Phillip Chang

From Olympic pools to IPOs, Phillip Chang knows what it takes to win. The same relentless drive that helped him set Taiwan’s 800-meter freestyle record and earned him a spot on UC Berkeley’s swim team, has powered his journey through the technology world. During his career, he’s built multiple companies from zero to a major exit across two continents.

As an AI Fund Venture Advisor, Phillip focuses on helping founders navigate the critical transition from promising technology to scalable business. “Founders know how to work in small teams and make demos work, but what does it take to create a product? What does it take to have marketing, sales, support teams—the whole nine yards? That’s where we need to help them.”

His approach emphasizes the importance of understanding both technological innovation and market execution, particularly for companies looking to leverage the complementary strengths of US technology development and Asian manufacturing capabilities.

Phillip’s expertise spans multiple industries and business stages. He previously co-founded Ayla Networks and scaled the company from a two-person Silicon Valley startup to a global IoT leader. 

Currently, he serves as Chief Marketing Officer and board member of Merdury Biopharmaceutical, a company that went public in Taiwan just two months after he joined, he leads their 3D pharmaceutical printing technology that minimizes drug side effects through precision layered absorption. He is also co-founder of a traditional Chinese medicine company leveraging AI that is preparing for IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

“My strength is cross-Pacific—bridging US technology with Asian manufacturing and export capabilities,” Phillip explains.

He holds a BA from UC Berkeley, MS from Stanford University, and PhD in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and maintains California licensing in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.