Early Life and Education
Tianqiao Chen was born in Xinchang County, Zhejiang Province, China, in 1973. He grew up near Shanghai. His father was an engineer, and his mother was a middle school English teacher. Chen graduated from Fudan University in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in economics.
Rise to Success
Chen's career began at Shanghai Lujiazui Group in 1994. In 1999, he co-founded Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited with family members. Shanda quickly rose to prominence, becoming the largest internet company in China by market capitalization in 2004. Chen is credited with pioneering and building the online game and online literature industries in China.
Key Business Strategies
Chen's business acumen led Shanda to success. He focused on online games, particularly massively multiplayer online games (MMOs). Shanda adopted a freemium model in 2005, which later became the industry standard. Chen took Shanda's parent company private in 2012 and transformed it into a global investment company. Shanda Group's investments include public and private equities, venture capital, and real estate.
Philanthropy
Chen and his wife, Chrissy Luo, are active philanthropists. In 2016, they founded the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute and committed $1 billion to brain science research. The institute supports research, treatment, and development related to the human brain. The Chen's have partnered with institutions such as Caltech and Huashan Hospital in Shanghai.