IPO Turns Insta360 Founder Into a Billionaire
Chinese camera maker Insta360 made a strong debut on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s STAR Market, with shares nearly quadrupling from their IPO price. Trading under the name Arashi Vision, the company raised 1.94 billion yuan ($270 million) and closed its first day at 177 yuan per share, valuing it at around 71 billion yuan ($9.9 billion). This marks the largest STAR Market listing of the year. The funds will primarily go toward research and development.
Founded in 2015 by Liu Jingkang (aka “JK”), a Nanjing University computer science graduate, Insta360 has become a global player in action and 360-degree cameras. Liu, now 33, owns roughly 26.8% of the company (including shares held by his wife), making him a billionaire with an estimated net worth of $2.7 billion. The company is known for its ‘X’ and ‘Go’ series cameras, popular among content creators for their portability and high-resolution features.
In 2024, Insta360 posted strong financials with revenue reaching 5.6 billion yuan ($779.9 million), up 53.3% year-over-year, and profits of nearly 1 billion yuan. A majority of its sales (76%) came from overseas, with significant revenue from the U.S., Europe, and Japan. It operates globally with 2,000 employees and offices in China, the U.S., Germany, and Japan.
However, Insta360 faces challenges, including rising U.S.-China trade tensions and competition from brands like GoPro and DJI. GoPro has even filed a patent complaint against Insta360. Still, the company continues to innovate, recently partnering with Apple’s Vision Pro headset and launching AI tools for video editing. As the global creator economy grows, Insta360 is betting on content creators to drive demand for its smart imaging products.
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