Victor W. Hwang

Victor W. Hwang is the Executive Director of the Global Innovation Summit, a conference focused on building innovation ecosystems with delegates from nearly 50 countries. Formerly, he served as Vice President of Entrepreneurship at the Kauffman Foundation, and as CEO and managing director of T2 Venture Creation, a firm he co-founded. This Silicon Valley venture firm not only builds startup companies but also designs innovation ecosystems globally, leveraging know-how in capital formation, innovation policy, and entrepreneurial development, for partners like the World Bank, USAID, and numerous governments and corporations.

Hwang also co-founded Liquidity Corporation, a water purification company supported by leading executives and investors, and served as Chief Strategy Officer of Blue Planet Strategies, a startup increasing copper mining production. Additionally, he led Veatros, a video search company, as Chief Strategy Officer, steering the company towards its acquisition by DivX. As a Kauffman Fellow, Hwang is part of an influential network of leaders in the venture capital industry and advises the World Bank on innovation and venture capital formation in emerging markets. He has mentored hundreds of startup companies throughout his career.

An established author, Hwang penned "The Rainforest: The Secret to Building the Next Silicon Valley," which explores how societies can nurture innovative economies and won Book of the Year (Gold Medal) from ForeWord Reviews. His follow-up, "The Rainforest Blueprint: How to Design Your Own Silicon Valley," is a vibrant guide to sparking innovation in any organization or region. He contributes to Forbes magazine, and his insights have also been featured in The Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, and Entrepreneur.

Victor graduated from Harvard University with an A.B. with Honors in government, and from the Law School of the University of Chicago with a J.D. His early legal career included roles at Irell & Manella and Mayer, Brown & Platt, where he handled technology-related negotiations and counseled on new technology issues including intellectual property and the Internet. He has served on various influential boards and committees, such as the International Science and Commercialization Board of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the California Blue Ribbon Task Force on nanotechnology, contributing significantly to technology policy discussions at both state and national levels.