Lenovo CEO Donates 200m Yuan to Alma Mater

Marking the 130th anniversary of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), Lenovo Group Chairman and CEO Yang Yuanqing has announced a personal donation of 200 million yuan (US$28.6 million) to his alma mater.

This contribution, his third private donation to the university, is designated for the renovation of the No. 3 Teaching Building on the Xuhui campus. Once the renovation is complete, the updated facility is expected to become a center for artificial intelligence research and talent development.

Lenovo has also committed 300 million yuan over the next five years to fuel innovation across several key pillars:

1. Joint research & development: Focus areas include intelligent devices and components, AI agents and Large Language Models (LLMs), smart service operations, and intelligent infrastructure.

2. Talent cultivation: Strengthening the pipeline for top-tier international AI talent.

3. Investment & incubation: Lenovo will prioritize investing in and incubating SJTU-affiliated startups, focusing on embodied AI, smart healthcare, advanced manufacturing and new energy.

The donation will help the university train world-class experts to boost national technological innovation, Yang said. "We hope to empower the next generation of AI leaders and contribute significantly to our country's scientific progress," he said.

At an AI panel discussion, elite alumni and leaders from SenseTime, MetaX and Infinigence discussed the future of AI, highlighting SJTU's role as a hub for the "AI era."