When Yida Gao returned to MIT in 2022, the former varsity pole vaulter and Phi Beta Kappa honoree had big shoes to fill. The prestigious university had asked him to teach a graduate course at the business school on crypto and finance, a position recently vacated by Securities and Exchange Commission chair Gary Gensler.
Just a decade removed from his time as an MIT undergrad, Gao was undaunted. The Chinese immigrant was riding high in the crypto world after landing on the Forbes 30 under 30 list, and he had his own blockchain-focused venture firm, Shima Capital. In a short time, Gao raised $200 million from finance heavyweights like Bill Ackman and prominent crypto firms including Dragonfly and Galaxy, soon becoming one of the most active investors in crypto by participating in more than 300 deals.
