China’s social-lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu, also known as Rednote, is staking its claim as a launchpad for the next wave of AI-native apps. The company this week announced the winners of its inaugural Independent Developer Awards, spotlighting seven standout projects that blend artificial intelligence, community feedback, and consumer intuition. The competition attracted 1,355 submissions across mobile apps, websites, and hardware with two official tracks: Hidden Gem Apps and Best AI Projects. Notably, the lineup includes a growing cohort of Gen Z developers, including creators born after 2005. The first prize in the AI category, for instance, went to a solo developer born in 2001.Winners include AI-powered podcast app Podwise, hardware platform Action&Link, and a cohort of Gen Z developers born after 2001 who are reshaping how apps are built and distributed in the AI age.
“App building is becoming the new content creation,” said Sanbing, who heads Xiaohongshu’s tech-focused initiatives. That ethos is resonating across the platform: Xiaohongshu says over 50,000 indie developers are now active, with more than 90% releasing multiple apps each year. Developer-related content surged 146% year-over-year, racking up over 500 million topic views.
Positioned as a hybrid of Instagram’s visual storytelling and Reddit’s niche communities, Xiaohongshu has thrived on “grass-planting” culture – a Chinese internet idiom for peer-to-peer product evangelism. Unlike Western platforms where polished influencers dominate, its 300 million monthly users actively share granular lifestyle “notes” that blend personal anecdotes with practical reviews. That’s also how it worked for its emerging AI developer user group on the app.
Unlike traditional app stores that rely on algorithms, Xiaohongshu’s user-driven ecosystem turns life moments into real-time market research. Posts about everyday problems become idea seeds; developer diaries evolve into product roadmaps. SunAlly, a mental health companion, gained 20,000 users in two months after demand surfaced organically in user discussions. Cocktail Notes, a cocktail app, incorporated over 400 user suggestions before its launch. Developer Huasheng, known for rolling out gadgets like Kitten Fill Light and Kitten Flash Eyes in quick succession, credited Xiaohongshu users’ advice in every version release note.
According to platform data, over 3,000 discussions have taken place under the #IndieDevFeedbackDiaries hashtag, highlighting a culture of listening-to-feedback in development.
“The future belongs to innovators who combine AI with human insight,” said Leon, head of Xiaohongshu’s Open Platform at the award ceremony.
