Yat Siu

Yat Siu is a Hong Kong-based entrepreneur and angel investor, known for his pioneering work in the tech and gaming industries. Born in 1973 in Vienna, Austria, Yat moved to Hong Kong in 1996, where he founded Cybercity, later renamed Freenation, Asia’s first free web page and email provider. He has spent over two decades leading innovative ventures in the technology sector.

As the CEO and founder of Outblaze, Yat played a key role in developing web-based communication and collaboration services, growing the company to manage over 75 million users. His leadership helped Outblaze navigate the Dotcom Bubble and industry crises, positioning it as a world leader in white-label hosted services. In 2009, Outblaze’s messaging assets were sold to IBM, which used them to launch its first cloud computing lab in Hong Kong.

Yat Siu is also the co-founder and CEO of Animoca Brands, a global leader in blockchain-based gaming and AI technologies. The company’s portfolio includes popular games like The Sandbox and Crazy Kings. Under Yat’s leadership, Animoca Brands was valued at 2.2 billion dollars in its latest funding round. He has also served on various advisory boards, including the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and the Asian Youth Orchestra.

In 2023, Yat was appointed to the Hong Kong government's Task Force on Promoting Web3 Development. He is also a director at the Dalton Foundation, which oversees the Dalton School in Hong Kong, a progressive institution focused on child-centered learning. Throughout his career, Yat has received multiple awards, including recognition as a World Economic Forum Global Leader of Tomorrow.

Yat Siu was born in 1973 in Vienna, Austria, and is a Hong Kong-based entrepreneur and angel investor. He was raised in a family with a strong musical background. His mother, originally from Taiwan and born in Lisbon, Portugal, was a conductor, while his father, born in Hong Kong, was initially an instrumentalist before transitioning into business. Yat Siu studied at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna, where he trained in the cello, flute, and piano, although he later shifted his focus towards business and technology.

In 1996, Yat Siu moved to Hong Kong and founded Cybercity, an Internet and email provider. The company was later renamed Freenation, which became Asia's first free web page and email provider. This initiative marked the beginning of Siu's entrepreneurial journey in the technology sector. In 1997, he joined AT&T Solutions' System Integration practice but left in 1998 to set up Outblaze, a company that provided web-based communication and collaboration services, offering multilingual white-label solutions. Outblaze became a leading provider of these services, managing over 75 million end-users worldwide.

During his time at Outblaze, Yat Siu successfully navigated the challenges of the Dotcom Bubble and other crises. His leadership played a key role in making Outblaze a world leader in white-label web services. In 2009, Outblaze's messaging assets were sold to IBM, which incorporated them into IBM's LotusLive suite of services. This sale also led to the establishment of IBM’s first cloud computing laboratory in Hong Kong, showcasing the capability of local IT services on a global scale.

Siu is the CEO and co-founder of Animoca Brands, a company that has become a significant player in the gaming industry, leveraging technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence. Animoca Brands develops and publishes mobile games, including titles like The Sandbox, Crazy Kings, and CryptoKitties, among others. The company was valued at 2.2 billion dollars during its latest funding round. Animoca is known for its focus on blockchain integration within gaming and for distributing content from popular intellectual properties.

Beyond his business ventures, Yat Siu is deeply involved in various advisory and board roles. He serves as a member of the advisory board of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and is also a director at the Dalton Foundation, which manages the Dalton School in Hong Kong. The Dalton School focuses on providing a progressive, child-centered education.

In 2023, Yat Siu was appointed to the Hong Kong government's Task Force on Promoting Web3 Development, where he plays a role in advancing the city's blockchain and Web3 initiatives. Throughout his career, Siu has been recognised for his contributions to business and society. He has received various awards, including the Standard Chartered Platinum Achievers Award and the URENCO Innovation Award, among others.

Yat Siu’s vision is to drive technological innovation that empowers people and businesses globally, particularly through the integration of blockchain, AI, and gaming. He aims to create accessible, scalable solutions that bridge the digital divide, enabling individuals and organisations to thrive in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. By fostering creativity and collaboration, his work focuses on making cutting-edge technologies more inclusive and impactful, ultimately shaping a more connected, transparent, and efficient future. Through his ventures, Yat seeks to harness technology as a tool for positive societal change, ensuring it benefits people worldwide, across various industries.

Yat Siu, the co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands, has earned numerous prestigious recognitions for his pioneering work in the technology and Web3 space. He was named a Global Leader of Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum and recognised as the Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the DHL/SCMP Awards. Siu has also been listed among Cointelegraph's top 100 notable people in blockchain and CoinDesk's top 100 most influential people in crypto in 2022, highlighting his impact on the digital economy. In 2021, he was named a Web3 entrepreneur to watch by Forbes, reflecting his leadership in the rapidly evolving blockchain and gaming sectors. Additionally, Siu received the Metaverse Pioneer Award in 2023 and was named NYC NFT Innovator of the Year in 2020.