[2] Kuang-Chi was founded by five PhD students that had recently concluded their studies at Duke and Oxford University: Liu Ruopeng, Lin Luan, Chunlin Ji, Yangyang Zhang, and Zhiya Zhao.
[10][11] Kuang-Chi was named after Chinese scientist Xu Guangqi (pinyin: Guāng Qǐ) from the Ming Dynasty, who made important contributions in math, agriculture, astronomy and other scientific fields.
[13][14] The name, which literally means "to enlighten," was chosen as a symbol of the company's commitment to advancing the frontier of science and bridging western and eastern knowledge.
[15] Thanks to the rapid growth of the company and the advanced nature of its technology - particularly in aerospace - Kuang-Chi is often compared to SpaceX by media, while Ruopeng Liu is referred to as the "Chinese Elon Musk.
[25] In December, Kuang-Chi launched the Appollo Base in Shenzhen and exhibited the Cloud, a multifunctional aerostat that aims to provide smart-city solutions.
[31][32] Later in the same year, Kuang-Chi invested a majority share in Solar Ship Inc., a Canadian developer of a hybrid airship capable of remote freight transport.
[11] In May 2016, Kuang-Chi launched the GCI Fund & Incubator based in Tel Aviv, Israel, planning to invest up to US$300 million in global technology companies.
[2][34] In June 2016, Kuang-Chi expanded its strategic partnership with Singapore-based HyalRoute Communications Group, one of the largest providers of advanced telecommunication infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific.
[44] In August 2017, Kuang-Chi invested in China Unicom, reportedly to partner with the major telecommunication company in big-data and the internet of things technologies.
[48] Kuang-Chi partners with UK-based Gilo Industries Applied Technology, which designs a range of aerospace products, from rotary engines to flying vehicles.
[2][34] Foreign investments have enabled Kuang-Chi to establish a global brand in high-technology and integrate Western and Chinese R&D in aerospace, smart city and other areas.
[59] In addition to capital support, Kuang-Chi also enters into joint venture and technology licensing agreements with its partners and advises them on penetration into the Chinese market.
[2][60] Kuang-Chi's first international investment was in Martin Aircraft, a New Zealand public company developing the world's first practical jetpack, now led by James West.
[61][62][63] Kuang-Chi also invested in Solar Ship, a Canadian company led by Jay Godsall that designs a hybrid airship capable of heavy cargo transport to remote locations, alongside a network of aerostats and solar-powered hangars.
[74][27][75][76] These research centers each focus on diverse technologies, including metamaterials in Shenzhen, aerospace in Dongguan, near-space in Haikou and unmanned aviation systems in Chengdu.
[2] On 18 December 2020, Kuang-Chi Group was placed on the Entity List, a trade blacklist published by the United States Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security.