Alumni: Award for Exemplary Service

Derrick Yifang Xiong MMS '13

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Pantasy

Derrick Xiong is a serial entrepreneur and has a great passion for start-ups. He is the founder and CEO of Pantasy, a fast-growing toy start-up that is focused on creating and designing collectable DIY kits and toys for adults. Today, products of Pantasy have a global presence in over 40 countries. Prior to founding Pantasy, Derrick was the co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of EHang (NASDAQ: EH), a world leader in urban air mobility, an emerging industry with a trillion-dollar market globally. 
 
Derrick graduated from the Nanyang Technological University with a bachelor's degree of Electronic and Electrical Engineering and from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University with a Master of Management Studies.

What impact has your Fuqua experience had on your career/life?

During my time at Fuqua, I was heavily involved in all kinds of programs such as P4E (program for entrepreneurs), Duke startup challenge and SIP (summer innovation program). These programs were to help students who want to do startups in future. These programs helped me a lot, and immediately after I graduated from Fuqua, I went to start my company. Not too late after, I co-started EHang, which is becoming a world leader in the urban air mobility industry. The Fuqua experience gave me the right skillsets and courage to do this, and I truly appreciate it.

Professionally or personally, what are you excited about right now?

I'm passionate about building the next-generation consumer brand and inventing things that make people happy. 

What does this Fuqua award mean to you?

It's a great honor to receive this award. I will continue bringing the Fuqua spirit around the world as well as supporting more and more students who have a passion for entrepreneurship through the endowment fund I set up last year.