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 team of technology enthusiasts, investing in founders defining the future and breaking barriers. We focus on value creation empowered by technology breakthroughs and technology penetration. We bring product focus and venture discipline into hard science backed startups. Believing technology is the force driving human race forward and making us truly free, happy and powerful, we strive to embrace the force and empower daring entrepreneurs to change the world.
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 biotech, Fintech, enterprise SaaS and low carbon solutions, with 5 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 Biotech VC. She is a member of 100 Women in Finance and Harvard PE/VC Class of 2022. She is also a guest lecturer at Stanford University and an invited speaker at TechCrunch. Helen is based in Silicon Valley.
Select Investments: SpaceX, FiscalNote, Salt Security, Jeeves, Houm, Meru Health, 1910 Genetics, Universal Quantum, Kernal Bio, Moonshot Brands
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 was a key contributor to the Stanford Technology Venture Program and the 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
Leo NW Cui, PhD, Partner
Naiwen is a biotech expert with extensive research experience in CRISPR and Microfluidics. He is 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 works have led to two spin-off companies which are developing early-stage cancer diagnostics and a high-throughput drug discovery platform.
Naiwen 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. Naiwen holds a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from Harvard University. He is based in our office in Cambridge, MA.
Select Investments: Charge Robotics, Palitronica, Orbillion Bio
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, Arintra, Palitronica
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Yvonne Jiang, Product Partner
Yvonne focuses on fintech, consumer products and low-carbon solutions. She is passionate about emerging technologies in biotech, foodtech, alternative proteins and regenerative agtech. 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: Orbillion Bio, Moonshot Brands, Valia, Creizer.
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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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Jad Fidawi, Investment Associate
Jad studies Electrical Engineering at Stanford University. He serves as the Vice President of Business Association of Stanford Entrepreneurial Students (BASES) and leads the annual 100K Startup Challenge. Jad is passionate about entrepreneurship, technology and consumer trends. He loves tennis, piano and travel.
At FoundersX, Jad carries out research and investment analysis in battery and renewable energy, medical devices, AI chips, machine learning and digital penetration in enterprise SaaS and global supply chain.
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Graham Shunk, Investment Associate
Graham studies Engineering Physics and Computer Science at Stanford University. He led Stanford BASES Moonshot program for student founders. Graham is passionate about aerospace technology and entrepreneurship. He enjoys surfing, rock climbing, backpacking, coding and playing piano.
At FoundersX, Graham carries out research and investment analysis in space technology, edge computing, quantum computing, data security, crypto security, and deep learning for enterprise applications.
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Emi Mathew, Investment Associate
Emi studies Human Biology and Product Design at Stanford University. She is passionate about creating accessible healthcare breakthroughs through science research and entrepreneurship. Emi is a TEDx speaker and loves debate. She enjoys dancing, cooking and reading.
At FoundersX, Emi carries out research and investment analysis in biotech, medical devices, digital health, mental healthcare, women healthcare, as well as AI in medicine and biopharma breakthroughs.
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James Wei, Investment Associate
James studies Economics and Computer Science at Stanford University. He had intern experiences in Stanford Management Company and other private equity and investment bank firms. James co-founded an investment app startup and served as the VP Operation of Stanford Pre-Business Association. He loves strength training and food adventures.
At FoundersX, James carries out research and investment analysis in digital penetration in finance, insurance, logistics and global supply chain, renewable energy and low-carbon solutions, as well as consumer markets.