Robert Mao

Robert Mao has extensive work experience in various roles and industries. In 2007, they started as a Research Software Development Engineer at Microsoft, where they worked on projects such as AdCenter analytics and a 3G mobile data access analysis project. Robert later became a Senior Software Development Engineer at Microsoft Research FUSE Labs, contributing to the development of social, real-time, and media-rich experiences for home and work.

In 2010, Mao co-founded the Seattle Entrepreneurship Club, a non-profit organization aimed at promoting entrepreneurship in the Greater Seattle area and bridging the gap between local entrepreneurs and those in China. Robert served as the Chairman of the Board and Director until 2013.

From 2013 to 2017, Mao was the Co-founder and CEO of PixoMobile, a company that developed mobile apps and services for visual storytelling and sharing through photos and videos. The company's flagship platform, Pixotale, allowed users to create, manage, and share their life moments across multiple devices.

In 2017, Mao founded ArcBlock, where they currently serve as the Founder and CEO. ArcBlock focuses on decentralized identity technology and provides a platform for developers to build blockchain applications.

Mao's involvement in the tech industry continued with their role as an Invited Expert in the W3C HTML Working Group from 2007 to 2018. Additionally, they became a Board Member of the Blockchain Council at the Washington Technology Industry Association in 2018.

In 2022, Mao founded DID Labs, an independent company incubated in the ArcBlock ecosystem, dedicated to advancing decentralized identity technology beyond ArcBlock. Robert also joined the Forbes Technology Council as a Council Member in the same year.

Robert Mao attended Southeast University from 1990 to 1994, where they earned a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science. In 2000, they briefly attended China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) and studied Management, although they did not earn a degree.