Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Principles of consolidation

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company, its subsidiaries, the VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries for which the Company is the ultimate primary beneficiary for accounting purpose only under U.S. GAAP.

A subsidiary is an entity in which the Company, directly or indirectly, controls more than one half of the voting power, has the power to appoint or remove the majority of the members of the board of directors, to cast a majority of votes at the meeting of the board of directors or to govern the financial and operating policies of the investee under a statute or agreement among the shareholders or equity holders. The Company owns 39.35% equity interest in Sunrise Guizhou, but has the power to cast a majority of votes at the meeting of the board of directors and governs the financial and operating policies of Sunrise Guizhou under an agreement among the shareholders.

All transactions and balances between the Company, its subsidiaries, VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries have been eliminated upon consolidation.

Use of estimates

Use of estimates

The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires the management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. These estimates and judgments are based on historical information, information that is currently available to the Company and on various other assumptions that the Company believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Significant estimates required to be made by management, include, but are not limited to, the assessment of the allowance for doubtful accounts, inventory valuation, depreciable lives of property and equipment, impairment of long-lived assets, realization of deferred tax assets and accretion to redemption value of redeemable non-controlling interests. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Fair value measurements

Fair value measurements

The Company follows the provisions of ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. ASC 820 clarifies the definition of fair value, prescribes methods for measuring fair value, and establishes a fair value hierarchy to classify the inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:

Level 1 - Inputs are unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities available at the measurement date.

Level 2 - Inputs are unadjusted quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable, and inputs derived from or corroborated by observable market data.

Level 3 - Inputs are unobservable inputs which reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions on what assumptions the market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on the best available information.

The carrying amounts reported in the balance sheets for cash, restricted cash, accounts receivable, notes receivable, due from related parties, advance to suppliers, prepaid expenses and other current assets, short-term loan, deferred revenue, income taxes payable, accounts payable, note payable, due to related parties, accrued expenses and other current liabilities approximate their fair value based on the short-term maturity of these instruments. The carrying amount of long-term loan, financial lease liabilities, long term payables and consideration payable approximates fair value as its interest rates are at the same level of current market yield for comparable loans.

The Company’s non-financial assets, such as plants, property and equipment would be measured at fair value only if they were determined to be impaired.

As a practical expedient, the Company uses Net Asset Value (“NAV”) or its equivalent to measure the fair value of its certain fund investment. NAV is primarily determined based on information provided by external fund administrators. The Company’s investments valued at NAV as a practical expedient are private equity funds, which represent the short-term investment on the balance sheet.

Restricted cash

Restricted cash

Restricted cash represents bank deposits with designated use, which cannot be withdrawn without certain approval or notice. Such restricted cash relates to the deposit for commercial note issuance and an escrowed fund of listing companies.

On August 4, 2022, Sunrise Guizhou entered into a line of credit financing contract with Bank of Guizhou for revolving credit for a term from August 4, 2022 to August 3, 2023. Pursuant to the line of credit contract, the Company was obliged to deposit fifty percent of the notes payable amount issued as restricted cash in the designated bank accounts in Bank of Guizhou. As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the deposit for commercial note issuance was $896,391 and $1,938,374, respectively.

The escrowed fund of listing companies was held by an Escrow Agent for the purpose of satisfying the initial $700,000 of the indemnification obligations of the Company, with respect to the Escrowed Funds, for a period of 24 months from the closing of the Company’s initial public offering in February 2021. As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the escrowed fund balance was $nil and $700,094, respectively.

Accounts receivable, net

Accounts receivable, net

Accounts receivable mainly represents amounts due from clients in the ordinary course of business and are recorded net of allowance for doubtful accounts.

On January 1, 2023, the Company adopted ASC 326 Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (“ASC 326”) using the modified retrospective approach through a cumulative-effect adjustment to accumulated deficit. Upon adoption, the Company changed its impairment model to utilize a current expected credit losses model in place of the incurred loss methodology for financial instruments measured at amortized cost. The Company had not recorded an adjustment to the opening accumulated deficit as of January 1, 2023 due to immaterial cumulative impact of adopting ASC 326.

Management used an expected credit loss model for the impairment of financial instruments mentioned above as of period ends. For the allowance of the accounts receivable, management believes the aging of accounts receivable is a reasonable parameter to estimate expected credit loss, and determines expected credit losses for accounts receivables using an aging schedule as of period ends. The expected credit loss rates under each aging schedule were developed on basis of the average historical loss rates from previous years, and adjusted to reflect the effects of those differences in current conditions and forecasted changes. Management measured the expected credit losses of accounts receivable on a collective basis. When an accounts receivable does not share risk characteristics with other accounts receivables, management will evaluate such accounts receivable for expected credit loss on an individual basis. Doubtful accounts balances are written off and deducted from allowance for credit loss, when receivables are deemed uncollectible, after all collection efforts have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote. The allowance was $7,849,131, and $8,047,527 as of June 30, 2023 and as of December 31, 2022, respectively.

