Hongyu Charlie Wang

  • I’m an ex-asset allocator, VC investor, 2x founder and life-long enthusiast of tech & innovation.

    Some things about me:

    • Grew up in Suzhou, China until going to UVa when I was 18.
    • Had lots of fun at UVa and met my hero Alexis Ohanian there a few times, who inspired me to take the more entrepreneurial path.
    • Took a job at The Smithsonian Institution Office of Investment right out of college, working with the best boss one could ever ask, the amazing Amy Chen and Jeff Smith, investing in some of the best GPs & companies across multiple asset classes all over the world.
    • I moved back to China late 2019, and briefly worked with billionaire tech entrepreneur Mark Yang (Ganji.com, CARS Group) and Anna Xu (NetEase) at HIKE Capital, leading consumer investment & fundraising.
    • I have been a full-time founder since 2020, and started two businesses in the midst of a global pandemic. One was exited and the other one is still growing rapidly – if you need an at-home IPL hair removal device, check us out.
    • I recently transitioned out of my role at the last startup, and moved back to the US. I currently live in St Petersburg, FL with my family and when I’m not running around the house, I am getting my MBA at Darden School of Business, and advise & invest in US private market through Talok Capital.

    Investing:

    • I have had the pleasure of working with some of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs & investors throughout my career, and I’m extremely grateful to have the opportunities to partner with & learn from some of the best, including General Catalyst, Lightspeed Venture Partner, xAI, Convenience Bee, RELX, Li Auto, Autowise, CARS Group and a few more.
    • Currently advising a select number of family offices on US private market investment, including fund & direct & secondary investments across all asset classes.

    Innovation:

    • I’m optimistic about future of mankind, and am passionate about leveraging technology innovation to create a better future for all.
    • I have grown businesses profitably from $0 to $100mm GMV in over 5 countries, managed a team of 50+ people in product, ecommerce, fulfilment, logistics, strategy, and finance, and have once worked at one of the largest enterprise company ConnectWise (Backed by Summit Partners and Thoma Bravo). I am a problem-solver at the very core.
    • Areas of interest: AI, Robotics, Health & Longevity, Consumer & Retail, Crypto & FinTech, and Next Generation of Senior/Child Care. Reach out if you are working on crazy ideas in those industries.

    Some things I believe in:

    • Life Rule: I believe life is all about making memories with people you care about, and live by Bezo’s regret minimization approach.
    • Work Philosophy: I think selecting the right people that you want to work with is more important than managing them well. Good people don’t need to be managed, just supported & inspired.
    • Talk to me about: I am super excited about the new wave of popularization of Asian culture, led by some of my favorite startups in my network such as immi, Lunar Seltzer, Fly By Jing, Wee!, and some of my favorite artist groups such as A24 and 88Rising.
    • Millennial/Gen-Z Problem: Millennial/Gen-Z faces many unique problems that the current societal infrastructure is not set up well to solve, such as the emergence of double-income parents, the fall of public education and healthcare system, the collapse of white-collar jobs, and AI-fueled information overload. Companies that can solve these problems will leave a generational impact.
    • Health: Staying healthy in the mordern-day society is getting more and more difficult. I would love to chat if you are working on something related to health – mental health, anti-aging, speciality clinic, etc.
    • AI: I believe AI is the industrial revolution of our generation, which will free our productivity to an unimaginable scale. I’m excited to back entrepreneurs working to disrupt all industries with AI.

    Traveling:

    I’m a self-proclaimed global citizen, and have worked, studied at, or traveled to 70+ countries around the globe. Next on my list is probably Egypt – Let me know if you have any tips! Here are a few pictures I took from some of my favorite expeditions.

    Jamaica
    Tanzania
    Bolivia
    Argentina
    Chile
    North Korea
    Haiti
    Dominica Republic
    Brazilian Amazon