What's hard, slow, expensive, or "impossible" in my country —
already works in China.
I'm Dr. Dom. German doctor in Shenzhen. I sit with the operators, hardware-makers and methods that already work here — and decode them so you can use them.
Not a journalist. I'm a builder. Learning from them for my next project.
Send me the next dispatch →
Field Notes
Stories from inside
Hardware sprints in Huaqiangbei. A $2 billion empire hiding in plain sight. AI quants running real money. Researchers with data Western academics can't access. No headlines, no press releases, just the work.
Foreigner Problems (& Solutions) in China: The First Month on the Ground
The real setup friction every foreigner hits in China in the first month — payments, apps, logistics, language — and how to clear each one in the Chinese ecosystem.
muShanghai Arrival Guide: Phone, Payments, Transport
How to set up your phone, Alipay, Didi, and metro card for muShanghai. Everything you need in your first 2 hours after landing.
muShanghai Budget: What a Month in Shanghai Actually Costs
Real cost breakdown for a month at muShanghai — housing, food, transport, and everything else. From backpacker to comfortable.
muShanghai Life: Food, Gym, Getting Around
Practical guide to daily life during muShanghai — where to eat, work out, do laundry, and what apps you need.
Where to Stay for muShanghai 2026: The Complete Hotel Guide
Six hotel options near the muShanghai campus in Minhang — from the Steigenberger 4-star to affordable Chinese business chains under 400 RMB/night. All walkable to the venue.
The Best Hostel in Shenzhen That No Foreigner Knows Exists
Inside Nantou Ancient City, a Chinese bar brand built a community hostel with in-room art exhibitions, rooftop terraces, and a daily citywalk. It's rated 9.6/10 — and completely invisible to Western travelers.
I Got My Ingrown Toenail Fixed by a $2 Billion Empire I'd Never Heard Of
11pm. Shenzhen. My ingrown toenail had been getting worse for ten days across three cities. I found a 9,000-store healthcare empire that doesn't exist anywhere in the West.
The Physical AI Opportunity Nobody's Talking About
Inside Shenzhen's hardware accelerator where AI meets robotics, manufacturing, and the real world. Six RFPs that show where physical AI is heading.
This Is Perfect, Oh My God — Meeting a Digital Labor Researcher in China's Visa-Free Zone
A chance encounter with Professor Gu Chudan at Donghua University turns into a deep dive on China's gig economy, platform workers, and why Western researchers can't get this data.
Inside a Pop-Up City in Shanghai
muShanghai brought together founders, builders, and dreamers from around the world for a week of building in Shanghai. Here's what actually happened.
AI Trading in China's Stock Market — AgentBull Is Betting Real Money on It
Richard and his team at AgentBull (煜马) built an AI-native quantitative system using OSINT data and reinforcement learning to trade China's A-share market. They're now running 2–3 million RMB in live trades.
The Shenzhen Hardware Guide — What Huaqiangbei Actually Looks Like in 2026
Forget the YouTube videos. Here's what the world's largest electronics market actually looks like when you walk in with a prototype idea and no connections.
How BYD Passed Tesla (And Why Western Automakers Should Be Worried)
In 2025, BYD sold 2.26 million EVs — beating Tesla by 600,000 units. The man who built it was an orphan chemist who couldn't afford textbooks. This is the story of how he disrupted the entire automotive industry.
China Visa Guide 2026: Complete Visa Application Guide for Travelers
Everything you need to know about the China visa application process in 2026. Visa-free entry, tourist visa (L visa), 240-hour transit, passport requirements, and how to apply at the Chinese embassy or online.
How Four Friends Built a $30 Billion Travel Empire (And Beat Expedia at Their Own Game)
Most people have never heard of Trip.com. But here's what they don't know: Trip.com Group processes $160 billion in travel bookings annually — making it the largest OTA in the world by GMV.
They Slept in the Bushes Outside Hong Kong Airport. Now They Own the World's Largest Factory.
Two brothers from New Zealand landed in China with $12,000. Twenty years later, they're billionaires building the future of housing.
Drop your email.
Next dispatch is already in motion.