Lease

Lease

At inception of a contract, the Company assesses whether a contract is, or contains, a lease. A contract is or contains a lease if it conveys the right to control the use of an identified asset for a period of time in exchange of a consideration. To assess whether a contract is or contains a lease, the Company assess whether the contract involves the use of an identified asset, whether it has the right to obtain substantially all the economic benefits from the use of the asset and whether it has the right to control the use of the asset.

A lease arrangement is being evaluated for classification as operating or financing upon lease commencement. The right-of-use assets and related lease liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date.

Lease liabilities, which represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease, and corresponding right of-use assets, which represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term, are recognized at the commencement date of the lease based on the present value of fixed future payments, calculated using the discount rate implicit in the lease, if available, or the Company’s incremental borrowing rate.

The right-of-use of asset is initially measured at cost, which comprises the initial amount of the lease liability adjusted for any lease payments made at or before the commencement date, plus any initial direct costs incurred and less any lease incentive received.

Finance lease

Finance leases are generally those leases that transfer ownership to the Company or allow the Company to purchase assets at a nominal amount by the end of the lease term. Assets acquired under finance leases are recorded as finance lease right-of-use, or ROU, assets.

The Company’s leases have initial terms ranging from 2 to 3 years for the Company. The lease term includes lessee’s option to purchase assets at a nominal amount by the end of the lease term. As the lease transfers ownership of the underlying asset to the Company and the Company is reasonably certain to exercise an option to purchase the underlying asset, the Company amortizes the finance lease right-of-use asset to the end of the useful life of the underlying asset.

For finance lease, lease expense is generally front-loaded as the finance lease ROU asset is depreciated on a straight-line basis over the amortization period, but interest expense on the lease liability is recognized in interest expense using the effective interest method which results in more expense during the early years of the lease.

Operating lease

For operating leases, lease expense relating to fixed payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Additionally, the Company elected not to recognize leases with lease terms of 12 months or less at the commencement date. Lease payments on short-term leases are recognized as an expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term, not included in lease liabilities.

Sales and leaseback contracts

The Company enters into sale and leaseback transactions. The Company acts as the seller-lessee, transfers its assets to a third-party entity (the buyer-lessor) and then leases the transferred assets back from the buyer-lessor at a contract designated rental price. The Company evaluates if sales of the underlying assets in the sale and leaseback contract has occurred in accordance with ASC 606. When a sale and leaseback transaction does not qualify for sale accounting, the transaction is accounted for as a financing transaction by the seller-lessee and a lending transaction by the buyer-lessor. The seller-lessee shall not derecognize the transferred asset and shall account for any amounts received as a financial liability.

Land use right, net

Land use rights, net

Land use rights are recorded at cost less accumulated amortization and amortized on a straight-line basis over the remaining term of the land certificates, from 40 years to 50 years.

Long-term investments

Long-term investments

Equity method investments in investees represent the Company’s investments in privately held companies, over which it has significant influence but does not own a majority equity interest or otherwise control. The Company applies the equity method to account for an equity investment, in common stock or in-substance common stock, according to ASC 323 “Investment — Equity Method and Joint Ventures”.

An investment in in-substance common stock is an investment in an entity that has risk and reward characteristics that are substantially similar to that entity’s common stock. The Company considers subordination, risks and rewards of ownership and obligation to transfer value when determining whether an investment in an entity is substantially similar to an investment in that entity’s common stock.

Under the equity method, the Company’s share of the post-acquisition profits or losses of the equity investee is recognized in the consolidated income statements and its share of post-acquisition movements in accumulated other comprehensive income is recognized in shareholders’ equity. When the Company’s share of losses in the equity investee equals or exceeds its interest in the equity investee, the Company does not recognize further losses, unless the Company has incurred obligations or made payments or guarantees on behalf of the equity investee. Investment (loss) income for long-term investments was $(3,016) and $8,141 for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

For other equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values and over which the Company has neither significant influence nor control through investments in common stock or in-substance common stock, the Company accounts for these investments at cost minus any impairment, if necessary.

