Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu has launched an internal startup incubation program, codenamed Darwin, aimed at developing new products beyond its flagship app, according to Sina Tech. The initiative, which recently opened applications to employees, allows selected participants to work full-time on new ventures under the guidance of the company’s senior executives, the report said. Teams will also receive access to Xiaohongshu’s internal resources to support product development.
The program is reportedly designed to create a product with the potential to match the scale of Xiaohongshu’s core platform. Employees behind successful projects could become product leads, with positions starting at the company’s L1 management level. Xiaohongshu did not respond to a request for comment from Sina Tech. [Sina Tech, in Chinese]