Michael Chen, a graduate of Applied Math and Economics. He is passionate about investment and entrepreneurship. Previously, he founded Evera, a startup making at-home medical care accessible for all. He additionally has worked at Tesla, Tribe Capital, and Insight Partners. He is a Roberts Family Fellow, a Contrary Research Fellow, and conducted research at the Harvard Business School. He is currently working on product and operations at Scale AI.

HTR:

During your time at Harvard, has there been anyone, perhaps a thought leader or innovator who has inspired you the most? And how have they inspired you?

Michael Chen:

I would have to say my friend Sarah is who has inspired me most. We shared classes during our freshman year and she was instrumental in helping me navigate through CS 50. Interestingly, she dropped out after her freshman year to start an E-commerce company called Alloy Automation, which has since received backing from Sequoia, Bain Capital, and Box Group. The courage she showed, dropping out of Harvard, enduring the criticism from her Asian immigrant parents, and opting not to become a model minority as a doctor or a lawyer, is really commendable.

Additionally, I’ve found great inspiration from thought leaders like Patrick Collison, Paul Graham, and Sam Altman. Their blogs are a goldmine of insightful thoughts on life, college, decision-making, startups, and funding. They advocate for tackling big, difficult problems, and that’s a message I resonate with deeply.

HTR:

That’s quite a profound response, thank you. Moving on, which hobbies or interests outside of work do you think have influenced or benefited your professional path?

Michael Chen:

I’d say my involvement in ultimate frisbee and the First-Year Outdoor Program (FOP) has had a significant influence on my professional path. Frisbee, for instance, taught me to try new things without fear. I played club soccer since I was four and didn’t give frisbee a thought until COVID hit. That experience showed me that there are opportunities waiting for us if we’re willing to step out of our comfort zones.

The other aspect that frisbee taught me was the importance of people in a team. Unlike soccer where my main excitement was the game itself, frisbee was about the people I got to interact with as well. This has greatly influenced how I view my professional journey; it’s not just about the work but also about the people you work with.

HTR:

Very insightful. Now, if you could go back to your freshman year, what piece of advice would you give your younger self about navigating Harvard?

Michael Chen:

I’d advise my younger self not to be an ‘octopus.’ By this, I mean that, like an octopus, Harvard students often have large egos and are involved in numerous activities. This multitasking and fear of missing out often lead to burnout and dissatisfaction. My advice would be to be intentional, have a high bar for how you spend your time, and focus on things you truly want to do, not just things that everyone else is doing or things that seem prestigious.

HTR:

How would one navigate this process of self-discovery? Often, the advice given is to try a lot of different things, spread out your interests and see what sticks. However, how would one do this without over-committing time-wise?

Michael Chen:

That’s a good question. My foremost advice is to establish clear criteria that can guide your decisions, criteria that you personally deem to be worth your time. This principle can be applied to various aspects of life, including friendships, extracurricular activities, and academics.

The criteria will differ from person to person. For me, the three key factors are: people, learnings, and impact. Whenever I am contemplating trying something new, I evaluate whether the people involved are individuals I enjoy spending time with, whether the opportunity promises a learning curve, and whether it will have a significant impact.

It is crucial to establish criteria based on your own identity and individual goals. Consider if a given opportunity – be it a research project, a class, or an internship – meets your personal criteria before you decide if it’s worth your time. The goal is to quickly develop a high benchmark, a high standard. Many people falter because they don’t invest time in establishing their own personal criteria. Instead, they allow the world’s criteria to dictate what should be of value to them.

HTR:

It does make sense. And now to a question we’ve all been asked since we were children but still holds relevance: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Michael Chen:

Ah, the classic question. I aspire to be an entrepreneur, specifically one who empowers others, particularly marginalized voices. I want to contribute to creating a world where they can live, play, and breathe comfortably. This desire is rooted in my interest in various sectors such as healthcare, climate, urban planning, and urban development. What these areas have in common is that they directly affect people’s lives: urban planning determines how we live and move, climate affects where we can go and how we breathe, and healthcare is, of course, directly linked to our personal well-being. I deeply value people and their stories. I aim to be an entrepreneur in these spaces, creating a vision that enables people to live more effectively and happily. That’s the direction I see my life heading in, but there is still much time and thought to be dedicated to this journey.