The Company continually reviews its investments in equity investees to determine whether a decline in fair value below the carrying value is other than temporary. The primary factors the Company considers in its determination are the length of time that the fair value of the investment is below the Company’s carrying value; the financial condition, operating performance and the prospects of the equity investee. If the decline in fair value is deemed to be other than temporary, the carrying value of the equity investee is written down to fair value. No impairment charges were recorded in investment losses in the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of operation and comprehensive loss for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Asset acquisition

Asset acquisition

When the Company acquires other entities, if the assets acquired and liabilities assumed do not constitute a business, the transaction is accounted for as an asset acquisition. Assets are recognized based on the cost, which generally includes the transaction costs of the asset acquisition, and no gain or loss is recognized unless the fair value of noncash assets given as consideration differs from the assets’ carrying amounts on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements. The cost of a group of assets acquired in an asset acquisition is allocated to the individual assets acquired or liabilities assumed based on their relative fair value and does not give rise to goodwill.

Share-based compensation

Share-based compensation

Share-based compensation are measured based on the grant date fair value of the equity instrument. Share-based compensation expenses are recognized over the requisite service period based on the graded vesting attribution method with corresponding impact reflected in additional paid-in capital. When no future services are required to be performed by grantees in exchange for an award of equity instruments, the cost of the award is expensed on the grant date. The Company elects to recognize forfeitures when they occur.

Revenue recognition

Revenue recognition

The Company recognizes revenue under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The core principle of the new revenue standard is that a company should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The following five steps are applied to achieve that core principle:

Step 1: Identify the contract with the customer

Step 2: Identify the performance obligations in the contract

Step 3: Determine the transaction price

Step 4: Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract

Step 5: Recognize revenue when the company satisfies a performance obligation

The Company mainly offers and generates revenue from five kinds of services to its clients in China, sales of graphite anode materials, member services, enterprise services, online services and other services. Enterprise services include comprehensive tailored services, sponsorship advertising services, and consulting services.

Revenue recognition policies for each type of the Company’s services are discussed as follows:

Sales of graphite anode materials

The Company’s major business is to sell graphite anode materials to its customers. The Company’s major customers are manufacturers of industrial and consumer energy storage lithium-ion batteries, such as batteries for electric vehicles and electric ships, and smart consumer electronics. The Company examines the availability of the inventory, takes control of products in its warehouses, and then organizes the shipping and delivery of products to customers after the purchase orders are received from customers.

The Company accounts for revenue from sales of graphite anode materials on a gross basis as the Company is responsible for fulfilling the promise to provide the desired products to customers, and is subject to inventory risk before the product ownership and risk are transferred and has the discretion in establishing prices. All of the Company’s contracts and purchase orders are fixed prices and have one single performance obligation as the promise is to transfer the products to customers, and there are no separately identifiable other promises in the contracts. The Company’s revenue from sales of graphite anode materials is recognized at a point in time when title and risk of loss passes and the customer accepts the goods, which generally occurs at delivery. There is no separate rebate, discount, or volume incentive involved. Revenue is reported net of all value added taxes (“VAT”).

Member services

The Company offers three tiers of member services, Platinum, Diamond and Protégé, which differ in membership fees as well as the level of the services provided. Members pay a fixed fee for exchange of the right to participate in organized activities offered by the Company, such as study tours and forums, typically within one-year membership period. Any non-participating activities will expire and not be refunded beyond the agreed-upon period. Each member is entitled to choose from same activities offered by the Company for a total of seven times but different level of membership will receive different level of privileges at each activity, such as seating arrangement or private consultation opportunity etc. The activities for Platinum Members are also open to non-members, who pay a pre-set fee for participating in a single activity, while the Company does not offer Diamond and Protégé services to non-members separately.

Each activity represents a separate performance obligation, which is typically 5 days or less. The Company uses an expected cost plus margin approach to estimate the standalone selling prices of each activity. As Members can benefit from each activity on their own in the same way and there is no material difference in the Company’s delivering costs, such as number of staffs involved and size of each activity. Therefore, membership fees are equally allocated to seven performance obligations when the Company determines transaction price of each performance obligation.

The Company recognizes membership fees as revenue upon completion of each activity as the duration of each activity is short. Membership fees from non-participating activity will be recognized when the agreed-upon period has expired. Membership fees collected in advance are recorded as deferred revenue on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Enterprise services

The Company charges its clients service fees for providing enterprise services, which mainly include comprehensive tailored services, sponsorship advertising services and consulting services.

Comprehensive tailored services

The comprehensive tailored services provide tailored packaged services to small and medium business, including conference and salon organization, booth exhibition services, on-site Mentors’ guidance, and other value-added services. The Company typically signs one-year framework agreements and a tailored services contract with the clients, which list the types of tailored services as ordered by the clients to fit their specific needs. Each tailored service is a separate performance obligation under ASC 606, as these performance obligations are distinct, the clients can benefit from each service on their own and the Company’s promises to deliver the services are separately identifiable from each other in the services contract. The performance of each tailored service is usually on a specific date designated by the clients.

