About
Julian Cheng is an Adjunct Lecturer at Northwestern University's Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences, affiliated with the Master of Engineering Management Program. He combines academic expertise with extensive venture capital experience, mentoring founders and cultivating the Chicago technical and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Master of Science in Engineering Management, Northwestern University
- Master of Science coursework in Management Science & Engineering, Stanford University
- Master of Business Administration (MBA), University of Chicago Booth School of Business
His research interests include artificial intelligence, machine learning, and entrepreneurship, focusing on supporting diverse founders and building positive corporate cultures. He actively engages in community development through educational programs like Next Gen Investors and Next Gen Founders, which serve students from institutions including Northwestern University, University of Chicago, and Stanford.
Julian co-founded IoT and education startups and has supported over 70 startups through venture capital funds. His efforts span industries such as healthtech, fintech, and autonomous vehicles, with notable exits including a $500M+ acquisition and a $2.5B+ IPO.
He serves on the advisory boards of Northwestern University's NUvention Web + Media, NUvention Transportation, and NUvention Analytics programs, while also mentoring in local high school startup incubators and youth extracurricular initiatives.
