突破“卡脖子”！清华学覇干出又一个世界第一

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the rapid advancement of Chinese companies in the CMOS image sensor (CIS) market, particularly focusing on the success story of Geke Micro, which has transitioned from low-end to high-end products in the industry [5][24]. Group 1: Company Background and Development - Geke Micro was founded in 2003 by Zhao Lixin and his partners, who recognized the potential of the CMOS image sensor market after the launch of the first camera phone by Sharp [6][8]. - The company initially faced significant challenges, including a lack of market experience and management issues, but eventually found success by starting with lower pixel products and gradually moving up the value chain [17][18]. - By 2014, Geke Micro had become the leading supplier of CMOS sensors in China, with shipments exceeding 940 million units and sales surpassing $350 million [22]. Group 2: Market Position and Challenges - Despite achieving high shipment volumes, Geke Micro lagged in revenue compared to global leaders like Sony, which dominated the high-end market [24]. - In 2020, Geke Micro's revenue from CIS chips was approximately 5.86 billion yuan, accounting for only 5% of the global market, while Sony's revenue was $9.4 billion, capturing 40% of the market [24]. Group 3: Strategic Transformation and Future Goals - To address the revenue gap, Geke Micro initiated a transformation towards high-end products, aiming for $3 billion in revenue by optimizing its business model from Fabless to Fab-Lite [25][26]. - The company went public in August 2021, raising approximately 3.593 billion yuan to fund its transition to a Fab-Lite model, which combines in-house manufacturing with outsourcing [26]. - By 2023, Geke Micro's new factory was operational, significantly reducing the production cycle for high-end products, with revenue from products over 13 million pixels reaching 1 billion yuan [27].