The Company establishes a uniform list for the unit price of each type of tailored services with reference to quoted market prices. If no quoted market price is available, the price will be estimated by using an expected cost plus a margin approach.

The Company recognizes the price for each tailored service as revenue when the service has been provided on a specific date designated and the receipt of each tailored services is confirmed by the clients. If a client does not request certain items of the tailored services included in the services contract during the agreed-upon period, the Company will not refund the service fees and the revenue will be recognized upon expiration of service contracts. The tailored services fees collected before providing services are recorded as deferred revenue on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Sponsorship advertising service

The Company provides sponsorship advertising service for its clients at certain activities it held, i.e. study tours and forums. The sponsorship advertising services are mainly to display banners with the clients’ information and distribute clients’ brochures through the activities, so that the clients can enhance their corporate and product image.

The fee the Company charges for sponsorship advertising service is depending on multiple specific factors, including number of event participants, location, public interest, etc. The Company considers all factors and determines pricing for each contract separately. The sponsorship advertising fees are recognized as revenue when services have been provided on a specific date designated and receipt of sponsorship advertising services are confirmed by clients. Sponsorship advertising fees collected before providing services are recorded as deferred revenue on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Consulting services

The Company provides consulting services to small and medium-sized enterprises by helping them to develop strategies and solutions including: corporate reorganization, product promotion and marketing, industry supply chain integration, corporate governance, financing and capital structure, etc. The consulting services are tailored to meet each client’s specific needs and requirements.

Consulting fees are based on the specifics of the services provided, for instance, time and efforts required, etc. The Company considers comprehensive factors and determines prices with reference to quoted market prices. If no quoted market price is available, price will be estimated by using an expected cost plus a margin approach.

Consulting fees are recognized as revenue when services have been provided and receipt of consulting services is confirmed by clients as the duration of services is short, typically one month or less. Consulting fees collected before providing any service are presented as deferred revenue on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Online services

The Company provides two types of online services to the Company’s APP Users, which are questions and answers (Q&A) session with chosen Mentors and online streaming of courses and programs. Top-up credits are paid by Users through the Company’s APP platform, using which Users can purchase the online services.

Users can raise questions to chosen Mentors or Experts with a fixed fee per Q&A session preset by Mentors or Experts. The Q&A session is usually provided by chosen Mentors or Experts within a course of a 72-hour period. The Company charges 30% of the Q&A fees as a facilitator of online services. The Q&A fees are allocated to the Company and chosen Mentors or Experts automatically by the APP on a 30%/70% split upon completion of Q&A sessions. The Company recognizes this online service fees as revenue at completion of Q&A sessions on a net basis, i.e., in the amount of 30% of allocated Q&A fees, as the Company merely provides a platform for its Users and is not the primary obligor of the Q&A session, neither has risks and rewards as principal.

The Company granted Users the access to view various online courses and programs. Users can subscribe an annual VIP at a rate of RMB299. The VIP grants Users the access right to the Company’s VIP courses and programs over the subscription period. The Company recognizes the VIP annual subscription fees as revenue on a straight-line basis over VIP subscription period. Users can also purchase à la carte courses and programs at a rate from RMB 9.9 to 299 per course or program by top-up credits through the Company’s APP platform. The payment for à la carte course and program is not refundable. After the payment is collected by the Company, the Users obtain unlimited access to the courses and programs they purchased for without limitation. The Company recognizes the fees a la carte courses and programs as revenue at the point of time that Users obtain the access to the courses and programs.

Other services fees are mainly derived from non-member participation of study tours and forums at the service level of Platinum Members. The Company charges non-members a fixed fee for each Member activity and the price for non-members is determined based on the Company’s allocated Member pricing for each activity. Fees are usually collected on site at the date of each activity and revenues are recognized at the completion of such activity.

Contract assets and liabilities

The Company’s contract liabilities consist of deferred revenues, primarily relating to the advance consideration received from customers, which include the advance member service fees and enterprise service fees received from customers. The amount from customers before provision of service is recognized as deferred revenue. The deferred revenue is recognized as revenue once the criteria for revenue recognition are met.

The Company recognized $349,049 and $170,061 in revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, which related to contract liabilities that existed at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The balances as of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 are expected to be recognized as revenue within one year.

