Jane Marie Chen is an American businesswoman. She is the co-founder of Embrace, a social enterprise that invented and distributes a low-cost infant warmer,[1] that gives premature and low-birth-weight infants a better chance at survival.[2][3][4][5][6] Jane served as the first CEO of Embrace, the non-profit arm of the organization, before becoming the chief executive officer (CEO) role of Embrace Innovations, the for-profit social enterprise that was spun off in 2012.[7]
Prior to Embrace, Chen worked with nonprofit organizations on healthcare issues in developing countries. She spent several years as the program director of a startup HIV/AIDS nonprofit in China, and worked for the Clinton Foundation's HIV/AIDS Initiative in Tanzania.[9] She also worked at Monitor Group as a management consultant.[citation needed]
In 2013, Chen and the other co-founders of Embrace, Linus Liang, Nag Murty, and Rahul Panicker were awarded the Economist Innovation Award, under the category of Social and Economic Innovation.[10] In the same year, Chen and her co-founder Rahul Panicker were also recognized as Schwab Social Entrepreneurs of the Year by the World Economic Forum.[11] In 2014, Chen was invited to the White House's first ever Maker Faire, where she presented Embrace's work to President Obama.[12] In the same year, Beyoncé made a $125,000 contribution through Chime for Change which allowed Embrace to distribute its infant warmers to nine countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.[13]
While doing her MBA at Stanford, Chen and a few other fellow graduate students were assigned a class project to create a low-cost infant incubator that could be used in rural areas.[1][8][14] In 2008, they co-founded Embrace, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, to bring their project to life.[15][16] In January 2012, Embrace moved into a hybrid structure.[17] The non-profit entity, Embrace, donates infant warmers to the neediest areas through NGO partners, and provides educational programs on newborn health alongside the distribution of warmers. The for-profit social enterprise, Embrace Innovations, sells the warmers to paying entities, including governments and private clinics, all focusing on emerging markets.[18] Embrace Innovations, the for-profit social enterprise, raised its Series A round of financing in 2012 from Vinod Khosla's Impact Fund and Capricorn Investment Group. The company raised a second round of investment capital from Marc Benioff in 2014.[19]
In 2016, Embrace Innovations launched a line of consumer baby products called Little Lotus Baby (temperature regulating swaddles and sleeping bags), which have a buy-one give-one model.[20]
Awards and recognition
Chen has been a TED speaker,[21] and was selected as one of Forbes' Impact 30 in 2011.[22] In 2019, Chen was featured in AOL/Verizon/Yahoo's "FUTURIST" Series, profiling industry leaders across all different disciplines who are advancing their fields with technology, innovation, and fearlessness.[23] Chen has been recognized as the Inspirational Young Alumni of the Year by Pomona College,[24] and selected as a "Woman of Distinction" by the American Association of University Women.[25] Chen has spoken at numerous international conferences, including the Skoll World Forum, Bloomberg Design Conference, Forbes Women's Summit, and the World Economic Forum.[26]
In 2012, Chen was named as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum,[27] and was featured in Dove's "Real Role Models" campaign for women and girls.[28] She was also profiled in AOL's Makers campaign.[9] Chen is a TED Fellow, Echoing Green Fellow, and Rainer Arnhold Fellow.
Chen's memoir was acquired by Penguin Random House, and will be published in 2025.[29]
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