Two Chinese billionaire businessmen have been nominated as the country’s highest academic titles in terms of engineering, in recognition of their contributions to push tech development made through their respective leading roles in search-giant Baidu and electric-car maker BYD.

Robin Li, the co-founder and CEO of Baidu, and Wang Chuanfu, president and chairman of BYD, were elected as candidates of a shortlist of members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), known as ‘academicians,’ the government-backed institution announced on Tuesday.

The tenures honors those “having made significant and creative achievements and contributions in the fields of engineering and technological sciences." A total of 531 candidates have been elected in the shortlist this year, with around a fifth of them being entrepreneurs.

In the shortlist, Li was called an academician in the field of engineering and emerging technology management. His internet search company Baidu bet its future on the next-generation artificial intelligence, rolling out product offerings ranging from driverless car to smart speakers.

Wang Chuanfu was called an academician in chemical, metallurgy and materials engineering management. He rose to fame by turning an unknown battery-maker to the world’s largest electric-vehicle in a decade-long history.

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