About
Joshua Xu co-founded HeyGen in 2020 and scaled the AI avatar-video platform past $200 million in annual recurring revenue by June 2026 — while burning only about $25 million of the $74 million raised and staying cash-flow break-even, roughly $1.5 million of revenue per employee. He spent six years engineering at Snap, the last two on the ads team building AI into the camera, then founded the company in Shenzhen as Surreal with Tongji and Carnegie Mellon classmate Wayne Liang, moved it to Los Angeles, and renamed it HeyGen in 2023 as it pivoted from spokesperson clips to a full video-generation platform.
Beyond investing
- Founded
- Co-founded HeyGen — originally Surreal, then Movio — in Shenzhen in 2020 with Wayne Liang, his Tongji University classmate and fellow Carnegie Mellon master's graduate.
- More
- Spent six years at Snap, the last two on the ads team working on AI integration and an AI-augmented camera — the direct antecedent of HeyGen's product thesis. Relocated the company from Shenzhen to Los Angeles in 2022 and dissolved the Chinese entity in 2023 over investor-regulatory concerns. HeyGen went from $1M ARR in March 2023 to $200M in June 2026 — and has burned only about a third of the capital it raised. His stated product philosophy: focus on the identity and the message first, not the cinematic.
Mentioned above: the Tongji University mafia →
From Joshua's own website — common ground for a warm intro.
Co-founder & CEO at HeyGen
Intro paths
→
In turn, Joshua can intro founders to HeyGen's investors below.
HeyGen's investors · 9
BenchmarkSan Francisco · $100K – $30M checks · since 2024BONDSan Francisco · since 2024ConvictionSan Francisco · $1M – $25M checks · since 2023Dylan Fieldsince 2024Elad GilSan Francisco · $100K – $10M checks · since 2024IDG CapitalHong Kong · $3M – $200M checks · since 2022SV AngelSan Francisco · since 2024Thrive CapitalNew York · $500K – $25M checks · since 2024ZhenFundBeijing · $425K – $28M checks · since 2022
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Co-founders at HeyGen
Experience
- HeyGenCo-Founder and CEOcurrent2020 — presentLos Angeles, California, United States
- Snapchat, Inc.Software Engineer2014 — 2020Greater Los Angeles Area
Education
- Carnegie Mellon UniversityMaster's degree, Computer Science
- Tongji UniversityBS, Electrical Engineering
Skills & more
Machine Learning55MapReduce25Algorithms52Distributed Systems18Artificial Intelligence11Hadoop13Data Mining9Databases11Software Engineering27Java44SQL10C27
+7 more
LinuxComputer VisionImage ProcessingNumerical AnalysisPythonC++Embedded SystemsFrom Joshua's professional profile.
Podcasts & interviews
featuring Joshua XuCan AI replace the camera? with Joshua Xu from HeyGen
No Priors
Joshua Xu, Co-Founder & CEO at HeyGen — Interview Series
Unite.AI · unite.ai
Frequently asked questions
- Where does Joshua Xu work?
- Joshua Xu is Co-founder & CEO at HeyGen.
- What companies did Joshua Xu found?
- Joshua Xu founded HeyGen.
Paths to reach Joshua
People who overlapped with Joshua at the same organization — a shared school or employer with one of them is a warm way in.
Together at HeyGenJoshua: Co-founder & CEO
Sarah Guo2023–2026Founder & General Partner of ConvictionPhillips AcademyPranav Reddy2023–2026Founder at ConvictionDini Mehta2023–2024Executive-in-Residence at Peak XV PartnersThe University of KansasJoanne Shang2023–2024Investor at IVP (Institutional Venture Partners)Texas Academy of Mathematics and ScienceKevin Huang2024–2025Founder at DrivingforceY Combinator
Together at Snapchat, Inc.Joshua: Software Engineer
Evan Spiegel2014–2020Co-founder & CEO of SnapLucy Guo2015–2016Co-founder of Scale AI; founder & CEO of PassesJustin Rose2017Investment Team at 8VCSelby Drummond2018–2020Senior Strategic Officer at Plum Alley InvestmentsColumbia University · The Spence SchoolSteve Horowitz2015–2019Partner at Alpha EdisonAlexis Bonillo2020Investor at Aglae VenturesCentraleSupélec · Copenhagen Business School · emlyon business school
Together at Carnegie Mellon UniversityJoshua: Master's degree
Farnam JahanianPresident at Carnegie Mellon UniversityTheresa MayerVice President for Research at Carnegie Mellon UniversityValerie KarplusAssociate Director of the Scott Institute for Energy Innovation at Carnegie Mellon UniversityKai-Fu LeeChairman of Sinovation Ventures and CEO of 01.AIColumbia UniversityJavier SolteroSenior Venture Partner at Felicis VenturesDiana HuGeneral Partner at Y Combinator
Founder mafias
Carnegie Mellon University mafia230
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Kai-Fu LeeResearch Computer Scientist / Assistant ProfessorFounded 01Lucy GuoComputer ScienceFounded Passes +1William GuttmanDistinguished Service Professor of Economics & Special Advisor to ProvostFounded CurvePoint +3Dr. Manu KumarBSFounded K9 Ventures +2Rodney BrooksResearch ScientistFounded Rethink Robotics +2Andrew NgBachelor of Science - BSFounded Factored +2
+ 223 more
Tongji University mafia9
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Markus FuhrmannFounded Bayes Holding +3Fan WenBachelor of EngineeringFounded AvocadoPaul BeckerVisiting StudentFounded Re:capMehdi OudghiriBachelor of ScienceFounded EyewaJames Lu MorrisseyFounded Mentor CollectiveWen SangMaster's degreeFounded Smarking
+ 2 more
Same school
Also attended Carnegie Mellon University386
Kai-Fu LeeChairman of Sinovation Ventures and CEO of 01.AILucy GuoCo-founder of Scale AI; founder & CEO of PassesJavier SolteroSenior Venture Partner at Felicis VenturesAvi BharadwajInvestment Director at Intel CapitalOren EtzioniVenture Partner at Madrona Venture GroupDiana HuGeneral Partner at Y Combinator
+ 380 more
Also attended Tongji University32
Markus FuhrmannInvestor at Cavalry VenturesFan WenPrincipal & Director of AI at Fin CapitalSara TamamesInvestment Analyst at Kibo VenturesAlmudena MéndezAssociate at Ysios CapitalFlorian BreinerOperating Partner, Growth at FoodLabsJens SchleunigerManaging Partner at TX Ventures
+ 26 more
Shared employers
Also worked at HeyGen5
Also worked at Snapchat, Inc.65
Evan SpiegelCo-founder & CEO of SnapLucy GuoCo-founder of Scale AI; founder & CEO of PassesJustin RoseInvestment Team at 8VCSelby DrummondSenior Strategic Officer at Plum Alley InvestmentsSteve HorowitzPartner at Alpha EdisonAlexis BonilloInvestor at Aglae Ventures
+ 59 more