【Insight Peer Advisory Board】
Young Entrepreneurs US Study Tour
A group of young entrepreneurs set off for the US on 10 November 2017 for a week long trip to explore the technological and financial landscape in Silicon Valley and New York. This trip was sponsored by the China-US Leadership Development Foundation (CULDF), and featured seminars hosted by Wall Street experts and exchange sessions with financial gurus. At the same time, CULDF secured important partnerships with its US counterparts.
The Insight Peer Advisory Board Young Entrepreneurs Study Tour was initiated by CULDF and the Insight Peer Advisory Board. The Post EMBA Peking University and Wailian Group acted as chief organizers, and the program was run by Beijing Insight International Management Consulting Co. Ltd. It also drew support from Made In China International, Youhe Invest, LM Global, Silicon Valley Tech Council, Silicon Valley Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum (SVIEF), and OWL Communications Academy.
The Insight Peer Advisory Board was initiated by Dr. Hong LI, founding partner of the China-US Leadership Development Foundation (CULDF), alongside Mr. Qiang WU, chairman of world-leading Peer Advisory Board, Vistage China in early 2017. Since March 2017, the Insight Peer Advisory Board has consistently produced ten regular meetings, which were popular among members. In 2018, the Peer Advisory Board will feature two or more member-oriented customized sessions. They will seek to encourage and support young entrepreneurs and second-generation entrepreneurs.
【Summary & Highlights】
DAY ONE
The majority of the Insight Peer Advisory Board members arrived at Silicon Valley on the afternoon of 10 November, and visited Stanford University.
DAY TWO
On 11 November, LM Global hosted the CULDF group at the Silicon Valley Tech Council in Pleasanton for a round table session to discuss youth entrepreneurship. Mayor of Livermore Mr. John Marchand, renowned local investor Ms. Lu ZHANG, Professor Jiawei ZHANG and Fremont City Innovation Center Chief Ms. Kelly Klein joined this session.
Insight Peer Advisory Board with Mayor of Livermore and other industry leaders
Speaker: Ms. Lu ZHANG, Founding Partner, NewGen Capital
Lu Zhang is Founder and Managing Partner of NewGen Capital. Prior to starting NewGen, she was a Venture Partner at Fenox Venture Capital. Lu received her M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University and holds several patents. She is an adviser and mentor to several innovative programs and incubators in Silicon Valley.
She was featured on Forbes’ US 30 under 30 list as the Honoree of VC category. She was also included in Forbes’ Asia 30 under 30 list in the Finance category that same year. In addition, Lu was selected as one of the 2017 Town & Country 50 New Modern Swans.
Lu Zhang shares her experience with Insight Peer Advisory Board members
DAY THREE
On 12 November, members of the Insight Peer Advisory Board participated in a round table Q&A session with Mr. Rick Rasmussen, Director of Startup Programs at the UC Berkeley Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology. The group then visited the headquarters of Google and LinkedIn, and engaged in in-depth discussions about big data with LinkedIn Head of Analytics, Data Dr. Michael Li, and Google scientist Shuchao BI. In the afternoon, members were introduced to four high-profile venture capitalists at the headquarters of the Silicon Valley Innovation &Entrepreneurship Forum (SVIEF).
Insight Peer Advisory Board members enjoy a round table Q&A session with Mr. Rick Rasmussen, Director of Startup Programs at the UC Berkeley Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology
Insight Peer Advisory Board members visit Google
Insight Peer Advisory Board members visit LinkedIn
DAY FOUR
On 13 November, Insight Peer Advisory Board members traveled from Silicon Valley to New York.
DAY FIVE
On 14 November, Insight Peer Advisory Board members toured Wall Street and met with Founder of JingLi US Consulting, Ms. Jing LI. Ms. Li shared her insights on branding and company development in the US, and her own experience of doing business in America.
In the afternoon, members attended a round table meeting organized by the China-U.S. Chamber of Commerce to discuss best practices of investment and forging local partnerships.
Jing Li talks about branding and company development in the US at Wall Street
The delegates then met with a number of high profile business leaders at the Harvard Club in New York, including Ms. Kiddy Zhou.
The delegation attends the “Post-EMBA Peking University – Wall Street China-US FinTech Summit Forum”
DAY SIX
On 15 November, the Insight Peer Advisory Board entered the offices of Morgan Stanley fora series of talks by Mr.Rick Skae, vice chairman of wealth management, Mr. Brian Holzer, vice president of wealth management alternative investments, and Ms. Haiman Cai, executive director of private wealth management.
Insight Peer Advisory Board at Morgan Stanley
In the afternoon, the Insight Peer Advisory Board joined members of the Post-EMBA Peking University for an informative speech by former Treasury Secretary and director of the National Economic Council, Mr. Lawrence Summers.
Lawrence Summers Speech
CULDF Founder Dr. Hong LI with Lawrence Summers
Insight Peer Advisory Board with Mr. Wei CUI, Head of Post-EMBA Peking University
Lawrence H. Summers
Lawrence H. Summers has served as chief economist of the World Bank, Secretary of the Treasury of the United States during the Clinton Administration, President of Harvard University from 2001 until 2006 and was director of the National Economic Council for former US President Barack Obama. Summers graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1975, before attending Harvard University as a graduate student(Ph.D., 1982). In 1983, at age 28, Summers became one of the youngest tenured professors in Harvard’s history. He is also the nephew of two Nobel laureates in economics: Paul Samuelson and Kenneth Arrow. Chinese Politburo member and prominent economist Mr. He LIU is known as China’s Lawrence Summers, as he takes a leading role in China’s ongoing economic reform. (excerpt of an introduction by Mr. Wei CUI, dean of Post-EMBA Peking University)
The delegation then visited the New York headquarters of Wailian Group and engaged its general manager Ms. Danielle for a discussion about education and immigrant investor programs. The delegation later had dinner with Wailian members and enjoyed a Broadway production of Madame Butterfly.
Insight Peer Advisory Board members with Wailian Group
Madame Butterfly on Broadway
DAY SEVEN
Insight Peer Advisory Board members return to China.
This trip to US was initiated by the not-for-profit organization, CULDF. CULDF secured key partnerships for future operations, and paved the way for further exploratory visits overseas. Members of the Insight Peer Advisory Board were responsible for the funding of this trip.