Team

Rui Ma

Founder, China Tech Analyst, Consulting Editor & Podcast Co-Host

Rui (pronounced “rey”) was born in China but grew up in the U.S., mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she is currently based. She has over fifteen years of experience in investment banking and investing, spanning seed stage to pre-IPO investing, and spent eight of those years working across multiple industries including real estate and media as well as technology in Shanghai and Beijing. She is currently an angel investor and advisor to several startups and funds. Rui is also active in philanthropy and currently runs Rookie.Fund, a nonprofit student venture fund network in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. She’s vegetarian and would like to be a Chinese calligrapher when she retires.

Employment

• Venture: 500 Startups, Investment Partner
• Private Equity: Raine Group
• Investment Banking (M&A): CITIC Securities, Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch
• Consulting: Deloitte

Education

U.C. Berkeley B.S. EECSUniv. Illinois Urbana-Champaign M. Ed.Tsinghua-INSEAD Executive MBAHarvard University Extension School MLA in Psychology

Twitter – LinkedIn

Freya Zhang

Tour Lead, EV Research Analyst, Co-writer

Focus on: Freya is Tech Buzz China’s in-house EV specialist.

Freya has been a part of Tech Buzz China since 2021, where she focuses on the electric vehicle (EV) industry. She creates engaging content and leads investor tours, helping investors stay updated on the latest trends and opportunities in the fast-paced EV market.Before joining Tech Buzz China, Freya spent seven years in Beijing’s dynamic tech startup scene. She co-founded and led marketing for one of China’s top cooking and recipe apps. After studying in Australia, she decided to pursue her career in China’s tech scene and has now made her home in Germany.

Employment: Xiachufang

Education: University of Newcastle: Master of Marketing, MBA

LinkedIn

Rita Luan

Tech Research Analyst, Co-writer

Focus on: AI, autonomous driving, EVs, short dramas, cloud computing, robotics.

With over a decade of experience in corporate communications, Rita has honed her expertise in corporate communications, particularly within the technology sector.

Born and raised in Beijing, Rita completed her master’s degree in Mass Communications in Singapore and is currently based in Beijing.

Employment

Rita worked for Dell Technologies, where she led executive communications for the Greater China region. Rita has also held key roles at Thomson Reuters, KPMG China, and Cathay Pacific, with a focus on employee engagement, CSR initiatives, and public relation.

Education: Nanyang Technological University, Beijing Capital Normal University

Ed Sander

China Tech Analyst, Main Writer

Between November 2022 and April 2026, Ed was a main writer for Tech Buzz China, primarily reporting on developments in (cross-border) e-commerce and local services.

Twitter – LinkedIn – Website