Gaorong Ventures Rides the Spring Breeze Again: "Tsinghua University Spring Breeze Fund" Receives $1 Million Donation from Alumni Enterprise to Support Research and Pandemic Response | Gaorong News
Let science and technology innovation be the most powerful weapon in defeating the pandemic.
On March 10, the Tsinghua University Spring Breeze Fund announced its first-ever alumni donation — a $1 million contribution from Gaorong Ventures to support scientific research against COVID-19. The gift, made in response to the Party Central Committee's call, will bolster Tsinghua's research in public health and emergency response systems.
"Though battered, my will grows stronger; I vie with heaven and earth to bring spring back." Chang Chen, founding partner of Gaorong Ventures, expressed hope that the firm could contribute what modest strength it could to the scientific fight against the pandemic, making science and technological innovation the most powerful weapon to overcome it.
The following is the full press release from the Tsinghua University Education Foundation:
"The most powerful weapon for humanity to combat disease is science and technology; overcoming major disasters and epidemics is impossible without scientific development and technological innovation." On March 4, in order to implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's instructions on scientific research and攻关 work in COVID-19 prevention and control, the Tsinghua University Education Foundation, under the unified deployment of Tsinghua University, responded actively by establishing the "Spring Breeze Fund" special fund. The fund aims to enhance Tsinghua's scientific research capabilities in COVID-19 prevention and control and improve China's ability to respond to major public health emergencies.
On March 10 — the same day Xi Jinping arrived in Wuhan, Hubei Province, to inspect epidemic prevention and control work there, further strengthening the people's confidence in overcoming the outbreak — Gaorong Ventures donated $1 million to the Tsinghua University Education Foundation to support the Tsinghua University Spring Breeze Fund, responding to the Party Central Committee's call and supporting research in public health and emergency response systems. Tsinghua alumnus and Gaorong Ventures founding partner Chang Chen has long been concerned with and supportive of his alma mater's development. This donation marks the Spring Breeze Fund's first alumni contribution, with Chang Chen setting an exemplary example among the broader alumni community.
Alumnus Chang Chen previously donated to the Tsinghua University New Century Development Fund and served as a director of that fund, offering counsel for his alma mater's growth. On the afternoon of the 10th, upon learning of the Spring Breeze Fund's establishment, Chang Chen immediately reached consensus with his two partners and promptly finalized donation details with Foundation Secretary-General Yuan Wei. This reflects trust in Tsinghua, deep affection for one's alma mater, and demonstrates the sense of responsibility and big-picture awareness of Tsinghua alumni who think what the nation thinks and rush to where the nation needs them most. This donation will provide strong support for Tsinghua's scientific research against the epidemic, contribute to the construction of public health emergency response systems across China and worldwide, and show the world China's actions and Tsinghua's commitment.
As one of China's most active venture capital firms, Gaorong Ventures has always believed that technology and innovation are major drivers of social development, and has invested in a number of outstanding companies in new technology, new consumption, and other sectors. Early in the COVID-19 outbreak, Gaorong Ventures and its portfolio companies began actively making donations and taking action to contribute to the fight against the epidemic and serve society. According to incomplete statistics, Gaorong portfolio companies donated more than 130 million yuan in total, and through donating epidemic prevention materials, AI and big data technology R&D, providing online services, and ensuring people's livelihood supplies, among other methods, became "doers" in the battle against the epidemic. Among these, Gaorong Ventures also invested in XuetangX, a MOOC platform independently developed by Tsinghua with over 32 million learners, making it the world's second-largest MOOC platform by learner scale. During the epidemic, XuetangX made more than 1,600 MOOCs freely available to society, and also opened Tsinghua's Rain Classroom "clone classes," enabling non-Tsinghua teachers and students to attend classes, do exercises, and interact simultaneously with Tsinghua students through Rain Classroom.
"Though battered, my will grows stronger; I vie with heaven and earth to bring spring back." Alumnus Chang Chen stated that as a Tsinghua person, the motto "Self-discipline and Social Commitment" has been integrated into his blood, and that gratitude and action over words are lifelong beliefs for every Tsinghua person. Having fought through a hundred battles against the tide, with sincere dedication to epidemic prevention, Gaorong Ventures hopes to contribute what modest strength it can to the scientific fight against the pandemic, making science and technological innovation the most powerful weapon to overcome it.
Since the Spring Breeze Fund's establishment, it has received widespread attention and positive feedback from all sectors of society. On its second day, the Wong Ting Fang Charitable Fund donated to establish the "Tsinghua University Spring Breeze Fund — Wong Ting Fang Scientific Research Special Project." At this critical moment in the fight against the epidemic, the Tsinghua University Education Foundation, standing at the height of the nation and the people, is serving Tsinghua's strategic deployment, building a public welfare platform that gathers patriotic hearts, holding fast to its original mission, bravely shouldering its responsibilities, and working together with one heart to overcome the difficulties. We hope more friends will care about and support the Spring Breeze Fund, and believe that after the epidemic passes, the motherland will be even stronger.
May the Spring Breeze Fund blow away the gloom in people's hearts and bring boundless vitality to the earth shrouded by the epidemic.
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