Xiaochen Shang is a PhD student focusing neuromorphic robotics at the Dalian University of Washington. He is not a formally trained neuromorphic robotics researcher. He earned dual degrees in Mathematics and Economics from the University of Washington, and went on to receive a Master of Science in Actuarial Science from Columbia University. After completing several internships on Wall Street, including experiences at private equity funds and Goldman Sachs, he returned to China to work in the primary market. He joined Leap Capital, an emerging boutique investment bank specializing in early-stage financing in SaaS and deep-tech industries.

After several years, leveraging his deep understanding of the nascent crypto market, he co-founded Imagination Fund, a small crypto fund focused on technology and value investments, where he led the financial advisory (FA) business line.

Around 2023, he keenly recognized the rise and vast potential of artificial intelligence. To pursue a deeper understanding of this field, he left Imagination Fund and enrolled at Dalian University of Technology to pursue a Ph.D., dedicating himself to research in embodied intelligence and neuromorphic computing.

Hobbies

I love EDM music, skiing and riding motorcycle. In fact, while pursuing my master’s degree in New York, I founded an EDM bar catering to Chinese international students, where I invited dozens of top-100 DJs to perform, and secured angel investment of several million RMB from Guo Wei, an investor from Silicon Valley. In 2019, I also organized a hip-hop livehouse event in New York, featuring well-known artists such as Yitai Wang, Boss X, and PACT.

Beyond my entrepreneurial pursuits, I am a passionate skier, having challenged ski resorts in the United States, Canada, China, Japan, and Belgium. Lastly, I have a deep love for motorcycles, and while studying in Seattle, I owned a Kawasaki motorcycle.