A Purpose-Driven Team
Featured on WSJ and Business Insider as a Pioneering Tech VC
Deep-rooted in Silicon Valley, we are a purpose-driven investment team of technology enthusiasts, originated from Stanford University. We believe technology is the driving force for human race to leap forward, empowering us to be truly free and happy. We partner with daring entrepreneurs to shape the future and change the world for better.
Helen H. Liang, PhD, Founder & Managing Partner
Helen established FoundersX Ventures in 2016 with the support of Stanford circle of founders. Bringing over 10 years of product experience in high-tech industry, she leads a high-performing team investing in entrepreneurs defining the future and breaking barriers in enterprise AI, fintech, digital health and biotech with 7 unicorns, multiple home runs and more than 20 portfolio companies valued at over $100M. Helen is featured on WSJ Pro Venture Capital and Business Insider as a pioneering tech VC. She holds a PhD from University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a member of Harvard HBS PE/VC Class 2022. She is a guest lecturer at Stanford and an invited speaker at TechCrunch. Helen is based in Silicon Valley.
Select Investments: SpaceX, Salt Security, Jeeves, Rain AI, 1910 Genetics, Universal Quantum, Kernal Bio, Meru Health, Lunajoy and Cognito TX.
Tom Kosnik, PhD, Partner
Tom is a seasoned tech investor and consulting professor at Stanford University with expertise in technology ventures and global marketing. He taught Technology Ventures at Stanford and Harvard HBS, and was a key contributor to the Stanford Technology Venture Program and Stanford BASES Challenge annual startup contests. Highly connected in Silicon Valley with a global network, Tom has served as an advisor and mentor to numerous tech startup founders from the Stanford circle. He is based in Silicon Valley.
Select Investments: Salt Security, Meru Health, 1910 Genetics, Markable, Orbillion Bio, Elementary Robotics, Lunajoy.
Leo Cui, PhD, Partner
Leo is a biotech expert with extensive research experience in CRISPR and Microfluidics. He was a Postdoc fellow in Professor Feng Zhang's Lab at MIT Broad Institute. He is a core inventor of 4 patents and has authored 8 peer-reviewed scientific publications. His work has led to two spin-off companies which are developing early-stage cancer diagnostics and a high-throughput drug discovery platform.
Leo is passionate about the converging power of bioscience and bioengineering. He co-founded Nucleate, a student-run entrepreneurship club at Harvard, and grew the program to 6 other Biohubs in the US. Leo holds a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from Harvard University. He is based in our office in Cambridge, MA.
Select Investments: Omniscope, Zafrens, Colabra, Palamedrix.
Sizi Chen, Product Partner
Sizi excels in the interdisciplinary research areas of neural science, machine learning and data science. She is passionate about digital health solutions that transform the healthcare industry via digital therapeutics and digital delivery of care. She also covers enterprise SaaS in data security and RPA. Previously Sizi worked at the MIT Media Lab with computer scientists, neuroscientists, and artists to develop non-invasive methods to treat neurological disorders. The research work was featured by The New York Times. Sizi holds a BA in Music and an MS in Management Science & Engineering from Stanford University. She is based in our office in Cambridge, MA.
Select Investments: LunaJoy, Actipulse Neuroscience, Cognito TX
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Yvonne Jiang, Product Partner
Yvonne focuses on fintech, consumer products, GenAI video contents for entertainment and gaming. She is passionate about emerging technologies in consumer AI, foodtech, gaming and new trends in GenZ entertainment. Yvonne carries out in-depth industry trend analyses and startup due diligence analyses. Before FoundersX, Yvonne was a UI/UX designer at Google and Disney. She was a key contributor to several popular games. Yvonne holds an MBA from University of California - Davis. She is based in Silicon Valley.
Select Investments: Dreamflare, Orbillion Bio, Momentum Foods.
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Andrea White, PhD, Venture Partner
Andrea has a true passion for the science behind healthcare and the promise of connected data powered by AI, driving the future of healthcare. She has extensive experience and strong track records across all aspects of technology commercialization in Fortune 100 companies and startups. At Microsoft, Andrea is the Head of Business Operations and Strategy for the AI Solution Acceleration Team, leading go-to-market globally across a portfolio of innovative AI-based solutions. Prior to Microsoft, she held leadership roles in One Medical and GE. Andrea has a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of New Hampshire and did postdoctoral research in the University of California, Berkeley. Andrea is based in Silicon Valley.
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Chandler Fang, Venture Partner
Chandler started in FoundersX as an Investment Associate in 2016. His high curiosity level led him into quantum computing, biotech and Fintech. He is a key contributor to our Fintech investments. Previously Chandler worked at JP Morgan for over four years as a Product Manager in payment transactions and risk management. He is currently a Product Manager at Ripple, a blockchain platform for cross-border enterprise payments. Chandler holds a MS in Financial Engineering from University of California - Berkeley, Haas School of Business. He is based in Silicon Valley.
Select Investments: Universal Quantum, Kapital, AlphaCopilot
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Wendy Hayes, Venture Partner
Wendy is a seasoned tech investor. She is a board member of multiple biotech companies publicly listed in Nasdaq and NYSE, including Gracell Biotech and Burning Rock Biotech. She was a partner at Deloitte previously.
Wendy has over 25 years of experience in financial and operational risk management and has worked with public companies, investment banks, regulators, and auditors. She is a Senior Fellow in Advanced Leadership Initiative at Harvard University. Wendy is based in Silicon Valley and Europe.
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Dan Guo, Investment Associate
Dan studies Computer Science in computational biology track at Stanford University. He served as a Director of Operations at Stanford BASES and worked as a software developer at Stanford Biodesign Digital Health and a project manager at Stanford Health Consulting Group. Dan was a Bootcamp Felllow at Stanford ASES for global entrepreneurship.
At FoundersX, Dan carries out research and investment analysis in enterprise AI, deep tech, biotech and digital health. He is passionate about disruptive technologies.
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Tristan Staschik, Investment Associate
Tristan studies Computer Science and Mathematics at UC Berkeley. He had extensive internship experiences as a machine learning and data science engineer, as well as a full-stack developer. Tristan has also worked on SQL database rewrite and RISC-V processor implementation. He competed with and designed curriculum for UC Berkeley's Competitive Programming team.
At FoundersX, Tristan carries out investment research in next-gen AI models, AI agents, AI physical models, robotics, AI chips and data centers, and startup due diligence analysis. Tristan is interested in astronomy and novelty programming languages.
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Sunny Sun, Investment Associate
Sunny studies Economics and Symbolic Systems on Human Centered AI Track at Stanford University. She serves as a project manager at Stanford Marketing Group and as an analyst at Stanford Finance. Sunny had experience as a private equity investment analyst at Aone Partners. She was a board member in Congresswoman Katie Porter Youth Advisory Board. Sunny enjoys playing tennis and creating digital arts & 3D designs.
At FoundersX, Sunny leads our social media marketing and coordinates events including AGI Hackathons, TechWeek SF and our AGMs. She also carries out research and investment analysis in consumer AI, gaming and GenAI content platforms.