”

“We’ll provide the funding and take the majority of the shares. It sounds reasonable, but if—and I mean if—this project fails, and your team just walks away, we at Orange will have to bear all the losses.”

Chen Mo's sharp gaze swept over He Jian, finally settling on Wang Teng's flushed face.

"I doubt this can be considered a truly sincere effort to cooperate?"

Wang Teng was even more embarrassed when Chen Mo saw through his thoughts. He hurriedly waved his hands and protested, "President Chen! No way! We're not that kind of people! If... if the project fails, I'll work for you to pay off the debt! I'll work for you for ten years!"

He Jian held down the somewhat agitated Wang Teng, maintaining his composure, though his eyes had become more serious.

He took a deep breath: "Mr. Chen is right! Let's be frank, what kind of cooperation do you think would be more suitable? Name your terms, and we'll see if we can accept them!"

Chen Mo's gaze lingered on Wang Teng for a moment, with a hint of appreciation.

"Mr. Wang is very straightforward, I like that."

He gestured for Wang Teng to sit down: "But don't get excited, please sit down! I know that you two traveled all the way from Shanghai to Shenzhen to see me. I appreciate your sincerity. Don't worry! I will definitely not let you come for nothing today."

Chen Mo turned his gaze to He Jian, his tone becoming clear and firm.

"My cooperation plan is as follows: Mr. He, Mr. Wang, you two, and the technical team you mentioned that is willing to come with you, will first formally join our Orange Technology."

He Jian and Wang Teng both held their breath; the big guy was about to arrive.

"I will set up a separate internet studio for you within Orange Technology."

"This studio will be entirely led by the two of you, and your core task is to fully operate the 'App Treasure' project that you envision."

Chen Mo paused, then added a crucial point: "At the same time, this studio needs to undertake part of the maintenance and optimization tasks of the Orange OS system."

"As for independence and shareholding," Chen Mo observed the change in their eyes, "when your 'App Treasure' project becomes profitable and can cover its own operating costs, that is, when your studio can support itself."

He paused deliberately, and saw Wang Teng's eyes light up instantly.

"Haha! Back then, I had this studio spun off from Orange Technology and become a new internet company."

"At that time, I will allocate shares to the founding team, namely the two of you and the core members, based on your contributions to the studio and the company's development prospects. How about that?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Teng almost jumped out of his chair!

This plan sounds incredibly promising!

With Orange Technology as a backer, a guaranteed salary and social security benefits, the ability to work on one's own projects, achieve profitability, and ultimately leave to acquire shares independently, one can achieve success.
This is much better than them fighting alone!
He looked at He Jian excitedly, almost shouting "Long live President Chen!" He Jian reacted quickly, grabbing Wang Teng who was about to "betray" him and signaling him to calm down.

"Wang Teng."

He Jian frowned slightly, his mind racing.

The core of Chen Mo's plan lies in "binding" – deeply binding their team with Orange.

He asked in a deep voice, "Mr. Chen, we have ten highly skilled brothers at TouchPal who are willing to come with us. How exactly is the 'founder stock option' you mentioned allocated?"

The issue of shares needs to be clarified now.

No matter how tempting the promises made by the boss are, you still have to see how much you can actually get in your own bowl first.

Chen Mo smiled; he knew the fish had taken the bait.

He leaned forward, crossed his hands on the table, and gave his answer clearly.

"When the studio becomes an independent company, I will make an initial investment of no less than 5 million yuan. You two, as the core founders, Mr. He will serve as the general manager of the new company, and Mr. Wang will serve as the technical director. Each of you will be allocated 500% of the shares, totaling 10%."

Chen Mo had a clear plan. According to his estimate, it would take at least another six months for Appbao to break even, which would be after 2011. By then, Orange Technology's cash flow would definitely not be so tight.

Of course, while he had won over these two tech giants, Chen Mo didn't forget about their team of technical staff.

"The other ten technical backbones who are willing to come with you will each be allocated 1% of the shares, totaling 10%, as long as they pass the probationary period assessment and perform well. Orange Technology, as the controlling shareholder, will retain the remaining 80% of the shares."

He Jian fell silent, his mind racing as he weighed the pros and cons.

5% x 2 + 1% x 10 = 20% of the team's shares.

500 million in investment.
That means after starting independently, giving at least 100 million to their team for free.

Mr. Chen is truly magnanimous!
He could also sense that Mr. Chen's investment style was very clear: pragmatic, rational, and generous when necessary, unlike the kind of hot-headed nouveau riche.

He Jian actually understood Chen Mo's deeper intentions:
Investment is acceptable, but the technical expertise of their mature team must be utilized to cultivate a group of programmers for Orange Technology, thus solidifying the foundation of Orange OS.

At the same time, Chen Mo wanted to tie the promising project, Appbao, directly to Orange's cause to prevent them from backing out.

More importantly, He Jian was unaware that Orange Technology did not have much cash flow at the moment, so Chen Mo naturally could not allocate funds to invest in their "Application Treasure" project separately.

To be honest, He Jian actually had doubts about the future of "Yingyongbao", otherwise he would have teamed up with Wang Teng to work on his own.

