Zhongzhi, a virtual reality (VR) company founded in late 2016 and based in Nanchang, China, used its VR films to lay the groundwork for its entry into the metaverse as a business. Since 2021, the first year of the metaverse, Zhongzhi has focused on developing the JiuTian Intelligent Space Platform, which integrates all kinds of digital technologies—such as VR, blockchain, and digital twin—to embed diverse case contents. Zhongzhi’s operations have encompassed three key areas: vocational education, a science and technology centre, and rural revitalization. However, establishing a sustainable metaverse business remains a significant concern. The company was confronted with a strategic dilemma: whether to focus all efforts on a core business area or diversify into new ventures that offer long-term sustainability.

Zhongke Xinke (Beijing) Technology Co. Ltd. (Zhongke Xinke), founded in November 2016, enjoyed a high reputation in China’s makerspace industry. Miao Jinsheng, the founder of Zhongke Xinke, sensed the changing environment and the development challenges of the enterprise and created the Foreseeing Unicorns Project. Jointly launched with the Jiangxi provincial government, the project supported the success of entrepreneurs and helped Jiangxi Province to discover and cultivate unicorn enterprises, creating shared value economically and socially. However, its commitment and close ties with the local government limited Zhongke Xinke’s future growth to a certain extent. How could the project grow by balancing its commitment to Jiangxi Province with its need to grow outside the province (national)?

In the traditional offline context, the mental health industry suffers from poor local demand and a lack of trustworthy supply. Emerging digital platforms can solve this problem to a large extent by building network effects. How to build network effects is a primary issue for mental health platforms. This article explores this problem by investigating two cases from China. Platform firms can design mechanisms to increase user scale, multiply user roles, facilitate user engagement, and enhance user trust on platforms. The pioneer platform and the later entrant can implement different strategies for building network effects.