In January this year, Zhang Lu was awarded “30 Under 30” by Forbes magazine American, which refers to 30 youths in Venture Capital field. As the most outstanding of 30 youths, she was awarded as the theme figure in that field, becoming the first Chinese to enter “30 Under 30” with great honor.  

In April, the same year, she was also selected Forbes magazine American “30 Under 30 Asia”, 30 business leaders under 30 years old, becoming the only one investor who is the list in American area and Asian area.  

Recently, alumni Zhang Lu returned to Alma Mater, visited the Peiyang Lecture Hall and shared stories happening in studying and starting a business with teachers and students. 

In 2010, Zhang Lu graduated from Tianjin University School of Materials Science and Engineering. The same year, she entered the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University for further study and got mater’s degree. Nowadays, she has been an enterprise tutor of Xuanhuai School, Tianjin University, as well as a founding partner of NewGen Capital wind Investment Company.  

“I spent four hours on taking a bus to rush all road. Finally, when I saw the main gate of TJU and returned to alma mater, I felt everything is worthy. ” the first word Zhang Lu said when she enter in the hall, expressing a sentimental attachment to Tianjin University.  

“Every choice has its own reason.” 

When asked what reason prompted her to enter VC circle from material science research and became an excellent investor, Zhang Lu said that we should insist on the direction of life. As long as it benefits self-actualization, we shouldn’t be limited to your eyes of gain and loss.  

Graduating with a Master’s degree from Stanford University, Zhang Lu founded a medical equipment company named Acetone Inc., which was based on her own patent advantage. When the company was acquired, she immediately transited into investment community, joining in American mainstream venture capital firm Fenox Venture Capital as venture partner.  

In 2014, Zhang Lu abandoned the opportunity of working in the larger company, in turn founded venture investment institute NewGen Capital in Silicon Valley. Nowadays, location in Silicon Valley, NewGen Capital, has covered New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, Cleveland, and so on, set foot in medical treatment, information technology, intelligent hardware, and other innovational areas, invested dozens of newly-founded enterprises and helped many American teams contacting with Chinese market. NewGen has been the fastest rising new fund in Silicon Valley.  

Based on self-technology advantage to star up business, joining in mainstream venture capital to accumulate experience, she finally found the NewGen Capital. She clearly knew who she want to be, and per step didn’t deviate from her big direction of the life.  

Clear goal and solid foot 

Zhang Lu was grateful for the Tianjin University Motto: Seeking truth from the fact, which made her stand up for something on her way to dream. “No shortcut is the largest shortcut. Step by step is the solidest foot.” Zhang Lu said with practice. On school days, she minored Financial Management major and obtained double degree. When she was s second-year college student, she entered in Education Ministry Key Advanced Ceramic and Processing Laboratory to carry the research about “Carbon nanotube and carbon nanofiber”, thinking and researching the project independently.  

Zhang Lu said:” In Silicon Valley, we often say, this place never lacks smart and hard people. Everybody is smart and hard, but actually whether you can catch the opportunity and do it well becomes the reason for different development ways.” In the meanwhile, she said that continuous accumulation to complete ability and capacity, you can catch the opportunity when it comes. “Now you may be the person who is selected by others, but in the future you would become the person who has ability to select others. And it is the development process.” 

Science and technology can help human release their potential. 

Talking about investment industry, Zhang Lu said:” Technology can help human release their potential.” For her, Zhang Lu is more likely to invest technology innovative enterprises, which is close relations with her discipline background and entrepreneurial experience. “Now there are many creative courses where professors teach students of commercial college, but really making things often was made by students of engineering college.” In her opinion, engineering background is very helpful for staring up business.  

Although she has been in abroad for most of the year, she still pay close attention to domestic change at any time. She though innovation and entrepreneurship policy advocated strongly by the country is just like the catalyst in chemical laboratory, which can promote innovation-drive development with rapid realization. There may be some setbacks, but it finally forms a steady state. 

Innovation is not the same thing with staring up business. 

Zhang Lu said, innovation in the college could make one person have the innovative awareness and ability, which made you become a creative and interesting person, but you don’t have to select the road to staring up business. “No matter in company or staring up business, no matter working for others or yourself, doing a little more finally benefits ourselves.” In her view, there is no right or wrong with staring up business and finding a good job and there must be some harvest with paying willingly. 

By: School of Materials Science and Engineering

Editors: Qin Mian and Keith Harrington