Dr Feng Gao is the co-founder and managing director of Open Data China, the very first civic group and social enterprise in China working on data transparency and digital rights. Under Feng's leadership, Open Data China actively advises governments and other data holders on how to build an open and transparent data agenda and set up a community for data users to make their voices heard. In 2015, Open Data China co-launched Shanghai Open Data Apps (SODA), a competition-based open data innovation model. Since then Feng leads the daily operation of SODA and its sister programs in Chongqing, Shenyang, and other cities. Overall, the SODA model helps unlock more than 60 datasets from 30 government agencies and private companies, generate nearly 1000 prototypes and applications, cultivate several startups with over 1000 million dollars in investments. Feng's publications and talks on open data are featured in Paris Innovation Review, Financial Times China, and International Open Data Conference. He was Yale World Fellow (2019) and a recipient of Study UK Alumni Award (China) on Professional Achievements. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Southampton, and a BE in Computer Science from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications.