About me
📌 Introduction
John Guan (管宁川)
Product Builder / Technologist / Lifelong Learner
Over ten years of hands-on experience in tech innovation across AI applications, LLMs, robotics, smart hardware, operating systems, STEM education, data privacy, and decentralization.
Specializes in full-cycle systems product development from 0 to 1, covering product strategy, architecture design, and implementation. Specializes in building scalable and evolvable product ecosystems.
Technically full-stack across both software and hardware, with the ability to dive into emerging technologies and rapidly deliver practical solutions. Experienced in both engineering implementation and architectural coordination.
As a continuous learner, skilled at cross-domain synthesis and complex system modeling, able to quickly establish knowledge frameworks in uncertain environments and translate them into actionable product strategy.
📊 Core Skills
- Full-stack product design and execution from strategy to delivery
- Full-stack software-hardware architecture and implementation
- Multilingual collaboration and open community leadership
- Rapid learning and cross-domain modeling of complex systems
🌟 Selected Projects
Personal Cloud Product Series
Led the definition, development, and open-source launch of CasaOS from scratch. Built a simplified private cloud system with apps ecosystem and visual UI. Combined with ZimaBoard hardware to deliver an integrated hardware-software solution. Built and scaled a global user community and developer ecosystem.
- 🔝 CasaOS topped GitHub trending, now with 1M+ installs and 30K+ active community users
- 🛠 Led App Store ecosystem design with 660+ community-contributed apps
- 📦 Designed ZimaBoard backplate, unboxing and packaging, OS preinstallation
- 🌍 ZimaBoard ranked as Amazon category Top Seller, shipped globally
- 🧬 Later adapted CasaOS for ZimaBlade to expand product line
Contributed to the system redesign of ZimaOS based on CasaOS. Led remote access, private file sharing, and frontend refactoring to support stable delivery for ZimaCube and ZimaBoard 2.
AI and Robotics Education
Led the design and localization of frontier AI and robotics courses for K12 students. Developed full-stack STEM curriculum covering AI, robotics, and self-driving using globally recognized tools and partners.
- 📚 Led the integration of AI, neural networks, and machine learning into youth education and structured curriculum delivery
- 🤖 Integrated SoftBank robots, Boston Dynamics and Festo robotics into classroom tools
- 🚗 Introduced DonkeyCar, OpenMV, DIYRobocars to support self-driving robotics education
- 🐱 Developed curriculum around quadruped robots like OpenCat
- 🛰 Presented on AI applications at CASC; designed and developed CubeSat educational satellite project
- 🏆 Students won awards in ISEF, Hackathon, FTC, DFC, and national youth innovation competitions
- 🎓 Graduates admitted to Caltech, UCLA, NYU, and top domestic universities
- 🤝 Long-term collaboration with Harvard, MIT, CMU teams to co-develop curriculum and evaluation standards
Innovative Products and Robotics Incubation
At Intel Maker Collider, introduced FabLab, design thinking, and crowdfunding frameworks to build an integrated system for tools, curriculum, and product incubation. Tools and content deployed across major universities and maker hubs nationwide, with multiple products going from prototype to crowdfunding and production.
- Delivered AI product innovation courses in Tsinghua, SJTU, Tongji, XMU, SEU, NUFE, and more
- Co-designed and manufactured SmartNode, CurieNeurons hardware kits for classroom use
- Supported projects like Xpider AI spider robot, Robor companion bot, Coach T, AirDrum, Wolfram Book
- Served as judge for Intel Maker competitions, national hackathons
At Intel Robotics Innovation Center, integrated frontier robotic companies and ecosystem resources for demonstrations, startup acceleration, and educational conversion. Operated Beijing Open Innovation Lab and founded WELabs to focus on AI, robotics, and AR/MR education tools.
- Aggregated ecosystem partners including SoftBank, DJI, SLAMTEC, ROBOTIS, and more
- Curated open demos, technical workshops, and collaborative education pilots
- Built WELabs as an AI/robotics/AR innovation space and content pipeline
💼 Work Experience
IceWhale Technology
Product Leader / Community Leader / Software Engineer
Jun 2021 – Present
Joined early core team; transitioned from full-stack engineering into product leadership and ecosystem development. Led CasaOS product roadmap, international release, and open community infrastructure. Drove ZimaOS redesign for commercial hardware deployment.
IvyMaker
CTO / AI Curriculum Director
Apr 2018 – May 2021
Collaborated closely with Zhang Ying (Harvard MBA, ex-Frog Asia President), leading AI education product development from curriculum design to deployment. Partnered with global institutions including Harvard, MIT, and CMU for joint programs in AI, robotics, and self-driving.
Intel Robotics Innovation Center
Technical Director
Aug 2017 – Mar 2018
Collaborated closely with Li Bin (ex-GM of Apple China and IBM China), oversaw robotics demo platform and industry resource integration. Operated Beijing Open Innovation Lab, supported WELabs creation, and promoted education productization of frontier robotics technologies.
Intel Maker Collider
Director of Innovation & EdTech
May 2015 – Jul 2017
Collaborated closely with David Li (China's maker movement pioneer) and Honggang Li (Intel innovation leader) to build a three-part model of hardware kits + rapid curriculum + project incubation. Focused on deploying AI/hardware tools into education and supporting student-to-product transformation.
🔍 Early Projects & Exploration
O.S.G Open Smart Glass (2014–)
Core member and project manager of China’s first open-source smart glasses team. Coordinated contributors from NVIDIA, frog design, Hello-Lighting and more, spanning Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Munich. Oversaw development, documentation, and events.RCRP – RayCity Reviving Plan (2014–2020)
Founded and operated a regional RayCity gaming community spanning Greater China (Mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan), South Korea, and Thailand. Built a multilingual content and collaboration platform with tens of thousands of core users. Gained hands-on experience in cross-cultural communication and international community operations.Yibai Express (2013–2014)
Initiated during college (equivalent to senior high school), this campus logistics startup preceded Cainiao by Alibaba. Integrated major courier services, analyzed service characteristics, and provided unified delivery, pickup consolidation, and smart dispatch solutions for students. Helped courier companies reduce manpower on campus and offered optimal courier selection for senders based on route and cost analysis.FKnet Studio (2010–2011)
First entrepreneurial attempt in middle school. Developed ad-serving software for local internet cafes, reached distribution partnerships with cafe owners and ad agencies.
🎓 Education
Shanghai Normal University
Bachelor’s Degree, E-Commerce
Mar 2023 – Jul 2025
Jiangsu Union Technical Institute
Associate Degree, Computer Applications (Software Technology)
Sep 2011 – Jun 2016
Excellent Graduate: Official Profile
🌐 Contact
Email: [email protected]