Meitu Hatch Catch Season 1
Enter with Passion. Together, We Write the Next Chapter of Visual AI
Up to RMB 100 Million Incubation Funding Support ｜ Up to RMB 5 Million Investment Opportunity per Project ｜ 12-Week Incubation Support
Application Deadline: August 16, 2026
↓Why We Started This: Finding Fellow Builders in the AI Visual Era
AI is reshaping visual products. Users no longer need just tools — they increasingly expect outcomes to be delivered directly. This is exactly the direction Meitu has been deeply exploring. Along the way, we have accumulated validated AI product experience, visual technology capabilities, as well as practical experience in global commercialization.
In the AI era, the innovation paradigm is changing. Agile teams of fewer than 10 people, empowered by AI and driven by deep user insight and passion, can now build from 0 to 1 in an extremely short period of time and demonstrate remarkable momentum.
As a team that also started from 0 to 1, Meitu understands the uncertainties and challenges that products face before reaching scale. Rather than letting the momentum of innovation be slowed down by resource constraints, we hope to open up Meitu’s ecosystem resources and commercial experience to accompany and support more outstanding fellow builders.
That is why we are launching the Meitu Hatch Catch Product Innovation Challenge, inviting AI-native visual applications from across the industry that are already live and have gained their first seed users.
This is not just a competition. It is a 12-week incubation journey. Meitu will provide selected projects with funding support of up to RMB 5 million per project, and leverage its ecosystem resources and professional support to help early-validated products continue to refine, upgrade, and reach broader markets.
Key Timeline: From Application to Product Advancement
- Now - August 16
Applications Open
Participants submit product information, real data, and project links to complete the application.
- Upon Application Submission - August 21
Initial Review
The committee will review submitted projects and finalize the initial shortlist on August 21.
- After Initial Shortlisting – Early September
Rolling Roadshows
Shortlisted teams will present their products, product value, and growth potential to Meitu’s core team for incubation program consideration.
- After Selection
12-Week Incubation
Selected projects will receive initial project incubation funding, along with incubation support from Meitu.
- Final Stage
Demo Day
At the end of the 12-week period, selected projects will present their incubation results and compete for follow-on investment opportunities.
Who We Are Looking For: Three Core Traits
If you are building this kind of product, we welcome your application.
AI-Native Applications Built for Global Users
Your product should be driven by AI capabilities at its core and designed for global user scenarios. Beyond model capabilities, what matters more is whether AI has truly been translated into a natural, useful, and compelling product experience.
Related to Meitu’s Visual Space
Your product should be related to the visual space, including creation, editing, generation, distribution, management, commercialization, or any part of the broader visual content workflow. It can be a product for everyday recording, social expression, or interest-based creation. It can also be a tool serving design, e-commerce, marketing, brand content, asset production, visual workflows, and other scenarios. As long as it is related to visual content and creates new user value, we welcome your submission.
Already Live with Early Validation
Your product should already be officially live, used by real users, and able to demonstrate early value through initial data or user feedback.
Selection Focus: What Kind of Projects Are More Likely to Stand Out?
Throughout the review and incubation process, we will focus on three key areas.
Product Innovation and Market Potential
Rather than the number of features, what matters more is whether the product creates clear user value and has the potential to grow further.
Is the problem real? Is the entry point clear? Does the specific segment have room for sustained growth?
Business Model and Growth Potential
Commercialization does not need to be fully figured out from day one, but direction and a path to validation matter.
Has the product shown signs of monetization through payment, subscription, advertising, transactions, or other models? Is there potential for organic user growth? Can current data support the judgment for the next stage of growth?
The Team’s “Second Identity”: Why You Are the Right Team to Build This
Deep passion for the product and deep empathy for users are often what make something work.
Many products succeed because the founding team truly understands the use case, cares deeply about the users, and has lived close to the problem for a long time. Therefore, beyond your identity as entrepreneurs, we will also pay attention to whether the team’s “second identity” aligns with the product direction: Are you deeply embedded in the target scenario? Do you understand the users, aesthetics, workflows, and real needs behind it? This is not a restriction on identity, but an important clue for understanding why your team is uniquely suited to build this product.
Benefits for Selected Teams: Funding and Resources from the Meitu Ecosystem
Up to RMB 100 Million Incubation Funding Support, Up to RMB 5 Million Investment Opportunity per Project
Meitu will open an incubation funding support of up to RMB 100 million to support promising AI visual products and teams over time. After entering the 12-week incubation phase, selected projects will receive their first project incubation funding from Meitu. During the incubation process, Meitu will continue to track project progress through key milestones such as the mid-term review and final Demo Day, and provide additional investment and external fundraising connections for outstanding teams. A single project may receive up to RMB 5 million investment from Meitu.
Opportunity to Join Meitu and Build a Dedicated AI Innovation Studio
For teams that are highly aligned with Meitu’s ecosystem and long-term direction, and who are open to joining Meitu full-time, there may be an opportunity to build a dedicated AI Innovation Studio within Meitu after mutual discussion and voluntary agreement. As an internal studio within Meitu, the team will receive more stable organizational support and be able to deeply leverage Meitu’s resources across product, technology, users, brand, and commercialization.
12-Week Incubation Support
Once selected, selected teams will enter a 12-week product incubation period and may receive the following support from Meitu:
- 01Startup Practice Workshops
- Workshops and experience-sharing sessions on key startup capabilities, including product building, user insights, business models, finance, tax, and legal compliance, offering practical experience and diverse perspectives.
- 02Advisor and Feedback Mechanism
- Meitu may invite business, product, and technical experts, as well as external industry advisors, to participate in incubation discussions and provide feedback, guidance, and recommendations to support project development.
- 03User Research and Internal Testing Support
- Based on project needs and relevant Meitu resources, Meitu may assist selected teams in exploring user research, product internal testing, and other approaches to support product iteration.
- 04Cold-Start Resource Support
- Based on the project stage and communication fit, Meitu may assist in connecting relevant resources to support early user reach and growth validation.
- 05Technical Exchange and Support
- Drawing on Meitu’s technical expertise and experience in imaging and AI, we may help teams broaden their technical perspectives and advance product validation and optimization.
Bonus Moment: During the incubation period, we may also invite outstanding entrepreneurs, business leaders, or industry veterans to join closed-door sessions and share first-hand startup experience and industry insights.