Ever since the last board meeting, when Eric, the Wall Street representative who was offended by the incident, said, "Once Google agrees to localization and the three apps return to the domestic market, third-party stores like yours will be worthless," a dark cloud has been hanging over App Store.

Although Google has temporarily withdrawn from the domestic market, who knows if it will return in some form in the future?

These enormous policy and technological risks indeed require companies like Orange, with their size and resilience, to bear them.

From another perspective, He Jian also saw "potential" in the newly established Orange Technology.

Therefore, even if this "Orange Group" internet studio becomes independent in the future, it will still be a subsidiary of Orange Holdings.

If they could turn the core maintenance team of Orange OS into the "Touchbao system" personnel they trained during their time working at Orange Technology.

In the future, they will also have considerable say and technological influence within the Orange system.

Having a powerful backer provides a good advantage. In the long run, relying on Orange Technology's platform resources offers greater development security and growth potential than simply taking on some investment and starting your own business.

After weighing the pros and cons, He Jian's mind quickly shifted.

He raised his head, his gaze hardening, and extended his right hand: "President Chen, your proposal is very practical and sincere. On behalf of Wang Teng and the ten brothers who are willing to come with us, I agree to your cooperation method. We will join Orange Technology!"

When Wang Teng saw He Jian finally nod, his excitement was palpable, and he quickly reached out to place his hand on top of He Jian's.

"Mr. Chen! We will definitely work hard! Thank you for giving us this opportunity!"

Chen Mo smiled with satisfaction and shook hands firmly with both of them.

"Great! Welcome to the Orange family!"

As if suddenly remembering something, Wang Teng asked expectantly, "President Chen, what's the name of our studio?"

Chen Mo pondered for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the two former "Touch Treasure" generals, a gentle smile appearing on his lips.

"Since you've brought 'treasure' with you and joined Orange, let's just call it 'Orange Treasure Studio'!"

"Orange Treasure," Wang Teng murmured, his eyes sparkling with anticipation for this new beginning. "TouchTreasure, you just wait!"
“Great name!” He Jian nodded in approval, though he wasn’t as straightforward as Wang Teng.

Chen Mo then instructed, "You should arrange things in Shanghai as soon as possible. Three days from now, bring any brothers who are willing to come and report directly to the office building."

“At that time,” Chen Mo gestured to Gong Yun behind him, who took a small step forward, “Sister Gong will personally handle your onboarding procedures, and our social security and housing provident fund will all be handled according to the proper procedures.”

Since the actual "senior" leaders of Orange Technology are all at the supervisor level, Chen Mo made a special explanation to avoid them feeling that he was being negligent.

"Gentlemen! Because Orange is still in a phase of rapid development, the company's hierarchy is relatively flat, with the highest level being department head. So, for the time being, we'll ask you two to take a break: He Jian will serve as the head of Orange Treasure Studio, and Wang Teng will serve as the deputy head."

He pointed to the somewhat blurry office area outside the frosted glass of the conference room.

"There are three offices left. Your Orange Treasure Studio can choose one to use. There are also five empty workstations in the work area. You can choose a suitable one to use first."

"The salaries of other technical staff will be set according to the standard level of programmers in Shenzhen. Sister Gong will discuss the specific details with you!"

Gong Yun stood gently beside Chen Mo, nodding slightly to the two of them. Wang Teng's Adam's apple bobbed slightly.

Chen Mo was in high spirits after recruiting two top-notch tech experts, and finally asked, "Do you think this arrangement is acceptable?"

“No problem, Mr. Chen!” He Jian replied readily. “We will bring our team to report to Supervisor Gong in three days! Please rest assured, we will do our best to complete the ‘Application Treasure’ project and also ensure the proper maintenance of Orange OS!”

He Jian adapted to the role of a subordinate very quickly, which pleased Chen Mo.

"Okay!" Chen Mo was in a good mood. He picked up the three glasses of water that Sister Gong had poured on the table and handed one to He Jian and one to Wang Teng: "The conditions are simple, so let's use water instead of wine."

He raised his celadon cup, his gaze sweeping over the two ambitious technical experts.

Then, Chen Mo said loudly, "I wish our 'App Treasure' project a great success, and that it will become profitable and operate independently as soon as possible! I also wish Chengbao Internet Technology a prosperous future, and that it will one day be listed on NASDAQ and ring the bell! At that time, we will all be billionaires!"

"cheers!"

"Thank you, Mr. Chen! Cheers!" x2
Three celadon teacups gently tapped together, producing a crisp sound.

The clear water ripples, reflecting three faces filled with different expectations for the future, yet sharing a smile at this moment.

The story of Chengbao Internet quietly began in this ordinary conference room.
The Tech Cult – Orange Group, the Seven Oranges of Orange Treasure Returns!

The first leader of the sect – He Jian
Beihang University Computer Science Master's Program

I participated in the core development of Xinshan VV PS.

He co-founded Touchbao Internet and served as product manager (PM), but later left due to differences in philosophy.

Currently in charge of Orange Treasure Studio, becoming the first person in the Orange Group to head an "internal incubation" business line.
(End of this chapter)