Binghao Cheng

Binghao Cheng, also known as Cheng Binghao / 程炳皓, is best known as the founder of Kaixin001, one of China’s early mass-market social-networking sites. Before founding Kaixin001, he spent roughly ten years at Sina, where sources describe him as rising from senior engineer roles into search, wireless technology, enterprise services, and acting CTO responsibilities. Chinese profiles state that he joined Sina in 1998 and left in February 2008.

In March 2008, Cheng founded Beijing Kaixinren Information Technology Co., Ltd. and launched Kaixin001. The site targeted urban white-collar users rather than students, and became known for social games such as “Parking Wars,” “Friends for Sale,” and virtual farming mechanics that spread virally through office-worker networks. Forbes reported in 2011 that Kaixin001 had drawn about $23 million from Qiming Venture Partners and Northern Light Venture Capital and had reached about 90 million registered users and $30 million in 2010 revenue, citing RedTech Advisors.

Cheng left Kaixin001 in July 2016 after the company was acquired by Shenzhen-listed Saiwei Intelligence. Sina Tech reported that he announced his resignation to employees on July 21, 2016, ending an eight-year run with the company he founded.

Public investor databases and archived DCM team listings later identify Cheng as a Venture Partner at DCM’s Beijing operation. MarketScreener lists him as currently working at Doll Capital Management, Inc. (Beijing) as a Venture Partner, while archived DCM team mirrors from 2019 and 2020 list him as 程炳皓 / Binghao Cheng, first as an “enterprise advisory partner” and later as a “venture partner.”

• Cheng’s most concrete operating lens is consumer/social product design. In explaining Kaixin001, he told Forbes that Chinese users are often more inward and conservative, and that lightweight social-game interactions could act as a form of affection among friends.
• His founder record points to products that use simple mechanics, viral loops, and real-world social relationships rather than pure content or standalone games.
• DCM’s stated firm approach is to lead early-stage rounds, work with a small number of companies each year, and support them with time, network, and resources.
• DCM describes its working philosophy as “First Principles Thinking,” “Depth over Breadth,” “Think Globally, Act Locally,” and backing unconventional ideas from visionary founders.
• Sector fit appears strongest where Cheng’s operator experience is relevant: consumer internet, social networks, games, mobile products, user engagement, and China go-to-market.