Jun Wang earned his master’s degree in Industrial Mathematics from Michigan State University and is a member of the Spartan Founders Club. Wang has been involved with the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation for many years, mentoring student start ups, serving as a judge and coach for Burgess New Venture Challenge, and guest lecturing in entrepreneurship classes. Jun began his career at Google, helping launch Google Checkout, and went on to lead technology teams at high-growth fintech startups. Today, he is the founder and principal consultant at Pulalu Consulting LLC located in Silicon Valley, where he advises early-stage ventures and innovation teams on product strategy, technical architecture, and scalable growth.
I began my entrepreneurial journey at Google, where I helped launch and grow Google Checkout, an “internal startup” within Google. Although it didn't achieve the success we'd hoped, the experience provided invaluable lessons in rapid innovation, strategic pivoting, and managing high-stakes challenges. Building and scaling something new was incredibly rewarding, leading me to later join an early-stage fintech startup that further deepened my entrepreneurial passion. Though the venture ultimately closed, it underscored the critical importance of adaptability and aligning product development closely with market demands. Later, at Twitter, I took on an intrapreneurial role, being the technology leader for the business unit, we scaled the SMB business unit from a very small team into a globally successful business unit, generating billions in revenue. These pivotal experiences shaped my entrepreneurial mindset and highlighted the immense power of resilience and innovation.
My fundamental motivation as an entrepreneur is driven by a passion for innovatively solving complex problems. To me, entrepreneurship transcends founding companies or raising funds—it’s essentially a mindset focused on resourceful and creative problem-solving. With a background as a math major fascinated by theoretical challenges such as integer programming and boundary-conditioned differential equations, entrepreneurship offers similarly rich intellectual challenges, but in a multidimensional, real-world context. When executed effectively, entrepreneurship creates significant value not only for organizations but also for communities and society at large.
My relationship with Michigan State University began when I pursued my master's degree in Industrial Mathematics, an experience that highlighted the value of interdisciplinary thinking and practical problem-solving. Over the past several years, I've deepened my engagement with MSU through the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. I have hosted Spartan student groups visiting Silicon Valley, mentored numerous student startups, guest lectured in entrepreneurship classes, and served as both judge and mentor for the Burgess New Venture Challenge. I also actively advise and have made initial angel investments in promising student-founded ventures, such as Stunio and MotMot. I've facilitated collaborations between MSU's academic programs and student startups, creating impactful real-world learning experiences that mutually benefit both students and entrepreneurs.
The most significant lessons I've learned center around the clarity of purpose and the necessity of adaptability. Successful entrepreneurship demands laser-like focus on efficiently addressing critical challenges. In startups, each decision can significantly influence outcomes, emphasizing the need to prioritize actions that directly contribute to value creation. Truly effective entrepreneurs excel by deeply understanding and clearly articulating their unique insights and value propositions. These lessons profoundly influence my current approach to both entrepreneurship and investment decisions.
My advice is to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset broadly, beyond just traditional business contexts. Prioritize creative problem-solving, validate your ideas early through rigorous customer discovery, and rapidly prototype minimum viable products to test assumptions. Quickly adapt based on feedback and experiences. Entrepreneurship isn't confined to starting or joining a startup; it's about driving innovation wherever you are—whether within corporations, small businesses, personal projects, or your own life. Seek mentors and peers who challenge and inspire you, and maintain resilience, knowing setbacks are opportunities for growth.
I joined the Spartan Founders Club (SFC) to give back meaningfully to the MSU community, which was instrumental in shaping my own growth. This network provides me an opportunity to mentor and collaborate closely with fellow Spartan entrepreneurs, fostering meaningful connections and mutual support. Additionally, I aim to bridge resource and funding gaps between Michigan and innovation hubs like Silicon Valley, elevating visibility and opportunities for talented Spartans. SFC embodies collaboration, closely aligning with my passion for fostering impactful entrepreneurship within a supportive community.
The Spartan Founders Club (SFC) is a philanthropic consortium of MSU alumni and friends willing to stand together to support students and grow MSU’s campus-wide nationally ranked entrepreneurship education program. SFC members agree to an initial financial donation for three consecutive years as part of their commitment. If you're interested in joining or want to learn more, visit https://entrepreneurship.msu.edu/Spartan-Founders-Club.