From a humble folding table at a school cafeteria to over one hundred retail stores nationwide, Taiwanese entrepreneur Wu Weicheng has spent two decades forging his own path in the "derivative economy" (谷子经济). Born in Taipei in 1986, Wu moved to Shanghai with his parents at the age of ten, growing up among the city's traditional longtang alleys and shikumen buildings. He speaks a little Shanghainese while retaining his Taiwanese accent.

In 2005, Wu enrolled in East China Normal University's Information Management and Information Systems program. During his freshman year, he won first prize in a campus entrepreneurship competition with a "digital integrated marketing" proposal. Rather than rushing to find an internship after winning, Wu decided to put his idea of "precise recommendations based on user preferences" into practice. That autumn of 2006, he set up two folding tables and a roll-up banner outside the university cafeteria, displaying licensed anime badges and posters featuring characters like Uxi Monkey. A few passersby stopped; some bought a badge, while most just glanced and moved on. At the end of the day, he counted his earnings—less than 200 yuan.

At that time, China's anime merchandise market was flooded with pirated goods, with price gaps between authentic and counterfeit products ranging from five to tenfold. Wu chose to sell licensed merchandise, a decision that puzzled many around him. His father offered a simple piece of advice: "A gentleman earns money through righteous means." So he kept his two tables at the cafeteria entrance. Street vending wasn't a long-term solution, but it gave him his first pot of gold. He eventually expanded to more than 20 universities across Shanghai, simultaneously operating over 20 activity booths at peak times. By graduation, he was already supporting himself through his entrepreneurial endeavors.

At the 2008 Hangzhou Animation Festival, Wu met the owner of an Asian animation agency who asked him, "Why do you insist on selling licensed products?" Wu replied that while piracy could generate quick profits, it wouldn't last. In 2010, the two parties co-founded IDM Design (艾漫设计) in Shanghai. The company started by distributing licensed IP merchandise and aggressively participated in offline exhibitions, going wherever crowds gathered. Three years later, IDM Design joined the Shanghai Animation Association and secured the derivative development rights for Honkai Impact 2 and The King's Avatar, transitioning from distribution to independent development. Subsequently, investors including bilibili, miHoYo, and Dachen Venture Capital injected capital, propelling the company onto a fast track.

The real turning point came in 2018 when IDM opened its first Trendy Planet (潮玩星球) offline store next to Dabaiqiao Metro Station in Shanghai's Hongkou District. With just 30 to 40 square meters of space, the store stocked domestic anime merchandise and quickly attracted a loyal following of young fans. Wu, by then the company's general manager, recognized that "scenario-based consumption" could be the future. He spearheaded the launch of an IP-themed restaurant model, integrating themed dining, limited-edition merchandise, and check-in activities into one immersive experience.

By 2025, Trendy Planet's national store count surpassed 100, with partnerships covering 103 domestic creative IPs, including blockbuster titles such as Genshin Impact, Langlang Mountain Little Monster, and Heaven Official's Blessing. Domestic IP merchandise now accounts for over 60% of the company's offerings. The company generates annual revenue of nearly 300 million yuan, with exports approaching 100 million yuan, reaching more than 20 countries and regions worldwide. That same year, it made its first foray into sports IP by becoming the official licensed merchandise provider for the Chengdu ITTF Mixed Team World Cup, developing a series of cultural products around the event's mascot "Ping Ping."

Wu describes every collectible toy as a "mobile cultural business card." His office displays a world map studded with pins marking the destinations of his products. Building bridges between youth across the strait through domestic creative IPs has been another cornerstone of Wu's work. As the first Taiwanese youth to be elected as a member of the Shanghai Youth Federation with a Taiwan Resident Permit, he spearheaded the establishment of the Hongkou District Cross-Strait Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Practice Center, helping over 100 Taiwanese youth secure jobs or start businesses in Shanghai. His original IP character "A Bao" has become wildly popular among young people on both sides of the strait. His initiative, the "A Bao Cross-City Adventure" Shanghai-Taipei Youth Creative Short Video Competition, has collected over 500 entries across two editions.

At the Trendy Planet themed restaurant in Shanghai's New World City, Wu habitually orders a "Langlang Mountain King's Cave" dessert and a "Mother's Advice" drink. Downstairs, long queues form outside the Arknights and Arknights: Endfield themed restaurants—one of twelve such venues he has opened nationwide. For Wu Weicheng, domestic creative IPs serve as more than a commercial empire; they are a bridge connecting the shared youthful memories of young people across the strait.