GELA Global Impact Series is GELA’s flagship annual platform spotlighting people, companies, and organizations advancing sustainability through innovation, responsibility, leadership, and long-term impact.
Published by SustainX Institute, the Series combines annual research lists, case profiles, leadership interviews, reports, and global communication initiatives to showcase meaningful practices shaping a more sustainable future.
The Series currently includes three major tracks: Youth Leaders 35 Under 35 & 25 Under 25, Leading Enterprises Top 100, and Women in Sustainability Top 30. Together, these tracks form a global impact platform that highlights the next generation of sustainability leaders, forward-looking enterprises, and women changemakers driving transformation across industries, communities, and institutions.
Built on a case-based research approach, GELA Global Impact Series goes beyond visibility and short-term recognition. It emphasizes authentic action, long-term value creation, measurable contribution, and the ability to inspire broader change across sectors and generations.
GELA Global Impact Series
GELA Global Sustainability Youth Leaders 35 Under 35 & 25 Under 25
GELA Global Sustainable Development Leading Enterprises Top 100
2026 Published Results (Coming Soon)
GELA Global Women in Sustainability Impact Top 30
GELA Global Women in Sustainability Impact Top 30
2026 Published Results (Coming Soon)
Global Jury & Advisory Network
This section features jury members and advisors who have contributed to different tracks of the GELA Global Impact Series across multiple years.
Past and Current Jury Members · Continuously Updated
Feng Li is the Founding Partner of Frees Fund, focusing on investments in hard technology, biopharmaceuticals, and consumer/TMT sectors. With extensive venture capital experience, he has also conducted long-term research on macroeconomic trends.
Before founding Frees Fund, he was a Partner and Investment Decision Committee member at IDG Capital.
Over nearly two decades, he has led investments in Bilibili, Three Squirrels, XtalPi, Unity, CreditEase, 360 DigiTech, BaiRong Inc., Coinbase, and Dida Chuxing, all of which went public on major exchanges.
Feng Li holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Peking University and an M.S. in Chemistry from the University of Rochester.
Ms. Lu Zhang is the Founder and Managing Partner of Fusion Fund, a Silicon Valley-based investor, serial entrepreneur, and Stanford Engineering alumna. With expertise in AI in healthcare, enterprise AI, and data privacy, she has led over 80 investments across the U.S. and Canada, generating notable exits.
Before founding Fusion Fund in 2015, Ms. Lu Zhang was a serial entrepreneur and materials science researcher. After selling her startup to a leading medical device company, she transitioned to venture investing.
Recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, she has also been named among Silicon Valley Women of Influence, Business Insider’s Top 25 Female Early-Stage Investors, and Forbes 30 Under 30 (VC).
She frequently speaks at global tech conferences and serves as a board member of multiple companies. Ms. Lu Zhang holds an M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University.
Mr. Lawrence X. Pan was the China Chief Representative and Managing Director of Asia Pacific Region of NASDAQ, and also one of the official spoken person for NASDAQ.
Mr. Pan has over 15 years of securities and commodities industry experience. Most recently CEO with Asia Pacific Capital, Mr. Pan has previously held senior positions in corporate finance and asset management at Morgan Stanley, providing advice to a variety of Chinese companies and banks seeking to access the US Capital Markets. Additionally, Mr. Pan has held management position and been licensed senior trader with considerable knowledge of trading platforms and strategies through his experience with HS Securities & Futures and CNIEC.
Mr. Pan has a B.S. and M.S. in Materials Science from BIT, an EMBA in International Business from University of London and a Certificate in Financial Analysis from NYU. He is fluent in English and a native speaker of Mandarin.
Ms. Li Li is the Founding Partner of Next Capital and a renowned angel investor. She has led early-stage investments in Lexin (NASDAQ: LX), Tiger Brokers (NASDAQ: TIGR), Tuanche (NASDAQ: TC), Meiyou, Niuguwang, YikuaiBao, PingCAP, Caibeike, Yunding Smart, and other innovative companies.
In 2017, Ms. Li Li founded Next Capital, focusing on early-stage investments in technology innovation. Her investment areas include AI, hard technology, digital healthcare, global tech expansion, biotech & life sciences, enterprise services, cloud-native technologies, specialized and sophisticated enterprises, and robotics. Next Capital has backed high-growth startups such as Genki Forest, Panda Remit, Xunzhao Duojiaoshou, Dianjiang Technology, Shize Biotech, Xinsu Technology, Weiming Shiguang, Olive Branch Health, and Silicon-based Bionics.
Previously, Ms. Li Li served as Deputy Editor-in-Chief of IT Manager World, where she conducted an exclusive interview with Jeff Bezos. She is also the author of Light Company, a 2009 bestseller in the business category on Amazon China and Dangdang.
Additionally, Ms. Li Li is the Founder of Xiaofanzhuo, a venture capital service platform.
Mr. Chen Qiufan is a writer, translator, and futurist, currently serving as Deputy Director of the Science Fiction Literature Committee of the China Writers Association, Vice President of the China Science Writers Association, a Visiting Scholar at Yale University, and a Berggruen Scholar.
