Suggestions
Chian Gong
Partner at Reach Capital
Chian Gong is a prominent figure in the education technology and venture capital space. She currently serves as a Partner at Reach Capital, a venture capital firm focused on education technology investments.1
Professional Experience
Chian has an extensive background in venture capital and education technology:
- Partner at Reach Capital (May 2020 - Present)
- Previously held roles of Principal and Senior Associate at Reach Capital
- Board Member for several companies, including:
- Stepful (June 2022 - Present)
- Guardians Collective (September 2021 - Present)
- EveryDay Labs (May 2019 - Present)
- Winnie (May 2018 - Present)
Education
Chian has a strong educational background:
- MBA from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School (2013-2015)
- Master's Degree from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government (2014-2016)
- B.S. in Bioengineering from the University of California, Berkeley (2005-2009)4
Investment Focus
As an investor at Reach Capital, Chian focuses on:
- Early-stage education technology companies4
- Applications of AI/ML to improve educational opportunities2
- Products that serve a broad range of students, not just the top 1%2
Role at Stepful
While Chian is listed as an Advisor at Stepful, she actually serves as a Board Member for the company since June 2022. Stepful is reimagining allied healthcare training with digital-first, mobile-friendly programs that prepare job-ready graduates faster and at a lower cost than traditional methods.3
Impact and Recognition
Chian is known for her expertise in education technology investments and her commitment to improving educational opportunities. She is a founding member of All Raise, an organization dedicated to increasing diversity in the venture capital and startup ecosystem.5
Highlights
Friday marked my last day with Reach Capital. It’s been an incredible eight years and the time has flown by.
When I started at Reach in 2016, we had just raised our first $50M fund. We were a tiny, scrappy team with an unshakable belief that education technology could increase access to opportunity. I am so proud of what Reach has accomplished over these last eight years - building a thriving edtech ecosystem, partnering with category-defining founders from seed to growth, and demonstrating that you can indeed do well while doing good. With top quartile returns on Funds I & II and a promising portfolio and pipeline for funds ahead, all with an incredibly diverse and talented team, it's been a remarkable journey.
This was my dream job when I joined eight years ago, and it’s been an incredible journey both for the fund and for myself professionally - from senior associate at a first-time $50M fund to GP of a venture fund managing over $500M in AUM across five funds. Reflecting on this next stage in my career, I’ve always loved the earliest, messiest moments of company building, and I’m excited to get back to those roots.
My immense gratitude to the founders who trusted me and invited Reach along on the journey, to the incredible LPs who believed in what we’re building at Reach and entrusted us with their investment, and of course, to my colleagues at Reach who have all worked tirelessly to build Reach into what it is today. I am so grateful for the time that we spent working together and to each of you for the support, insight, and growth along the way.
I’ll be taking some time to recharge before embarking on my next adventure. Details on what's next, to come!
Stepful is hiring -- if you're looking to join a fantastic team on an important mission to solve the healthcare staffing crisis and improve access to quality care, this is your chance to get in on the ground 🚀 (they're hiring for several key roles in partnerships, operations, sales, and growth!)
