Entrepreneurship, EdTech & Social Impact
I feel that technology and entrepreneurship are often extensions of creativity—tools for designing systems that solve problems with care and imagination. What began with mentoring students and creating classrooms has evolved into ventures and collaborations that blend education, design, and technology to nurture growth and connection. From launching edtech startups to prototyping MVPs and shaping nonprofit initiatives, I want to build ecosystems where people can thrive, where creativity and wellbeing are accessible to all.
The Garage Ventures: Experiments in EdTech & Problem-Solving
At Northwestern’s startup incubator, The Garage, I explored how technology can be used to expand access to creativity, education, and belonging. These projects taught me to move fluidly between research, design, and prototyping, always asking how systems might be built with both human care and imagination.
One of my first projects was DjAI, an experimental platform rethinking how beginners learn DJing. Many face barriers of cost and complexity, so we envisioned a tool that made the process as intuitive as curating a playlist. Our MVP included virtual simulations for practicing without expensive gear and a community hub for sharing mixes—structured in playful, Duolingo-style modules. Though it stayed in incubation, DjAI shaped how I think about learning systems at the intersection of psychology, design, and technology.
During the pandemic, I co-created ConnectEd, an edtech platform tackling campus loneliness and collaboration. After surveying over 220 college students across the U.S., we built an MVP that automatically linked classmates into study groups and collaborative task boards. When we pitched it at Northwestern’s Lean Startup Competition, we earned Second Place—but the deeper lesson was how design research and rapid prototyping can respond to urgent social needs.
Beyond the Garage, I worked at Littl, helping translate developmental psychology into scalable parenting tools. I also collaborated with classmates on their ventures such as music learning games that reframed composition as play. In each project, I discovered how much innovation depends on community—listening closely, practicing empathy, and designing creative solutions to real-world problems.
These experiences taught me that even small design choices ripple outward, shaping how families connect, how children learn, and how creativity can be nurtured at scale. This continues to guide my own venture, Sunflower Education.
Sunflower Education: Empowering Young Musicians
I co-founded Sunflower Education to reimagine how young people engage with music and with themselves. What began as a small class for middle schoolers in China has grown into a cross-cultural initiative serving students ages 7 to 18, including children with neurodiverse needs and those preparing for music conservatories.
Music Creation Course
Our first program was an experimental music composition course that brought together diverse groups of students: some navigating cultural shock after newly moving to the U.S., others intermediate musicians eager to develop their musical expression, and many who doubted whether their ideas “counted” as music. Through roundtable discussions, playful prompts, and tools like BandLab, GarageBand, MuseScore, Chrome Music Lab, Beepbox, Voclea Dubler (voice-to-MIDI) and Typatone, students explored structure as storytelling, harmony as emotional color, improvisation as play, sampling as cultural exchange... They learned to treat technology as collaborators and delved into different styles of music—exploring what music can be and how sound carries emotion.
One student, after weeks of saying “I can’t compose,” shared a violin piece written for his brother, rooted in memories of listening to music together. He paused, then whispered: “This sounds like me.” Moments like these happened again and again. Students drew on childhood memories, K-pop influences, and their own artworks/poetry to tell their stories. We also partnered with my friend's startup that creates music learning games, making composition a game of discovery and showing how education and technology together can spark playful, confidence-building systems.
Supporting Aspiring Music Majors
Sunflower’s work with older students grew out of a gap I knew firsthand—growing up around traditional music ed systems in China, I saw how training often prioritized technique and competition while leaving less room for curiosity and discovery.
With Sunflower, we sought to prototype a different model: one that combined rigorous musicianship with systems for creativity, reflection, and interdisciplinary play. We built theory and ear training curricula alongside brainstorming sessions and cross-disciplinary projects where students could experiment with identity, listen to their own dreams, and connect those inspirations to their music. The core mission is to design growth environments that give students the tools to direct their own artistry.
By the time they applied to conservatories, students were presenting work that showed technical skill alongside a sense of imagination and voice. Alumni have gone on to the Manhattan School of Music, University of Michigan SMTD, Bard Conservatory, Indiana Jacobs School of Music, and Boston Conservatory at Berklee. It felt so rewarding to see them step into auditions and presenting their work with confidence and authenticity. We hope that when educational systems make space for creativity and self-direction, students can discover clarity, belonging, and the courage to walk their own paths.
Summer Program
In 2023, Sunflower launched a summer program for children, weaving creativity with socioemotional learning. By tailoring music lessons to individual strengths, I helped students build confidence, develop emotional awareness, and experience music as both self-expression and connection. One highlight was our voice lessons, where kids who once believed they “couldn’t sing” recorded their favorite songs—complete with production. Hearing their own voices transformed into music they loved was more than a technical achievement. The most rewarding part was when students and their families told us that for them, it was a breakthrough in confidence!
Across all its forms, Sunflower has been an endeavor of designing systems that build confidence, nurture creativity, and create belonging across cultural and developmental contexts.
Non-Profit: The Heart of Cubs
Eight years ago, I co-founded Heart of Cubs, a nonprofit supporting children with autism, ADHD, and other neurodiverse needs. What began as a small volunteer effort has grown into a sustained community initiative rooted in the belief that every child deserves connection, creativity, and care.
We’ve partnered with organizations such as Valley Children’s Hospital, One Foundation, and Promised Land Special Education Center to design programs that range from fundraiser concerts to community resource drives. During the pandemic, we built virtual spaces for music, art, and storytelling—reducing isolation and creating moments of joy and belonging for children and families navigating developmental challenges.
Impact Highlights:
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$2,000+ raised annually for youth and mental health programs
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Dozens of partnerships across healthcare, education, and the arts
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Hundreds of children and families supported through workshops, concerts, and community initiatives
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10+ benefit concerts organized, turning music into social action and student-led philanthropy.