云从科技 focuses on computer vision and artificial intelligence, with core products deployed across financial services, public security, and civil aviation. In finance it is the largest domestic supplier of facial-recognition systems to banks, with nearly 100 financial institutions (including major banks) using its products. In public security it has developed large-scale facial-data platforms and intelligent systems deployed in 23 provinces, and in civil aviation its products cover about 80% of domestic hub airports. The company has established joint labs with the Ministry of Public Security, major banks, and the Civil Aviation Administration, and has participated in setting national, ministry and industry AI standards. It has received international recognition from MIT Technology Review (listed among the 2019 global 50 smartest companies and previously noted in 2018 for breakthrough technology). Financially, the company completed a B+ financing in October 2018 with multiple strategic investors, and has since completed a C round that raised nearly RMB 1 billion. CloudWalk develops facial-recognition and computer-vision systems used by public agencies and commercial customers such as the Bank of China, Shanghai Pudong Airport and China Mobile’s stores. Its technology is applied to identity checks, fever detection, mask-wearing detection and policing applications, and has reportedly been used by police in more than 10,000 arrests. The company raised RMB1.8 billion (US$254 million) in the latest round from a group of provincial and municipal funds. CloudWalk has raised a total of RMB2.8 billion (about US$400 million) to date, and KrAsia reports that the majority of its funding since 2018 has come from public funds. The company raised $140 million in a Series B+ in 2018. CloudWalk intends to launch an IPO on Shanghai’s Star Market by the end of 2020, and company leadership has commented on balancing facial-recognition deployment with privacy concerns. CloudWalk Technology is a Chinese hi‑tech group focused on computer vision and facial‑recognition AI, serving the banking, airport and security industries. The company says more than 100 financial institutions and about 80% of airports in China use its technology. It plans to use new capital to expand its position as an AI provider in those sectors and to incubate AI enterprises using the national AI platform. CloudWalk was founded in April 2015 and was incubated by the Chongqing Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It maintains R&D institutions at the University of Illinois at Urbana‑Champaign and in Silicon Valley, as well as research sites in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing and Chengdu. CloudWalk has partnered with China Mobile, China Telecom, Nvidia and Huawei to promote AI+Business. The Guangzhou municipal government has previously backed the group with CNY2 billion.

Total raised

$483M

Funding rounds

3

Latest round

Series C

Latest activity

Mar 2021