John Wu is a financial technology executive and technology investor who serves as the President of Ava Labs, the software services firm supporting the development of the Avalanche blockchain. With over two decades of experience as a buy-side technology investor in traditional finance, including at firms like Tiger Management and The Blackstone Group, Wu transitioned to the Web3 industry in 2020. He is a vocal advocate for blockchain technology, focusing on institutional adoption, enterprise solutions, and the concept of Web3 as an "Internet of Value." Wu is also actively involved in philanthropy and maintains close ties with his alma maters, Cornell University and Harvard University. ^{[1] [2]}​

Education

Wu is an alumnus of Cornell University, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree from the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management in 1992. During his studies, he was mentored by Deborah Streeter, then a faculty member at the Dyson School, which led to a summer internship at the New York Cotton Mercantile Exchange and early exposure to market structures. He later earned a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. ^[6]

Career

John Wu is the President of Ava Labs, a blockchain technology company backed by Andreessen Horowitz, where he has led enterprise-focused blockchain initiatives since 2020. Prior to Ava Labs, he founded and serves as CEO of Sureview Capital (formerly Sureview Capital, a Blackstone-sponsored technology investment firm), providing technology and investment solutions since 2010. Between 2018 and 2019, Wu led the Digital Assets Group at SharesPost, developing compliant trading platforms for private shares and tokenized funds. Earlier in his career, he was a portfolio manager at Kingdon Capital from 2004 to 2010, overseeing investments across technology, media, telecom, and fintech, including the venture round for BillMeLater, which was acquired by eBay for over $1 billion. Wu began his professional career as an analyst at Tiger Management (1992–1996), focusing on macroeconomics, currencies, and derivatives. ^{[6] [2] [1]}

Media Appearances

In April 2025, Wu appeared on The Scoop, a program produced by The Block, where he discussed Avalanche’s positioning in enterprise and institutional adoption, developments in blockchain gaming, and how his background in traditional finance has influenced his work in the digital asset sector.

In a November 2025 interview on the "Crypto In America" podcast, he detailed Ava Labs' approach to onboarding institutions, its flexible multi-chain architecture, and specific partnerships with entities like FIFA and the California DMV. He also covered the U.S. regulatory landscape and the challenges in marketing blockchain technology to a mainstream audience.