Core Insights - The founder of Gu Yu, Wang Anning, announced a commitment to invest at least 2 billion yuan in research and development over the next decade [1] - The concept of "functional skincare" is gaining traction among consumers, who are increasingly focused on product ingredient transparency and scientific efficacy [1] - The functional skincare market has seen a significant increase in attention, with a 358% growth from 2021 to 2023, and the core user group expanding by 23% during the same period [1] Company Developments - Gu Yu recently launched a proprietary anti-aging ingredient, "Human-like Exosome HME," marking its third innovative ingredient with complete independent intellectual property rights [3][7] - The new ingredient is based on artificial exosome technology and aims to address anti-aging concerns, which are becoming a critical factor in consumer skincare choices [7][10] - Gu Yu's research and development efforts have led to significant advancements in the efficacy of its products, with the new ingredient showing a 17.43% reduction in wrinkle count after 14 days and a 26.61% reduction after 28 days [11] Market Position - Gu Yu has positioned itself as a leader among domestic skincare brands, surpassing international competitors and achieving a GMV of over 5 billion yuan in 2024 [14] - The brand has established a comprehensive R&D and manufacturing infrastructure, including a 3,000 square meter research center and multiple production facilities [15] - Gu Yu's focus on core technology and independent research has allowed it to create products that significantly outperform industry standards [14][15] Research and Innovation - The company emphasizes the importance of using Chinese technology to develop ingredients suitable for the Chinese skin type, having analyzed nearly 100,000 skin samples from Chinese women [16] - Gu Yu's proprietary technologies, such as "Melt Crystallization Purification" and "28-Nanometer Encapsulation Technology," have enhanced the purity and efficacy of its key ingredients [16] - The collaboration with Xiamen University to establish a joint research center will further enhance Gu Yu's capabilities in developing active ingredients for anti-aging and other applications [19]