eBan Xiaoxin Files IPO Prospectus, Highlighting Over 80% User Engagement

In January 2016, VCBeat’s Eggshell Research Institute released its first in-depth review titled “A Comprehensive Analysis of Asset-Light Entrepreneurial Models in Elderly Care,” followed in March by “A New Startup Track Has Emerged: The Asset-Light Elderly Care Boom Is Here.” Moving forward, we will gradually publish reports on startups operating within niche segments of the asset-light elderly care sector. This article is the seventh in the series.

“eBan Xiao Xin aims to pioneer a new product category called ‘Smart Filial Piety.’” In response to the reporter’s question, Wan Yong, co-founder of eBan, provided this concise answer right from the start.

“For most people, lack of time is a very common issue, or to use a trendy term, a ‘pain point.’ Thus, no time to cook led to food-delivery apps; no time to wait for buses led to ride-hailing apps; and no time to see a doctor led to lightweight online consultation apps. So what about having no time to care for one’s parents? Hence the emergence of eBan XiaoXin.” Wan Yong’s response inevitably brings to mind the once-viral inspirational article “Life on an A4 Sheet: How Much Longer Can You Accompany Your Parents?” which cites the following set of data:

Surveys reveal that only 34% of working individuals are able to return home and spend more than 30 days a year with their parents. Twenty percent spend fewer than 30 days, 24% spend merely 7 to 9 days, and a striking 22% spend less than 7 days with their parents. In other words, if one’s parents live for another 30 years, the actual time spent by their side would amount to approximately 24 hours per year, totaling just 720 hours over three decades—roughly equivalent to one month.

“While it is indeed difficult for children to visit home frequently, can’t they at least make phone calls?” In response to such skepticism, Wan Yong described the following scenario.

“There are often moments when you want to call your parents to check in, only to feel that the conversation inevitably falls into repetitive pleasantries. It’s always the same exchange: they say they’re doing well, and you say you’re doing well too. Gradually, calling your parents becomes a mere formality—something you feel obliged to do. It seems as if making the call itself counts as showing care, and over time, even the act of calling becomes a psychological burden. You feel there’s no real alternative, genuinely unsure of what else there is to talk about.”

Figure: eBan Homepage Displaying eBan Features

What e-Ban Xiao Xin does is to ensure that filial piety remains constantly accessible, even when children have no time.

First is real-time updates. As soon as children open the app, they can know what their parents were doing just minutes ago—for example, Dad taking a walk near the residential community, and Mom doing housework at home.

Second is intelligent reminders. For matters concerning elderly parents that their children care about, eBan XiaoXin proactively sends alerts to the children, providing 24/7 vigilance for busy offspring. For example, if Dad leaves home early in the morning and Mom has not returned by 10 p.m., the system will issue a reminder.

Third is automated greetings. Yi Ban Xiao Xin analyzes and summarizes recent changes in parents' daily routines, providing children with conversation starters when checking in on their elderly parents, ensuring no detail of their lives is overlooked. For instance, if Dad has been frequently visiting the park in the afternoons, he may have joined a senior community group; if Mom has been staying up later at night, she might be binge-watching TV dramas.

How does eBan XiaoXin achieve this? According to Wan Yong, the most critical core technology is human behavior recognition, which is the key differentiator between eBan XiaoXin and other smart products on the market.

“Smart bands, as widely known, can also perform activity recognition, but they only distinguish between movement and stillness. They cannot automatically and continuously recognize specific actions such as sitting, lying down, walking, running, standing, and reclining like eBan XiaoXin does, nor can they reconstruct these movements into daily living activities to analyze potential risks within behavioral patterns.” Speaking enthusiastically about the core technology of eBan XiaoXin, Wan Yong elaborated, “For example, eBan can recognize when a person is sitting, whereas smart bands cannot. eBan can determine whether an elderly person is indoors or outdoors, which Baidu and Amap cannot do. If an elderly person has been out for six or seven hours without returning home, the risk of getting lost is significantly high. This capability enables more effective prevention of wandering incidents, representing a higher level of protection compared to relying solely on positioning technology.”

Founded in 2009, with its first-generation product launched in 2013 and the second generation released in late 2015, eBan has always remained committed to its original mission of providing family-oriented care services for children, earning widespread market recognition. Insurance companies such as Sunshine Insurance, Tianan Life Insurance, and Sino-Dutch Life Insurance have successively partnered with eBan to expand market reach. Hundreds of communities in Beijing have already adopted eBan, with elderly users now distributed across 30 provinces and municipalities nationwide. Meanwhile, adult children using the eBan mobile app have expanded from China to overseas countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Canada. eBan has consistently maintained a user activity rate above 80%, with its longest-serving users having utilized the service for over three years.

What Does the Future Hold for eBan? Wan Yong admits he has pondered this question, but regardless of how promising the future may be, it remains inseparable from the tasks at hand. For now, eBan will not overextend its focus; instead, it will concentrate exclusively on strengthening family bonds. Wan Yong notes that eBan has significantly improved his relationship with his father. Beyond enabling his father to consistently feel his son’s care, it has also given Wan Yong a profound sense of reassurance and peace of mind. He hopes that more people can benefit from eBan just as he has.