³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ

Edward Lu (Computing 2015) is an inventor, system architect and industrial designer. He is also the founder of an exciting hardware company called . We were lucky enough to catch up with him to learn more about his old ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ days and what he has planned for the future...  

Tell us about your time at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ

My time at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ was priceless, but it was also very, very challenging. The projects and exams really pushed me to the point where I spent most of my time in the library! I’d pretty much be there around the clock and just go to a friend’s house to shower. However, I think working so hard has set me up in my career as being an entrepreneur isn’t an easy career path. I’m full of appreciation for the College because I think ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ also teaches students to use leadership, creativity and knowledge power to make the impossible, possible.

I also want to pay special mention to one of my all-time heroes, my personal tutor . His wisdom and kindness gave me strength during the hardest points of my life and has inspired me to start writing my own story.  

 How has what you learnt at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ helped you in your career so far? 

The alumni network in Shanghai has been so helpful. Sometimes I post a problem on the group’s WeChat account and I get responses by the end of the day. It is also a great opportunity to network as we all know someone who might be able to help with a problem - it’s like a big group brainstorm!  

What are you doing now?

I run a company called , which is essentially a hardware company. The name comes from hexadecimal, which is a positional numeral system that both humans and computers can understand. Essentially it is the bridge connecting the human world with the digital world. 

I have twenty employees and we are currently working on our upcoming product launch, . Monolith is the world's first unified charging solution for all smart devices. I actually came up with the idea whilst studying at the Library - in the silent section, there’s only one power slot for the whole bank of desks. As you can imagine, I got very frustrated carrying around a bag of chargers for each device.

What motivates you?

I’m not religious, but when I was in high school I read a lot of physics books and I believe that the universe is governed by chaotic rules. Life is a combination of enormous randomness, and that means that you can’t waste any second!

I also think that Chinese people are underestimated and often overlooked when it comes to creativity. So changing that perception is what motivates me - we are an ancient race and our 5,000 years have actually been characterised by innovation and creativity.