Investor · Builder · Lifelong learner
General Partner at Taihill Venture, investing at the edge of biotech and AI. Board of Advisors at Boston Ballet. Backing scientific founders since 2017.
About
I was born in Guangzhou, China, and attended Zhixin High School where I started forming my view on the world. I completed my undergrad and was in a PhD program at Sun Yat-Sen University, majoring in computational mathematics and HPC — though I ended up mastering out, because at the time China lacked sufficient applications running on HPC to fully realize its potential.
In 2014 I moved to the US for a second master's in Management Science and Engineering, a joint program between the engineering and business schools at Columbia University.
That educational arc taught me to view the world from three distinct perspectives — scientific, engineering, and business — which has given me triple the fun in exploring it ever since.
During my second year at Columbia I co-founded TalentJungle, working on it through 2016. I then moved to Boston as an Associate and EIR at BAC Investment, where I co-founded Boston Innovation Growth. Since 2018 I've been working with my partner, Sky Yu, to build Taihill Venture.
Work
General Partner
At Taihill Venture, we back bold ideas and groundbreaking technologies that have the potential to reshape industries. Since 2017, we've invested in over 130 startups, including Lightelligence, KulaBio, and XtalPi. Our team supports scientific founders as they turn their visions into reality. My personal focus areas are biotech and AI — two fields that hold immense promise for the future.
Nonprofit
Board of Advisors
As a long-time supporter of the Boston Ballet, I'm thrilled to serve on their Board of Advisors. It's a fantastic opportunity to bridge the worlds of technology and art, exploring how innovation can enhance the ballet's artistic expression and reach.
Vice President
The U.S.-China Health Summit fosters global health knowledge exchange and collaboration among healthcare leaders from the US, China, and beyond. Established in 2011 at Harvard University, the Summit has hosted annual public health conferences and online seminars. Though currently paused due to geopolitical challenges, the Summit remains dedicated to its mission of improving healthcare through international cooperation.
Interests
Track day · Auto Cross · Rally Cross
You may find me at Thompson Speedway, Palmer Motorsports Park, or Devens Airfield — but more often, in the garage fixing something.
SYSU Boston Alumni Team
I'm part of the Sun Yat-Sen University Alumni dragon boat team. We compete in the Boston Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival every year — always a blast. If you're near the Charles River or Fort Point Channel in early summer, keep an eye out for us. Always looking for new members, even just for training.
Pingping · Henry · Anton
Pingping (Black Tabby), Henry (Orange Tabby), and Anton — a Tibetan Mastiff / Newfoundland / Golden Retriever / Caucasian Shepherd / Kangal Shepherd mix.
Pingping was my first pet in the US and sadly passed in May 2024. Anton and Henry are enjoying life every moment. To better serve our fur babies, my wife works at Chewy. :P
Philosophy
Everything is interconnected and interdependent, lacking inherent, permanent self-existence. All phenomena arise from causes and conditions.
Bodhisattvas focus on causes; ordinary people focus on effects. Understanding causality empowers proactive shaping of outcomes.
Perceived "reality" is shaped by sensory input, which is inherently limited. This limitation results in distinct experiential worlds for different beings — a dog's differs from a bat's, a fish's, or another human's. Whoever controls the input, weaves your "truth."
We should and will strive to enhance human longevity, cognition, capability and well-being through technology.
This applies to both biological and artificial intelligence. I actively seek accurate raw data, refine my cognitive algorithms (thinking processes), and maintain mental acuity (compute).
Remain mindful of your ultimate goals; don't let the tools (means) obscure what truly matters.
To mobilize large-scale action, design compelling incentive systems. While moral arguments enhance perception, economic or other tangible benefits are often the primary drivers — carbon credits, organized religion dynamics, election strategies.
Strive for clarity and directness. Avoid unnecessary complexity, bureaucracy, ambiguity, and inefficiency. Given human communication's low bandwidth (~39 bps), directness is crucial.
Assume goodwill and cooperate initially. However, respond in kind to cooperation or betrayal; reciprocity guides interaction.