Dylan Kwan is currently serving as the Chief of Staff at WATI, a social commerce software startup. Through successful fundraising efforts that garnered over $35 million (USD) from respected investors including Sequoia, Tiger Global, DST Global, and Shopify, WATI now caters to the needs of more than 6,000 customers across 80 countries.

Dylan’s expertise and dedication have been acknowledged through his appointment by the government to vet a $500 million (HK) fund under the Innovation and Technology Fund. Dylan holds a bachelor’s degree in Global Business and Economics from HKUST and has completed a visiting undergraduate student program at Harvard University.

IVLP Impact Award Project: Mentorship Program for Digital Youth

This project launched a mentorship program that nurtured a network of over 100 digitally savvy youth to promote STEM education in the region and to empower them to become EdTech ambassadors among their peers. The project brought a sustainable impact of digital education to a larger community beyond the student's day-to-day school arena by engaging with students from 62 different primary and secondary schools. This broad approach meant that the project served as a platform for community building and collaboration, which facilitated interaction and the development of relationships.

The project partnered with a local coding competition in order to continue the learning and provide the finalists with six online lessons, totaling 18 hours. The lessons covered various topics related to technology, including leveraging AI (Artificial Intelligence) AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) to engage and educate the students effectively. Additionally, the lessons facilitated opportunities for the students to explore practical applications of STEM knowledge and direct engagement with industry experts (both local and international). The project also involved an in-person component for 10 students, who experienced four in-person lessons, receiving 12 hours of focused instruction. This personalized approach allowed for deeper learning and practical application of the acquired knowledge.

"This is my first time participating in STEM lessons outside of school. I'm thrilled to acquire knowledge about these new technologies, and I hope to apply what I've learned to my visual arts projects one day." - Project Participant

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Dylan was a participant in the IVLP Project Education in the Digital Age, organized by the U.S. Department of State and FHI 360.

Dylan's exchange experience led to the development of his IVLP Impact Award Project: "Through the IVLP program, I had the opportunity to explore the e-sports landscape and digital literacy in the United States. Additionally, I made connections with several edtech startups. I plan to use these connections to benefit students by inviting some of the speakers to share their expertise and provide extended exposure to the industry."

U.S. Communities Visited

Washington, DC; Chicago, IL; East Lansing, MI; Kalamazoo, MI; Cleveland, OH

"I am excited to apply the knowledge and connections I gained through the IVLP program to make a positive impact in education. " - Dylan Kwan

 

Location: Hong Kong

Click here to go back to the IVLP Impact Awards Main Page