Zhejiang province released its first provincewide map of AI one-person companies (OPCs) on Aug 26, charting 117 OPC startup communities and 2,536 OPCs across nine cities.

The map was introduced during a matchmaking event as part of the 2026 "Zheli Yuan Ecology" series in Hangzhou. It marks the first systematic effort to map Zhejiang's OPC ecosystem. Hangzhou hosts 42 of the 117 communities and 1,128 of the 2,536 OPCs, indicating that the model is expanding throughout the province. More than half of the communities were established in 2026.

Under the Artificial Intelligence OPC Terminology group standard, which took effect on Aug 1, an AI OPC is defined as a company controlled by a single core individual and typically having no more than 10 employees. This "one person plus AI" model enables an individual to manage various business functions that would have previously needed a team of five to 10 people.

The industry considers 2026 the inaugural year of OPCs. Zhejiang has moved from forming an OPC innovation ecosystem alliance in April to issuing the group standard in August and publishing the map, laying the groundwork for the emerging sector.

The map is designed to consolidate information on startup communities, including services and policy resources, and facilitate connections between supply and demand, according to a representative from the Digital Economy Development Center of Zhejiang.