His major works include The Waste Tide, AI 2041 (co-authored with Dr. Kai-Fu Lee), Algorithm of Life, Zero-Carbon China, and Songs of the Mountains and Seas, among others. His works have been widely translated into over 20 languages and have received numerous awards, including the Mao Dun New Talent Award, Global Chinese Science Fiction Nebula Award, China Science Fiction Galaxy Award, Asia Weekly’s Top 10 Novels of the Year, and Germany’s Business Book of the Year.
Mr. Chen’s writing explores a broad range of themes, including AI and tech ethics, climate change and environmental protection, planetary civilization, and the philosophy of mind.
Mr. Gao Chao is the Co-founder and Managing Director of Meixun. He was the first Head of PR for Amazon and Uber China and previously served as Executive Partner & CMO at Ucommune, PR Director at PepsiCo Greater China, and Corporate Communications Director at Dell Greater China.
He holds an International MBA (BiMBA) from Peking University and an MBA from Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business in New York. With extensive experience in corporate management and public relations, he has worked with both multinational corporations and innovative local enterprises.
Mr. Han Guowei is the Director of the International Department and Executive Director of the China Great Wall Society. He is also the official representative of the New 7 Wonders Foundation in China and the chief planner of the "<2°C Plan: First Human Expedition Across the Three Poles & Global Climate Change Scientific Exploration Project."
Committed to promoting the Great Wall’s global recognition, Mr. Han has signed MOUs with World Heritage organizations in over ten countries and played a key role in securing the Great Wall’s inclusion in the New7Wonders of the World.
He has organized major international events, including the Great Wall World Folk Song Concerts, the UN Sustainable Development & Green Olympics Programs, and the China Great Wall Hiking Conference. Additionally, he collaborates with Academy Award-winning director Keith Merrill to promote Great Wall culture through film, music, and art, ensuring its preservation and international impact.
Ms. Lily Qiu is the founder of the Beijing Pinglan Public Welfare Foundation, which holds special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and serves as an official observer to major UN climate and ocean conferences. She also founded the Angel Mom Foundation and Blue Sky Rescue Team, making pioneering contributions to child welfare and emergency rescue in China.
She has further initiated platforms including the Shangri-La Think Tank and Yousi Philanthropy, advancing sustainable development, regional dialogue, youth development, and people-to-people exchange. Through her leadership in humanitarian assistance, climate action, and disaster risk reduction, Ms. Qiu has helped Chinese civil society organizations play a more active role on the international stage.
Ms. Xie Yuanyan is an education innovator with a global perspective and deep professional expertise. She holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the School of International Studies at Peking University and previously served as a senior executive at a Fortune Global 500 financial and insurance company.
As the founder and chairwoman of Global Youth Philanthropy, she is dedicated to building a youth philanthropy and social innovation network connecting China with the world. Under her leadership, the organization has actively engaged with UN-related platforms, with youth-led projects featured in the UN Voluntary Commitments Database and presented at forums including the ECOSOC Youth Forum, COP29, CSW69, and HNPW.
Mr. Jiayi (Ethan) Yu is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and Venture Advisor. He currently serves as the CEO of Quis, INC. He is also a well-known thought leader and influencer in the field with over 1 million social media followers.
Before Quis, INC, Mr. Yu built and successfully exited a Gen-Z social networking app that was later acquired by Total Education, where he subsequently served as Head of Marketing. Mr. Yu has also appeared on numerous television programs and reality shows, earning recognition as one of the most influential young voices in entrepreneurship and venture.
Mr. Yu has been recognized globally for his achievements, receiving the Forbes Global Young Leaders Award, the AACYF Top U25 Award, and the Asia-Pacific Entrepreneur Association Award.
Mr. Yu hold B.S and M.S. from New York University Stern School of Business, with a dual degree in Finance and Accounting. He graduated top in his major and served as the Class President and Judiciary Commitee. He is also a member of Beta Gamma Sigma International Honor Society.
Ms. Dong Xiaoman is a Professional Officer at the United Nations Youth Office and a lecturer at the School of International Organization, Beijing Foreign Studies University.
She earned a dual bachelor's degree in Philosophy and Asian Studies from Furman University in 2014, followed by a Master’s degree in Anthropology from the London School of Economics and Political Science. In 2016, she participated in the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) program, working with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). She later obtained her Ph.D. in International Relations from Peking University in 2020 and joined Beijing Foreign Studies University the same year.
Since 2022, Ms. Dong has been seconded to the United Nations Youth Office as a Junior Professional Officer, primarily responsible for the United Nations Youth Leaders Program.
Dr. Haokai Zhao is a postdoctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering & Engineering Mechanics from Columbia University. His research focuses on applying Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Data Science, and the Internet of Things (IoT) to advance Sustainable Urban Development. He has received multiple awards in his field, including the IEEE IE Best Short Paper Award and the ASME Floyd Hasselriis Award.