How This Concordia Alumnus Went from Star Student to Tech CEO

The San Francisco Bay Area, a hub for dreamers and the ambitious, is where Concordia alumnus Richard Lee is making his entrepreneurial dreams come true. Armed with a diploma from Brown University, Richard now leads Ciro, an emerging company that develops software tools for sales teams. 

• Co-founder & CEO at Ciro, San Francisco, California 
• Brown University, Applied Math & Economics, Class of ’13 
• Concordia Shanghai, Class of ’09

Unbounded Quest of Interest 

Richard describes himself as a lifelong learner, and his high school years reflect a vibrant tapestry of diverse passions. 

During his time at Concordia, he proudly represented the school at the SPIMUN conference in the cultural hub of St. Petersburg. He also ventured into the heart of Yunnan province to teach English to students in remote areas. As a dedicated student-athlete, Richard competed across Asia with his varsity volleyball team in APAC tournaments. Despite his extensive extracurricular commitments, he remained equally diligent academically, skillfully managing multiple AP courses. 

Richard credits his ability to balance these competing priorities to the guidance of many mentors among his teachers during his adolescence. 

“The education and experiences at Concordia were foundational. Critical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability are among the key skills I honed there, which have been vital in navigating the challenges of life.”—Richard Lee  

From a Small Project to a Startup  

Richard’s journey into the startup world was not impulsive but a calculated decision. His high school internships in operations and supply chain management set the stage for his future endeavors. At Brown University, his studies in Applied Math & Economics provided him with crucial insights into global systems and human collaboration.  

His ability to identify and tackle significant challenges led to the formation of Ciro. The startup originated from a weekend project that dramatically improved a company's sales by 200%, highlighting a common challenge among small businesses: optimizing CRM usage.  

Despite the intense competition for talent in San Francisco, Richard and his co-founders have successfully built a skilled team, compromising neither on talent quality nor hiring standards. Their team boasts experience from prestigious institutions and companies like Stanford, Google, and Bain & Company. 

From the initial spark of an idea to the launch of his startup, Richard continues a thrilling adventure, fueled by his varied educational experiences. Best wishes on this exciting voyage, Richard!