Overview

Gender

female

Yao Zhang is the founder and CEO of RoboTerra. Yao is a serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in ed tech-related endeavors. Prior to founding RoboTerra, Yao co-founded Minds Abroad, providing SRM (student relationship management) software and curriculum solutions to American and European colleges and graduate schools in offering better study abroad programs to their students and faculty. She also gained valuable experience at McKinsey and EdisonLearning on innovation-related projects.

Yao received a BBA from the Central University of Finance and Economics. She holds a Master's Degree in Economics and Education from Columbia University, where she has completed all dissertation requirements towards her Ph.D. Yao's research includes ed tech and market innovation, computational models in assessment and big data in education.

Yao has been recognized as a 2016 Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum for her innovative work in robotics and AI applications in education; she is also recognized as a "Top 25 Women in Robotics in 2015" by RoboHub, and most recently honored as an Innovation Ambassador by the United Nations (UNCTAD), a Global Future Council AI & Robotics Committee member and one of "7 Women in AI & Robotics" by major tech media.