Seeking Outstanding Global Tech Entrepreneurs: Global Young PhD Fellow Recruitment Now Open

Global Young PhD Fellow is a program launched by Linear Capital and its portfolio companies, designed as a rapid learning and exchange platform for young talent worldwide who aspire to tech entrepreneurship, are in early-stage startups, or want to understand how China's best tech companies grow. Here, you'll hear from hardcore tech investors sharing experience and advice, dialogue with founders of China's top tech companies about their successes and lessons learned, connect with like-minded entrepreneurial peers, and even access funding from Linear Capital.

As one of the earliest funds focused on early-stage technology investing, Linear Capital has always believed that technology is the primary productive force. Through investing in frontier tech and driving its industrial application, we aim to dramatically improve productivity and efficiency, thereby improving more people's lives and building a better society. Driven by this vision, since our founding in 2014, Linear Capital has made early-stage investments in over 80 teams including Horizon Robotics, Kujiale, Sensors Data, Tezign, and Agile Robots, with our portfolio's aggregate valuation reaching approximately $20 billion.

We believe: the spring of tech investing has only just begun. As a venture firm where every investment team member has a technical background, we deeply understand what an open exchange platform means for technologists.

Who We're Looking For

• PhD students, scholars, or tech industry professionals from top overseas universities with STEM backgrounds, who believe their technology can create significant value
• Those with strong entrepreneurial intent or already building something, with deep interest in tech commercialization
• You can come from anywhere in the world, any industry — including Chinese founders based overseas

What You Get as a Global Young PhD Fellow

1. Outstanding entrepreneurs will receive seed funding from Linear
2. A year-long online curriculum built specifically for early-stage tech founders, helping you avoid pitfalls during the phase when startup failure rates are highest
3. Mentorship from a roster of unicorn CEOs, industry leaders, and senior investors, offering years of industry experience and direct resource support. You'll be matched with a personal mentor in your field for 1:1 guidance
4. Membership in Linear's founder community, with offline events across multiple global regions to find co-founders

Curriculum Preview We'll take you through the key milestones of the entrepreneurial journey, with deep dives at these stops:

P.S.: Sessions are monthly and conducted online. Beyond lectures from mentors, there will be Q&A. Fellows may voluntarily request 1:1 conversations with mentors between sessions to discuss their reflections on the coursework.

Featured Guests

Harry Wang, Founder & CEO, Linear Capital

Harry Wang is the founder and CEO of Linear Capital. He graduated from Zhejiang University's Computer Science department and earned his master's in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University. Before founding Linear, Harry was Facebook headquarters' second Chinese engineer and first Chinese engineering manager — experiences chronicled in his bestseller Building Facebook. After leaving Facebook, he served as CEO advisor to Dianping and CSDN, and has spoken at numerous Chinese tech companies and technical communities.

Harry has been repeatedly named "Best Early-Stage Investor" and "Most Founder-Friendly Early-Stage Investor" by media outlets. He is an Aspen Fellow, founding chair of the Future Forum Youth Council, and a 2018 World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.

Jun Yang, Venture Partner, Linear Capital

Jun Yang is a Venture Partner at Linear Capital. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in Computer Science and Engineering from Zhejiang University, and a PhD in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University. Jun is responsible for sourcing startups, evaluating investment opportunities, and helping portfolio companies grow.

Jun is an experienced tech entrepreneur. He previously worked as an engineer and engineering manager at Google, Facebook, and Square in Silicon Valley. In 2015, he joined Dada (listed in 2020) as co-founder and CTO.

Zhaopeng Chen, Founder & CEO, Agile Robots

Zhaopeng Chen is the founder and CEO of Agile Robots. He earned his PhD through a joint program with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), advised by Professor Gerd Hirzinger of the German National Academy of Sciences and Professor Liu Hong of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He previously served as senior researcher and deputy lab director at DLR's Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, and as professor at the University of Hamburg's Department of Computer Science.

Founded in 2018, Agile Robots has completed seven funding rounds and is currently the fastest-growing and highest-valued intelligent robotics "unicorn" globally, emerging as a leader in next-generation intelligent robotics. Agile Robots' self-developed AI-powered automation and flexible manufacturing solutions encompass internationally leading multi-sensory force-controlled robots, autonomous decision-making platforms, robotic AI vision, and robotic operating systems. Key clients include TINAVI (a listed domestic orthopedic surgical robotics company), multiple top-tier Class III general and orthopedic hospitals, a major international 3C consumer electronics manufacturer, New Hope Group, and BOE.

How to Apply

Scan the QR code below to fill out the application form

November 12–30, 2023: Application period

December 1–15, 2023: Interview screening, with 1:1 conversations between applicants and Linear investors

Early January 2024: First cohort officially begins

About Linear Capital

Linear Capital is an early-stage investment firm focused on "frontier technology + industry" — applying frontier technologies such as data intelligence, digital new infrastructure, next-generation robotics, and new technological transformations in traditional domains (biomedicine, materials, energy, etc.) across vertical industries to dramatically improve industrial efficiency, solve pain points, and enable industrial upgrading. We capture outsized commercial returns through substantial industrial value creation. We currently manage ten funds with total AUM of approximately $2 billion.

Our investment stage focuses on leading angel to Series A rounds, with typical check sizes of $3–8 million or RMB equivalent.

To date, we have made early-stage investments in over 120 teams including Horizon Robotics, Kujiale, Sensors Data, Tezign, Rokid, Guandata, and Agile Robots. Our portfolio's aggregate valuation is approximately $20 billion.

In the near term, Linear Capital is working to become the premier "Data Intelligence Technology Fund." Over the long term, we aim to build the most influential "Frontier Technology Application Fund."