Andrew Yang is the visionary founder and CEO of Venture for America, a pioneering fellowship program that places top college graduates in start-ups for a period of two years in emerging U.S. cities, thereby catalyzing job growth and nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Founded in 2011, Venture For America is driven by Andrew's mission to revitalize American cities and communities through entrepreneurship, empower the best and brightest to create new opportunities for themselves and others, and restore the culture of achievement to include value-creation, risk, and reward, as well as the common good.
Throughout his career, Andrew has amassed over twelve years of experience working in start-ups and early stage growth companies, having served as a founder or executive in various capacities. Notably, he was the CEO and President of Manhattan GMAT, a test preparation company that was successfully acquired by the Washington Post/Kaplan in 2009. Additionally, he co-founded an Internet company and held an executive position at a healthcare software start-up.
Andrew's impressive media profile includes appearances on CNN, CNBC, Morning Joe, Fox News, TIME, Techcrunch, the Wall St. Journal, and numerous other prominent outlets. His dedication to entrepreneurship and economic development has earned him recognition as a Champion of Change and a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship by the White House, as well as being named one of Fast Company's "100 Most Creative People in Business."
Andrew holds a law degree from Columbia Law School and a Bachelor's degree from Brown University. His first book, "Smart People Should Build Things," was published by Harper Business in early 2014.
A major documentary about Venture for America, sponsored by PwC and co-directed by Academy Award winner Cynthia Wade, was released in the summer of 2016, further amplifying the program's impact and visibility.
