Who
We Are
About GVALN
The Global Venture Alumni Leadership Network (GVALN), established in December 2024, is a New York State-certified non-profit organization. GVALN is dedicated to creating a diverse and globally influential alumni leadership ecosystem through strategic guidance, academic support, brand promotion, and entrepreneurial innovation.
Mission
Joe Tian
Detong Capital
Founding Managing Partner
UPenn Alumni, member of Wharton’s Executive Board for Asia since 2020. He was an investment banker at Merrill Lynch and JP Morgan, management consultant at McKinsey. invested in Chineseall, Hosjoy, Buchang , Pearl-in-Palm, etc.
Chen Zhao
Plug and Play Tech Center
Managing Partner
PKU / UCLA Alumni, President of UCLA Anderson Alumni Association in Beijing. Led and participated in investment and cross-border acceleration of over 100 startups in China and the U.S., including Flexiv Robotics, Hexaflake AIGPU, PND Robotics, etc.
Ali Baghchehsara
Plasmos
Founder
TU Clausthal Alumni, a German-American entrepreneur, pioneered Airbus's first certified autonomous system, led a $400M portfolio by 25. He exemplifies expertise in physics, aerospace, and business with remarkable achievements.
Xiaocheng Zhu
Innoangel Fund
Managing Partner
Tsinghua Alumni, focus areas advanced manufacturing, new energy and materials, aerospace, and life sciences and technology. He led investments in IDRIVERPLUS, MegaRobo, Aqrose Tech, SPACETY, TUNGEE, INTENGINE Tech, WeRide, YTMicro, Dynano, etc.
David Gouverneur
University of Pennsylvania
Professor in Practice
Harvard Alumni, he was the Director and the Adjunct Secretary of Urban Development of Venezuela. He has lectured extensively, written articles and organized seminars and workshops, particularly in Latin-America addressing social inequalities, and environmental problems, and cultural erosion.
Foumin Xi
Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Executive President
McMaster Alumni, globally acclaimed to management innovation, strategic leadership higher education reform, and transnational education development.
Tony Chen
HKUST / KAUST
Ex-president
Stanford / Caltech Alumni, internationally renowned for his contributions to applied mathematics, scientific computing, and academic leadership.
Richard Feng
GVALN
President
UPenn Alumni, Chair of the Alumni Association in PQVC, Executive Member of APEA. Chief Advocate for Forbes China Value Investment Startups. Partner of Ephyrus Group.
Bailin Li
GVALN
Senior Vice President
UPenn Alumni, Penn Beijing Alumni Association chair, HR Manager at a Fortune 500 company, Board Member of the European and American Alumni Association, Founder of DHS Technology Startup
Bruce Zou
GVALN
Secretary
UPenn Alumni, Co-Founder and Shareholder, Heli Glocal Consulting. Served as advisor to the Governor of Kentucky, specializing in researching and guiding multinational manufacturing companies in successfully navigating localization strategies in US.
Selena Wu
GVALN
Head of Academic
UPenn Alumni, Postdoctoral at the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Pennsylvania, head of the Penn Engineering Resource-Sharing Community. Fudan Ph.D. in Microelectronics. Her research focuses on semiconductors, RF MEMS, filters, and sensors.
Yan Liang
Harvard GSEPEA
President
Harvard Alumni, Ambassador of Harvard’s Center for International Development, Honorary President of Harvard Education Consulting Association, CEO of Blazewoods Education, Representative of China Cultural Heritage Foundation, Executive Committee Member of APEA
Sam Xiao
ACSSS (Stanford)
President
Stanford Student, President, Association of Chinese Students and Scholars at Stanford (ACSSS), Vice President, Stanford Founders, Graduate Student Council Representative, Doerr School of Sustainability
Sophia Li
ACE Berkeley
Co-president
UC Berkeley Student, a seasoned entrepreneur and investor. She has founded three media companies—one of which was acquired by Pintu Group, while another grew into one of China’s top three Web3 media platforms. She is the co-founder of Catcher VC. She also serves as a board member and advisor to three technical startups.
Dazhong Wu
CGELA
Co-Founder / President
Columbia Alumni, Co-Founder and President of Global ESG Leadership Association(GELA), which is dedicated to building an ecosystem platform covering sustainable development fields, empowering young people to co-create a sustainable future.
Service
Partners
Harvard Chinese Healthcare Club, Harvard Politics and Economics Association, Association of Chinese Students and Scholars at Stanford, Caltech Chinese Association, Dartmouth CSSA, Penn Wharton China Summit, Penn Quakers Venture Club, PGELA, Chinese Psychology Association at Penn, Columbia Global ESG Leadership Association, Columbia CCI, Columbia Greater China Initiative, Tsinghua University Schwarzman Scholars Graduate Student Association, Business Association of Tsinghua Entrepreneurial Students, Peking University Innovation Club, PKU Weiming Innovation and Investment Association, Association of Chinese Entrepreneurs at Berkeley, CMU Chinese Technology Organization, Duke CEO, Chicago CEO, HKU Entrepreneurs Association, NYU CEC, NYU VVC, GELC at NYU, NYU Law CLSA, Northwestern University Innovators Hub, Global Entrepreneurship Society at UCLA, UTMCUA, UT Venture, Canadian Chinese Finance and Economics Association, Manchester Youth, Visionlist Commons Venture, Melbourne Venture Club, GaGro, Ephyrus Group, Heli Glocal Consulting, Asia Pacific Entrepreneurs Association, China-Australia Industrial Innovation Center, etc.
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