Hongkai He

Founder

Building something AI-native, AI-natively.

Founder

Causally

2025 — present

Causally Inc. · 广州溯理科技 · Cambridge · Guangzhou

Causally is an AI Studio I started in 2025. Two questions drive it: what does an AI-native organization actually look like in practice, and how does the way humans interact with information change when "helpful agent" becomes a real primitive?

The thesis: human–information interaction has moved through three paradigms — directories (Yahoo), search (Google), and recommendation (TikTok). The fourth, made possible by current models, is the assistant — intent-aware, context-aware — operating as an agent: autonomous in execution, flexible in delivery. Causally builds products that lean fully into this paradigm. Starting from an OPC (one-person company) model and growing only as the work demands, a small AI-native team ships at a cadence — apps in weeks, not months — that traditional teams structurally can't match.

Based in Guangzhou (广州溯理科技) and the US (Causally Inc.). The team itself is product zero.

Recent writing

Aha moments, written down.

All writing

About

Realistic Idealist.

I was born in Guangzhou, China, and attended Zhixin High School where I started forming my view on the world. I started a PhD in computational mathematics at Sun Yat-Sen University, mastering out before moving on.

In 2014 I moved to the US for a second master's in Management Science and Engineering, a joint program between the engineering and business schools at Columbia University.

That educational arc taught me to view the world from three distinct perspectives — scientific, engineering, and business — which has given me triple the fun in exploring it ever since.

During my second year at Columbia I co-founded TalentJungle (2015–2016), an online-to-offline marketplace for casual workshops. In 2016 I moved to Boston as an Associate / EIR at Boston Angel Club, where I also co-founded Boston Innovation Growth. Since 2018 I've been working on Taihill Venture, building it with my partner Sky Yu.

In late 2025 I started Causally, an AI Studio for the assistant paradigm — both because the thesis felt urgent and because I wanted to build the AI-native organization I keep wishing existed.

Work

Investing in the future.

General Partner

Taihill Venture

2018 — present

Taihill is a pre-seed and seed-stage, sector-agnostic deeptech fund. Since 2018, the firm has invested in 150+ startups including Lightelligence (IPO), KulaBio, XtalPi (IPO), Revela (acquired), and Regenerative Bio. My personal focus is AI and AI for Science — fields where disruptive technology is solving long-standing problems.

Venture Creation Director

Oddity Tech

2024

At Oddity (NASDAQ: ODD), I helped spin up new ventures inside the platform — sourcing entrepreneurial scientists, validating product directions, and standing up early teams to turn deep research into consumer-facing brands.

Nonprofit

Bridging technology, art, and global health.

Board of Advisors

Boston Ballet

As a long-time supporter of the Boston Ballet, I'm thrilled to serve on their Board of Advisors. It's a fantastic opportunity to bridge the worlds of technology and art, exploring how innovation can enhance the ballet's artistic expression and reach.

Vice President

U.S.–China Health Summit

The U.S.–China Health Summit fosters global health knowledge exchange and collaboration among healthcare leaders from the US, China, and beyond. Established in 2011 at Harvard University, the Summit has hosted annual public health conferences and online seminars. Though currently paused due to geopolitical challenges, the Summit remains dedicated to its mission of improving healthcare through international cooperation.

Interests

Off the desk: corners, currents, and creatures.

Motorsport

Track day · Auto Cross · Rally Cross

You may find me at Thompson Speedway, Palmer Motorsports Park, or Devens Airfield — but more often, in the garage fixing something.

Dragon Boat

SYSU Boston Alumni Team

I'm part of the Sun Yat-Sen University Alumni dragon boat team. Since 2024 we've competed in the Boston Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival every summer — always a blast. If you're near the Charles River or Fort Point Channel in early summer, keep an eye out for us. Always looking for new members, even just for training.

Cats & Dogs

Pingping · Henry · Anton · Coco

Pingping (Black Tabby), Henry (Orange Tabby), Coco (Tabby × Maine Coon mix, joined the family in 2025), and Anton — a Tibetan Mastiff / Newfoundland / Golden Retriever / Caucasian Shepherd / Kangal Shepherd mix.

Pingping was my first pet in the US and sadly passed in May 2024. Henry, Coco, and Anton are enjoying life every moment. To better serve our fur babies, my wife works at Chewy. :P

Philosophy

Working principles, somewhere between Buddhism and game theory.

01

Śūnyatā 空性

Everything is interconnected and interdependent, lacking inherent, permanent self-existence. All phenomena arise from causes and conditions.

02

Law of Causality 因果

Bodhisattvas focus on causes; ordinary people focus on effects. Understanding causality empowers proactive shaping of outcomes.

03

Manifestation

Perceived "reality" is shaped by sensory input, which is inherently limited. This limitation results in distinct experiential worlds for different beings — a dog's differs from a bat's, a fish's, or another human's. Whoever controls the input, weaves your "truth."

04

Transhumanism

We should and will strive to enhance human longevity, cognition, capability and well-being through technology.

05

Intelligence = f(Data, Algorithm, Compute)

This applies to both biological and artificial intelligence. I actively seek accurate raw data, refine my cognitive algorithms (thinking processes), and maintain mental acuity (compute).

06

Power, Wealth & Fame are means, not ends

Remain mindful of your ultimate goals; don't let the tools (means) obscure what truly matters.

07

Incentives Drive Action

To mobilize large-scale action, design compelling incentive systems. While moral arguments enhance perception, economic or other tangible benefits are often the primary drivers — carbon credits, organized religion dynamics, election strategies.

08

Simplicity & Efficiency

Strive for clarity and directness. Avoid unnecessary complexity, bureaucracy, ambiguity, and inefficiency. Given human communication's low bandwidth (~39 bps), directness is crucial.

09

Tit for Tat

Assume goodwill and cooperate initially. However, respond in kind to cooperation or betrayal; reciprocity guides interaction.