Jason Lee on developing an Entrepreneurial spirit at the Innovation, Technology & Entrepreneurship Bootcamp with Gigi Wang

As the Innovation, Technology & Entrepreneurship Bootcamp prepares to commence at Keble College, University of Oxford, the programme welcomes not only the distinguished Professor Gigi Wang from the UC Berkeley Sutardja Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology, but also the valued participation of Jason Lee—an Oxford alumnus, academic mentor, and experienced entrepreneur.

Jason Lee completed his PhD at the University of Oxford in Physical Chemistry and has since transitioned from a traditional scientific research trajectory to a dynamic career at the intersection of innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship. His engagement with entrepreneurship began several years ago and was catalysed by meeting Professor Wang during a workshop in Hong Kong. Since then, Jason has been an active mentor in several of Gigi’s international bootcamps.

“It is always a great privilege to work alongside Professor Gigi Wang,” Jason remarked. “Gigi’s global experience and ability to inspire entrepreneurial thinking are unparalleled. Having participated in her programmes in Asia and beyond, I am particularly pleased to welcome her to Oxford for the first time.”

Reflecting on the pedagogical value of the bootcamp, Jason emphasises the distinction between this initiative and conventional models of instruction. “In many educational settings, students are accustomed to a directive form of learning—structured coursework, prescriptive practicals, and assessments that measure compliance with a predefined methodology. In contrast, this bootcamp is radically student-centred. Participants are encouraged to develop and pitch their own ideas, build teams with peers they have never met before, and take genuine ownership of the entrepreneurial process.”

He continues, “This active, constructivist model of learning is one of the programme’s great strengths. Students are not merely consumers of knowledge—they become co-creators, learning to navigate ambiguity, collaborate across disciplines, and iterate on complex challenges. It is this structure that facilitates both engagement and real-world applicability.”

Moreover, the diversity of the participant cohort—from A-level pupils to postgraduates—adds considerable educational value. “Entrepreneurship flourishes through interdisciplinary collaboration. Too often, teams are formed homogeneously—engineers with engineers, business students with business students. In this bootcamp, participants are encouraged to cross those traditional boundaries. They gain experience not just in product development, but in understanding customer needs, market strategy, finance, and fundraising—fundamentals for any viable venture.”

Jason speaks from experience. He first encountered the bootcamp in 2019 as a participant in Hong Kong, an experience that led to co-founding his own startup, incubated at the Oxford Foundry. “As someone from a technical background, I initially underestimated the importance of commercial strategy. I learned that having the most innovative product means little if you lack the ability to deliver it to market. The bootcamp compelled me to see the broader picture—the operational, financial, and relational dimensions of building a company.”

In sum, Jason views the upcoming Oxford bootcamp as a timely and transformative opportunity: “Whether or not participants go on to found companies immediately, they will leave with critical skills and perspectives that are transferable across sectors. The value of this programme lies not only in its content but in its capacity to shift mindsets—towards purposeful innovation.”