Native name 徐勇 Website www.yifangventures.com Residence Beijing, China Name Eric Xu | Spouse(s) Alice Chen Jing Role Entrepreneur Children 2 | |
Born 1964 (age 51–52) Beijing, China Occupation Chairman of YIFANG Group Holdings LimitedXu-Chen Family FoundationXu Family Charitable Foundation LimitedYIFANG (Beijing) Foundation Alma mater Peking University, Texas A&M University, University of California, Berkeley | ||
GGV Capital's Eric Xu discusses venture investments in China
Eric Xu Yong (Chinese: 徐勇; born 1964) is a Chinese entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist, best known as a co-founder of Baidu, the largest Chinese search engine.
Contents
- GGV Capitals Eric Xu discusses venture investments in China
- Education
- Career
- Biotechnology
- Television
- Baidu
- Venture capital and asset management
- Philanthropy
- Personal life
- References
Xu is the founder and chairman of YIFANG Group Holdings Limited, an investment holding company engaged in venture capital investments and asset management activities. He also founded several family philanthropic organizations including The Xu Family Charitable Foundation Limited, and YIFANG (Beijing) Foundation.
Education
Xu Yong earned his B.S and M.S. degrees in biology at Peking University from 1982 to 1989.
A Rockefeller Foundation fellow 1990-1993, Xu obtained a Ph.D. degree in Biology from Texas A&M University. Xu was also a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of California, Berkeley from 1994 to 1996.
Career
Xu's career ranges across the fields of biotechnology, film production and information communications technology. Later in his career, he expanded into venture capital and fund management.
Biotechnology
Prior to Baidu, Xu worked at Qiagen, Inc. and Stratagene, Inc, two biotech start-up companies in California in technical support, sales and marketing.
Television
Xu is a producer of the first Chinese TV documentary on Silicon Valley's unique history and culture in 1999. Titled "A Journey to Silicon Valley", the TV series brings to light the history, start-up culture, business management and venture capital mechanisms of the Valley in an objective and comprehensive fashion, and profoundly reveals the mystery behind the success of Silicon Valley as the world model for high-tech undertakings and innovation.
Baidu
In 1999, together with Mr. Robin Li, Dr. Eric Xu Yong co-founded Baidu, the world's largest Chinese search engine (NASDAQ:BIDU) and served as an Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer from 1999-2004. His main responsibilities involved private financing, sales and marketing, business and corporate development, corporate governance and general management.
Venture capital and asset management
Xu is the founder and chairman of YIFANG VENTURES, an investment company, engaged in venture capital investments and asset management. Dr. Eric Xu Yong also serves as a board member for several technology start-up companies. Yifang currently invests in information technology, new media, bio-pharmaceuticals, healthcare and clean-technologies, etc. It counts Allele Biotech, AcuraGen, BioHermes, Imune-Onc, Yidian, Kuwo and Baihe as its portfolio companies, among others. YIFANG is also a limited partner of several world-class venture capital and private equity funds. Some partner funds include: Sequoia China, Tsing Capital, Morgan Stanley PE Fund.
Philanthropy
Xu is the founder of The Xu Family Charitable Foundation Limited, a Hong Kong exempted private charitable foundation limited by guarantee, and YIFANG (Beijing) Foundation, a registered charity organization in Beijing, China.
The Foundations are grant-making organizations. Grants primarily go to support non-profit researches that may eventually spur policy change and/or adjustment. YIFANG (Beijing) Foundation will seek to commence investing in social enterprises in China in 2015. Dr. Eric Xu Yong founded the Foundations on the premise of promoting social equality in a professional and in-depth manner, supporting public philanthropy, and promoting the development of positive and sustainable welfare organizations and projects.
Personal life
Xu and his families are based in Singapore and Beijing.