HTR:

Right, that’s a profound goal. Now, we have some questions specific to you. I apologize in advance for any mispronunciations. Could you talk about your experiences with the startup you were involved in, which I believe is called Vera, and also your time spent with Tribe? Could you share a particular moment from those experiences that felt like a major win for you?

Michael Chen:

It was quite an adventure at Vera. For eight months, we lived in a tiny one-bedroom apartment in Menlo Park. We all had to adjust to not only living together but also living independently for the first time, learning to do basic things like taking out the trash and cooking while also working side by side every day.

A specific moment that stands out is when one of our advisors proposed we should do COVID tests and eventually COVID vaccinations, as we already had an infrastructure of medical professionals who could deliver medical services directly to people’s homes. This led to a substantial debate within our team: should we deviate from our original mission, which was to give people access to their healthcare data and to help underprivileged, low-income people have access to diagnostics and blood tests? On one hand, we were uniquely positioned to provide COVID tests and vaccinations, potentially a lucrative venture. But on the other hand, it could detract from our original mission.

As for Tribe, I was their first intern and was given the opportunity to build out an entire sourcing team. It was an exciting experience to develop a playbook for sourcing at an early-stage VC firm.

HTR:

Given your experience in managing business transitions and launching your own company, what do you perceive as essential traits for thriving as a student entrepreneur?

Michael Chen:

I believe having extreme persistence is crucial. Startups are known for their extreme highs and lows. The highs are straightforward; everyone desires them. The monotonous parts are also somewhat manageable because they provide a breather. It’s the deep valleys that make you question why you’re not just back at Harvard. Persistence is necessary because people will say no – your employees, your customers.

Secondly, you need to exhibit extreme empathy, which is relevant to your customers, employees, and investors. As a student entrepreneur, your primary role is to sell. Whether it’s selling your product, convincing your employees about your company, or persuading investors to invest, empathy is vital. You need to understand what a person needs and how best to sell your company as the solution.

Lastly, you should be humble and leave your ego at the door. Many times, you think you’re an expert, but you quickly realize that’s not the case. The best founders are the ones who understand that they have much to learn, regardless of their age or experience. They possess low egos and a desire to keep learning. This reflects my sentiment about Harvard students; many believe they’re the cream of the crop. However, humility and continuous learning are the real hallmarks of successful entrepreneurs.

HTR:

Can you describe the types of research you conducted at the Kennedy School and the Business School? How did these experiences fuel your passions?

Michael Chen:

At the Kennedy School, I researched green stimulus policy, looking at how federal policies can simultaneously decarbonize the economy and stimulate economic growth. It’s surprising how intertwined the two are, as evidenced by current infrastructure and build-back-better initiatives that create jobs while prioritizing carbon and tax credits. This research helped me understand the varied roles in combatting climate change – everyone from economists and entrepreneurs to policymakers, PhDs, and individual consumers can make a difference.

My research at the Business School, however, had a less positive impact on my career trajectory. I initially thought I would become an academic, as my father is a professor. I did research on the financial contributions of Senators and House of Representatives members, specifically whether their financial portfolios influenced their policy decisions and voting patterns. While this is a significant problem, particularly given the potential for corruption revealed during COVID and the shorting of stocks, it’s a problem that someone else will have to tackle. This research experience led me away from academia and towards tech startups and venture capital.

HTR:

What does sustainability mean to you, and how does your passion for nature and adventure integrate with your work?

Michael Chen:

To me, sustainability means building enduring systems—systems that will stand the test of time because we chose to take care of them and develop technology that supports their maintenance. As someone who loves nature, this resonates with me. Often, I suggest walks to friends; I love being outside, witnessing the sunrise or sunset. It’s crucial to realize that none of these experiences should be taken for granted. We didn’t earn them; we were merely born into a world that was already beautiful. As a society, we should remind ourselves that everything needs to be earned, not just handed over.