Early Life and Education
Tianqiao Chen was born in 1973 in Xinchang County, Zhejiang Province, China. He grew up near Shanghai. His father was an engineer, and his mother was a middle school English teacher. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Fudan University in 1993.
Rise to Success
Chen's career began in 1994 at Shanghai Lujiazui Group, where he held various management positions. In 1999, he co-founded Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited with his family. Shanda quickly rose to become China's largest internet company by market capitalization in 2004, pioneering the online gaming industry. In 2012, Chen took Shanda private and transformed it into a global investment firm.
Key Business Strategies
Shanda's success was largely due to Chen's vision and pioneering spirit. He introduced the free-to-play gaming model, which allowed users to play for free while offering in-game purchases. Chen's strategic moves included shifting focus to investments and acquiring substantial land in the US, positioning him as a major international landowner.
Philanthropy
Chen and his wife, Chrissy Luo, are active philanthropists. In 2016, they founded the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute, committing $1 billion to support brain science research. This institute supports various programs and partnerships, including collaborations with Caltech and Huashan Hospital in Shanghai.
