This Chinese startup wants to make astrophotography as easy as taking a selfie
Backed by a legendary robotics professor, Starry Wilderness is building a camera that lets anyone capture the Milky Way without a PhD in astronomy.
Taking a stunning photo of the Milky Way used to require a heavy equatorial mount, a telescope, and hours of post-processing. But a new Chinese startup, Starry Wilderness, wants to change that. The company just raised millions of dollars from Linear Capital, with backing from XbotPark, the robotics incubator founded by Li Zexiang—the professor behind DJI and countless other hardware successes. Founded in 2024, Starry Wilderness is building a new category of camera: a 'starscape robot camera' that combines a multi-axis gimbal with intelligent software to automatically track stars. Their first product, a lightweight equatorial mount called ASTERRA-Z, was already a hit with semi-pro photographers. Now they're working on an all-in-one device about the size of a DJI Pocket 3 that can shoot the night sky with a single button press. Founder Zhou Shaoyang, a serial entrepreneur and avid astrophotographer, says the goal is to eliminate the technical hurdles that keep most people from capturing the stars. '90% of the difficulty in starscape photography is technical, not artistic,' he explains. By embedding the tracking logic of an equatorial mount into a portable gimbal, the device lets users focus on composition and creativity. The company's approach mirrors a broader trend in Chinese hardware: taking professional-grade capabilities and packaging them into consumer-friendly products. Think of it as the DJI Osmo for astrophotography. With the rise of social media and outdoor lifestyles, starscape photography has become a popular genre on platforms like Instagram and Xiaohongshu. But the barrier to entry remains high. Starry Wilderness aims to bridge that gap, potentially opening up a new market of casual stargazers who want to share their night-sky shots online. The new product is expected to launch on crowdfunding platforms soon, and if successful, could make astrophotography as accessible as taking a selfie.
Why it matters
Astrophotography has long been an exclusive hobby for experts with expensive gear. Starry Wilderness is part of a wave of Chinese startups that democratize specialized skills through smart hardware. If successful, it could turn millions of casual photographers into night-sky shooters, reshaping how we capture and share the cosmos on social media.
Global comparison
Globally, astrophotography gear is dominated by brands like iOptron (US) and Sky-Watcher (Canada), which focus on precision mounts for enthusiasts. Meanwhile, smartphone makers like Google and Apple add night modes, but they can't match dedicated hardware. Starry Wilderness sits in between: it offers a dedicated device that's far simpler than traditional mounts, yet more powerful than a phone. This mirrors the strategy of Chinese companies like DJI, which disrupted professional drones by making them easy to fly.