Zhou Chaonan Provides Computing Infrastructure to ByteDance and is now China’s Third Wealthiest Woman

Zhou Chaonan has earned a coveted spot among China’s elite circle of female billionaires and joined the global ranks of the 500 wealthiest individuals. This remarkable achievement comes on the heels of her company’s skyrocketing stock performance, which has positioned it as a key player in the field of artificial intelligence.

At 64, Zhou leads Range Intelligent Computing Technology Group Co., a data center operator that provides critical computing infrastructure to ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. With ByteDance as its primary client, the company plays a pivotal role in supporting the AI-driven ambitions of the tech giant.

In 2024, Range Intelligent saw its stock price soar by an impressive 105%, propelling Zhou’s net worth to $7.7 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, where she has made her debut appearance. Under Zhou’s leadership as chairwoman, the company has emerged as one of China’s most successful ventures, bolstered by the Chinese government’s AI-centric policies aimed at surpassing the United States in global technological dominance.

Zhou’s journey to the top has been profoundly shaped by her belief in Mao Zedong’s iconic words, which asserted that women are capable of “holding up half the sky.” Her rise began after completing her studies as part of China’s first wave of university graduates following the Cultural Revolution, a time when higher education had been disrupted for years. Zhou initially worked as an instructor for the commerce bureau in Hengyang, Hunan Province, before transitioning into various roles, including a decade at a local oil and grain transfer station and six years as a manager at a state-owned trading firm.

At the age of 40, Zhou ventured into entrepreneurship, founding Tiantong Communication Network, a company dedicated to building mobile telecommunications networks across China. This marked the beginning of her entrepreneurial journey, which would later see her launch Range Technology Development in 2009.

Now known as Range Intelligent Computing Technology Group Co., the company has evolved from its origins as Shanghai Precise Packaging Co., Ltd., which focused on food packaging machinery and materials. Today, it operates at the forefront of AI innovation, managing 61 data centers with over 320,000 server racks located in major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. These facilities provide critical infrastructure for AI research and applications, alongside offering a range of technical consulting and factory design services for liquid food production enterprises.

Zhou’s story is not just one of personal success but also a reflection of China’s broader aspirations in technology and AI, where she stands as both a trailblazer and an inspiration for future generations.

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