Hoperation Fund
Founder & President
Olivia Zhang
I am the Founder and President of the Hoperation Fund, a student-led charitable investment fund that transforms investment gains into meaningful social impact. Funded through fundraising initiatives and public contributions, the fund invests in financial markets with the mission of donating the majority of its investment profits to nonprofits supporting education, environmental conservation, and humanitarian causes.
As portfolio manager, I oversee the fund using disciplined investment strategies and AI-driven risk management models. In addition to investing, I lead financial education initiatives by delivering lectures that help people develop essential knowledge in personal finance, investing, and long-term wealth building. Through the Hoperation Fund, I strive to combine finance, philanthropy, and education to create lasting positive change.
I have explored both investing and AI from an early age. Over the years, I have pursued extensive study and research in these fields. I have earned professional certifications and received awards in AI and investment competitions, while also publishing multiple research papers in AI and quantitative finance–related areas. In recognition of the Hoperation Fund’s growing community impact, I was honored to receive the 2026 Youth on the Rise award from People Newspapers.
Inspiration Behind the Hoperation Fund
In today’s world, I have come to recognize a serious and often overlooked problem: financial illiteracy affects people across all walks of life. Many individuals earn solid incomes and work hard throughout their careers, yet still face financial hardship later in life because they were never taught how to manage money wisely. I believe financial education is one of the most important forms of empowerment, as it enables individuals to make informed decisions and build a more secure future.
At the same time, countless nonprofit organizations and research institutions are devoting themselves to solving pressing global issues, including environmental conservation, wildlife protection, and the advancement of children’s and women’s rights. However, many of these important initiatives do not receive the attention or funding they deserve, even though their work is vital to building a better world.
Motivated by these two challenges, I founded the Hoperation Fund around two core missions: advancing financial education and creating social impact through investing. Through Hoperation, I lead a team that raises capital from the public, manages it through strategic investment, and donates the profits to nonprofits and research institutions addressing global challenges, as well as to local programs that strengthen societal well-being. Alongside this work, I also offer lectures on personal finance and investing to equip others with the knowledge and confidence to shape their own financial futures.
My Journey into Finance, Investing, and Artificial Intelligence
I am currently a 8th-grade student at The Hockaday School, but my journey into the world of finance and investing began much earlier. I made my first investment at the age of six, and since then, I have been deeply immersed in learning from legendary investors such as Warren Buffett, Charlie Munger and Peter Lynch. Driven by a strong passion for finance, I completed multiple college-level courses in investment and finance before even entering middle school. Along the way, I extensively read books and articles by renowned investment experts. I also gained hands-on experience during an internship at a capital management company, where I assisted in portfolio management, and risk control.
My interest in AI began at an early age and has grown explosively over the years. I have completed college courses in AI, statistics, and time series analysis, earning professional certifications from leading universities and companies, including Stanford, MIT, IBM, Microsoft, and Google. I have received multiple awards in mathematics, AI, and computer science competitions. Currently, I conduct research on applying AI to financial analysis.
As my understanding of investment and AI has deepened, I've come to appreciate the immense potential of combining these fields to drive meaningful change. Specifically, integrating modern portfolio management methods with AI-driven risk detection presents a powerful approach to significantly enhancing portfolio performance.