Biography
Thien Dong's research is inspired by the real-world challenges faced by startups. She employs a mix of quantitative methods and machine learning techniques to build novel datasets that help answer a wide range of questions. She researches how emerging technologies and strategic investment shape entrepreneurial ecosystems—particularly how corporate venture capital and generative AI influence which startups get funded, who gets hired, and how founding teams are built. Her work bridges strategy, innovation, and applied economics, with a strong emphasis on causal inference and machine learning.
Her professional experience spans education, pharmacy automation, fashion sourcing, and consulting (deals valuation).
Research Interests
- Entrepreneurship
- Entrepreneurial finance
- Technology commercialization
- Strategic partnership
- Artificial intelligence and market competition
- Corporate venture capital
Education
- Ph.D. in Management (Strategy & Innovation), Georgia Institute of Technology
- M.S. in Business in Society, University of Amsterdam
- Bachelor’s degree in international business and economics, Foreign Trade University, Ho Chi Minh City Campus
Papers and Presentations
Paper presenter: "How does Generative AI affect Entrepreneurial Teams?" INFORMS Organization Science Winter Conference 2025, Los Angeles, CA
Paper presenter: "Bitten but not Shy? How Lawsuits against Parent Firms Affect their CVCs’ Investment Directions," Duke Strategy PhD Conference 2024, Durham, NC
Paper presenter: "How does Generative Artificial Intelligence Affect Entrepreneurial Teams?" Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal Paper Development Workshop 2024, San Francisco, CA | Transitional Entrepreneurship Colloquium 2024, Norfolk, VA
Paper presenter: "Once Bitten, Twice Shy? How Lawsuits Against Parent Firms Affect CVCs’ Investment Directions," Consortium on Competitiveness and Cooperation (CCC) Doctoral Conference, St. Gallen, Switzerland | Strategic Management Society (SMS) 43rd Annual Conference 2023, Toronto, Canada, Insights into Corporate Venturing session
Paper presenter: "Keep Your Enemies Closer: The Misappropriation Risk to Startups Receiving CVC Funding," European Policy for Intellectual Property (EPIP) Association Annual Conference 2022, Cambridge, UK/virtual, Entrepreneurship and Start-ups session | INFORMS Annual Meeting, Indianapolis IN, Management of Technology session (chair)