By Greg Gao

(JW Insights) Apr 24 -- Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi and EV maker NIO recently jointly invested in 4D radar startup Sinpro(赛恩领动), JW Insights learned.

On April 21, Sinpro underwent industrial and commercial registration changes and added two new shareholders, NIO Capital and Beijing Xiaomi Zhizao Equity Investment Fund, according to the data from Tianyancha, a provider of Chinese corporation data and due diligence platform.

One of the managing partners of NIO Capital is William Li, co-founder and CEO of the electric car manufacturer NIO. While Lei Jun, a Chinese billionaire entrepreneur and founder of the consumer electronics giant Xiaomi, controlled the Xiaomi Zhizao Equity Investment Fund and indirectly held about 25.85% of the shares.

Xiaomi founder Lei Jun made a surprise visit to Auto Shanghai 2023, where he visited several electric vehicle makers’ booths. William Li personally received Lei and provided explanations about NIO’s products and services.

Zhu Yan, a managing partner of NIO Capital, said that the emergence of 4D imaging radar technology would greatly promote the development of smart cars in a safer and smarter direction.

Sinpro is a startup founded in November 2021 and based in Shanghai. The company develops high-performance auto-grade environmental perception solutions suitable for L3+ or higher levels, including intelligent hardware for 4D imaging radars, sensor algorithms, software, and perception products based on artificial intelligence.

In January 2023, Sinpro launched its first self-developed high-performance imaging radar product S-series SIR-4K. The operating frequency is 76-79GHz, the farthest detection distance is 400 meters, and the detection of static obstacles can reach more than 150 meters.

Sinpro is applying for four patents and has five authorized patents, all of which are related to autonomous driving, sensors, and radar.