Andrew Yang (entrepreneur)

Andrew Yang (entrepreneur)
Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	Andrew Yang
Birth date	13 January 1975
Birth place	Columbus, Ohio
Occupation	Entrepreneur, politician
Education	Brown University (BA), Columbia Law School (JD)
Known for	Founder of Venture for America, 2020 United States presidential campaign, Universal Basic Income advocacy

Andrew Yang (entrepreneur)

Andrew Yang (born January 13, 1975) is an American entrepreneur, author, and politician known for founding Venture for America and launching a 2020 presidential campaign that popularized universal basic income in contemporary American discourse. He worked in technology, startup incubation, and advocacy, later running for the Democratic Party nomination and the 2021 New York City mayoral election. Yang's career bridges Silicon Valley, Wall Street, and national politics, drawing attention from media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN.

Early life and education

Yang was born in Columbus, Ohio to Taiwanese immigrants who worked in psychology and small business; his mother, Evelyn Yang, and father, Fredrick S. Yang, influenced his interest in entrepreneurship and public service. He attended Phillips Exeter Academy before earning a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University and a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School. During his education he engaged with organizations like The Brown Daily Herald and legal clinics associated with Columbia Law School, later moving to New York City to pursue finance and technology opportunities.

Business career

Yang began his professional career at SIDES, later joining investment banking at Rothschild & Co and practicing law at firms tied to corporate transactions. He worked in technology startups and founded a nonprofit, Venture for America, inspired by models from Teach For America and aimed at placing recent graduates in startups across American cities. Venture for America partnered with organizations including Y Combinator, Techstars, and local economic development agencies to create fellowships modeled on venture capital and startup acceleration practices. Yang also served as an executive at a recruiting software company and launched ventures that intersected with Silicon Valley accelerators, angel investors, and philanthropic networks.

Political activism and campaigns

Yang entered national politics with exploratory efforts for the 2020 United States presidential election, formally announcing a campaign for the Democratic nomination. His campaign emphasized automation, technological displacement, and a policy he called the Freedom Dividend. Yang participated in Democratic primary debates organized by groups including the Democratic National Committee and earned a following nicknamed the "Yang Gang." After suspending his presidential bid, Yang ran in the 2021 New York City mayoral election as a Democrat, competing in a field that included Eric Adams, Scott Stringer, and Bill de Blasio-era civic leaders. He later formed organizations to continue policy advocacy and explored media ventures tied to political commentary.

Policy positions and advocacy

Yang's signature proposal, the Freedom Dividend, advocated a monthly cash payment inspired by basic income pilots and experiments such as the Alaska Permanent Fund dividends and small-scale universal basic income trials in Finland and Ontario. He argued that automation driven by artificial intelligence and robotics threatens employment in sectors including manufacturing and services, citing research from institutions like McKinsey Global Institute and Pew Research Center. Yang proposed reforming tax structures, including a value-added tax similar to systems in the European Union and Japan, and supported measures for healthcare reform, criminal justice reform including changes to cash bail aligned with rulings and advocacy from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, and investments in technology education through initiatives akin to workforce retraining programs promoted by National Science Foundation and Department of Labor stakeholders. He framed his platform within economic arguments advanced by scholars at Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Brookings Institution.

Writings and media appearances

Yang authored books addressing automation and policy, including works that entered discussions in outlets such as The New Yorker, Forbes, and The Atlantic. He appeared on national television programs including The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Joe Rogan Experience, and news networks like MSNBC and Fox News, and participated in podcasts and panel discussions hosted by figures from NPR, TEDx, and academic forums at Harvard Kennedy School. Yang's media presence extended to political satire and interviews on platforms hosted by Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah, and independent media creators in the YouTube and podcast ecosystems.

Personal life and legacy

Yang is married to Evelyn Yang and has two children; the family has been part of civic life in New York City and philanthropic activities linked to Asian American organizations such as the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and cultural institutions. Yang's campaigns elevated conversations on technological change, basic income, and civic engagement, influencing debates within the Democratic primary and spawning policy proposals in municipal and national offices. His legacy includes the growth of Venture for America alumni into startups and public service roles, ongoing advocacy around automation from think tanks and nonprofits, and a vocal base that continues to participate in electoral politics and media. Yang's trajectory connects to broader movements in technology policy, startup ecosystems, and contemporary American political discourse.

Category:1975 births Category:American entrepreneurs Category:Brown University alumni Category:Columbia Law School alumni Category:People from Columbus, Ohio