Xiaomi Mi Plush Bunny

Program

Graduate Industrial Design

Prior to his graduate studies at ArtCenter, De Liu started his own design company in China while teaching at the University of Science and Technology Beijing, after earning his postgraduate degree from the Beijing Institute of Technology. Today Liu is co-founder and vice president of Xiaomi (Mi), one of China’s leading tech firms. Now the third largest global seller of smartphones, Xiaomi’s product line also includes smart home devices, tablets, laptops and more created with a twist inspired by a methodology Liu learned while in the Grad ID program: the company maintains a close interaction with its users, inviting and incorporating fan feedback into its designs and services. Last year, Xiaomi entered into a strategic partnership with Youku Tudou, China’s top internet TV company, with an active user base exceeding 500 million, to produce and distribute online content to bolster its “multi-screen ecosystem” of internet-connected devices.