There was no contract asset recorded as of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

Service costs

Service costs

Service costs primarily include (1) the cost of holding events and activities, such as venue rental fees, conference equipment fees, (2) professional and consulting fees paid to third parties for the Company’s activity; (3) the fees paid to Mentors and Experts; and (4) labor costs. Service costs were $585,006 and $616,414 for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Loss per share

Loss per share

The Company computes loss per share (“EPS”) in accordance with ASC 260, “Earnings per Share” (“ASC 260”). ASC 260 requires companies with complex capital structures to present basic and diluted EPS. Basic EPS are computed by dividing loss available to ordinary shareholders of the Company by the weighted average ordinary shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS takes into account the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue ordinary shares were exercised and converted into ordinary shares.

The Company has determined that the redeemable non-controlling interests are participating securities as the preferred shares participate in retained earnings of Sunrise Guizhou. The Company treats the entire measurement adjustment to redemption value of the redeemable non-controlling interest under ASC 480-10-S99-3A as being akin to a dividend, which affected in the calculation of loss available to ordinary shareholders of the Company used in the loss per share calculation.

For the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, the diluted shares were 1,278,159 and nil, respectively.

Significant risks

Significant risks

Currency risk

A majority of the Company’s expense transactions are denominated in RMB and a significant portion of the Company and its subsidiaries’ assets and liabilities are denominated in RMB. RMB is not freely convertible into foreign currencies. In the PRC, certain foreign exchange transactions are required by law to be transacted only by authorized financial institutions at exchange rates set by the People’s Bank of China (“PBOC”). Remittances in currencies other than RMB by the Company in China must be processed through the PBOC or other Company foreign exchange regulatory bodies which require certain supporting documentation in order to affect the remittance.

The Company maintains certain bank accounts in the PRC. On May 1, 2015, China’s new Deposit Insurance Regulation came into effect, pursuant to which banking financial institutions, such as commercial banks, established in the PRC are required to purchase deposit insurance for deposits in RMB and in foreign currency placed with them. Such Deposit Insurance Regulation would not be effective in providing complete protection for the Company’s accounts, as its aggregate deposits are much higher than the compensation limit, which is RMB 500,000 for one bank. However, the Company believes that the risk of failure of any of these Chinese banks is remote. Bank failure is uncommon in the PRC and the Company believes that those Chinese banks that hold the Company’s cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments are financially sound based on public available information.

Other than the deposit insurance mechanism in the PRC mentioned above, the Company’s bank accounts are not insured by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance or other insurance.

Concentration and credit risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to the concentration of credit risks consist of cash and short-term investments. The maximum exposures of such assets to credit risk are their carrying amounts as of the balance sheet dates. The Company deposits its cash and short-term investments with financial institutions located in jurisdictions where the subsidiaries are located. The Company believes that no significant credit risk exists as these financial institutions have high credit quality.

The Company’s also exposure to credit risk associated with its trading and other activities is measured on an individual counterparty basis, as well as by group of counterparties that share similar attributes. There was $8,291,015 and $ 8,156,554 of revenue from two clients which represented 40% and 39% of the total revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2023. There was $7,744,625 of revenue from one client which represented 75% of the total revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2022. There was $8,053,415 and $2,587,509 of account receivable from two clients which represented 60% and 19% of the account receivable as of June 30, 2023. There was $1,549,436 of account receivable from one client which represented 12% of the account receivable as of December 31, 2022. Concentrations of credit risk can be affected by changes in political, industry, or economic factors. To reduce the potential for risk concentration, The Company generally requires advanced payment before delivery of the services but may extend unsecured credit to its clients in the ordinary course of business. Credit limits are established and exposure is monitored in light of changing counterparty and market conditions. The Company did not have any material concentrations of credit risk outside the ordinary course of business as of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

Interest rate risk

Fluctuations in market interest rates may negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations. The Company is exposed to floating interest rate risk on cash deposit and floating rate borrowings, and the risks due to changes in interest rates are not material. The Company has not used any derivative financial instruments to manage our interest risk exposure.

Other uncertainty risk

The Company’s major operations are conducted in the PRC. Accordingly, the political, economic, and legal environments in the PRC, as well as the general state of the PRC’s economy may influence the Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations.

The Company’s major operations in the PRC are subject to special considerations and significant risks not typically associated with companies in North America and Western Europe. These include risks associated with, among others, the political, economic, and legal environment. The Company’s results may be adversely affected by changes in governmental policies with respect to laws and regulations, anti-inflationary measures, and rates and methods of taxation, among other things. Although the Company has not experienced losses from these situations and believes that it is in compliance with existing laws and regulations including its organization and structure disclosed in Note 1, this may not be indicative of future results.