Dr. Sunny Shuoyang Zhang

Currently building Orian, the operating system for intelligent ecosystems. Orian helps communities and organizations turn events, content, and conversations into intelligence, workflows, and measurable growth. TrueLeap is a digital infrastructure company currently operating across the United States, Africa, and Asia. We offer a robust portfolio of technologies and services for human capital and capacity building—including software, hardware, content, training, connectivity, and edge AI—delivered through a globally integrated and locally contextualized ecosystem approach. We are currently building AI-powered coordination layer for learning, trust, collaboration, and opportunity Focus areas: talent development, global education, ecosystem building, community-led growth If you’re passionate about creating both return and impact through innovation and accessibility, we invite you to explore partnership opportunities with us and bring TrueLeap solutions to your region.

- The Ecosystem Approach to Talent Development in the Age of AI - Inaugural Fellow at the McNair Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship - Cameron School of Business Outstanding Professor - Rapid Online Course Creation Mentor - Chair of the UST Student Research Committee - St. Thomas Aquinas Excellence in Teaching Award Taught graduate and undergraduate in-person, online, and hybrid courses through real-world, community-based experiential learning, including Entrepreneurship, Marketing Strategy, Global Marketing, Digital Marketing, Principles of Marketing, Marketing Research, Marketing Applications, Principles of Management, Organizational Behavior, E-Commerce, E-Business Strategies, etc.

The Born Global Community is a 501c3 nonprofit organization on a mission to propel diverse entrepreneurs and investors with a global mindset and to interconnect local and international innovation ecosystems. We are committed to cultivating the galaxy of global innovation with a focus on startup development, venture investing, network expansion, and digital media through thought leadership, educational programs, and community building.

Investing in early-stage globally scalable tech startups led by resilient immigrant founders reshaping the world.

Born Global Ventures is a startup studio partnering with the world’s most brilliant entrepreneurs to build tech startups from scratch to scale. Combining intellectual capital, human capital, social capital, and financial capital, we are building startups with lower risk, faster return, and higher capital efficiency. Formerly Z LAB. Working with underestimated founders to build and invest in startups serving under-resourced communities in the world, we are on a mission to enhance individual, organizational, and societal well-being.

GeoChemPro team is building a revolutionary platform to manage large scale scientific sample collection programs. Stay tuned!

AI-powered energy shopping platform with unbiased assessment of supplier pricing based on actual customer smart meter data and free to use.

StudioHub is the world’s largest community of startup studios and venture builders. Our mission is to bring together startup studios and venture builders, establish best practice, identify opportunities for studios and expand, and raise awareness of the Studio model.

The world’s largest global community for women in venture capital to connect, collaborate, and create opportunities.

- Beta Gamma Sigma Most Influential Professor - Faculty Fellow at AMA-Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium Taught Principles of Marketing, International Marketing, and Marketing Decision Making. Moved to Houston with a newborn to be with family.

Managed multi-use research labs to support research with the application of information technology at the individual, group, and organizational levels in a wide variety of research domains. Coordinated with faculty and graduate student researchers in utilizing the main lab, breakout rooms, focus group as well as experiment software.

Taught Marketing Research and International Marketing.

Dissertation: Effects of Network Structure and Tie Strength on Attitude and Decision Making Conducted a field experiment series on Facebook using real networks by designing and developing two APIs to manipulate the strength and structure of network ties and examine the interaction effects of within-network and between-network ties. Also redefined tie strength as a multi-dimensional construct with both temporal and emotional components. This research is the foundation for Born Global's model of collective intelligence and social capital.

Focus: Industrial and Organizational Psychology; Consumer Psychology Thesis: Consumer Risk Perception in B2C E-Commerce Conducted one of the first behavioral studies about online shopping. Defined the sources of consumer perceived risks through factor analysis and structural equation model using programmed online survey via instant messenger across China. This project was funded by the National Science Foundation of China. Publications resulted in 7500+ downloads.