Zhizhong Neo is the co-founder and CEO of Geniebook, an AI-driven education platform designed to personalize learning for students.

Education is personal, and Geniebook provides students with what they need when they need it. They’ve grown from a local tutoring center to serving over 200,000 students in Southeast Asia, helping them improve academically through personalized AI-powered content.

Over the years, they’ve raised $18M from leading investors like East Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners and Apricot Capital, enabling them to scale their platform and further innovate in education technology.

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👋🏼  How would you explain your job to someone outside tech?

As the CEO of Geniebook, I lead a team focused on leveraging AI to personalize learning for students. We deliver tailored content that adapts to their strengths and weaknesses, helping them improve academically. I also work on scaling our platform across Southeast Asia to reach more students.

🧐  What's something about you or your job that would surprise us?

10 of our students have recently secured prestigious scholarships for this year, including the highly competitive ASEAN Scholarship.

This achievement not only highlights the strength of our AI-powered platform but also reflects the trust that parents and students place in Geniebook to prepare them for high-level academic success. It’s a proud moment for us, showcasing that personalized learning can make a real impact.

🏆  What has been the biggest highlight of your career so far?

The biggest highlight of my career has been witnessing our students achieve top academic results, especially in Singapore and Vietnam, where many have secured prestigious scholarships like the ASEAN Scholarship.

It’s incredibly fulfilling to see how Geniebook is empowering students to reach their full potential and achieve both academic excellence and national recognition.

🔍  What's a startup trend or space you're watching this year?

AI. In education and health.

💼  What advice would you give someone starting out in your industry? 

Education is a hard problem to solve, and success doesn’t come overnight. I’ve been in this industry for 17 years, and the key is to always focus on delivering real learning outcomes for students.

No matter what technology or platform you use, if it doesn’t genuinely help students improve, it won’t make an impact. Stay committed to making a difference in their academic journey.

🗣  What's one thing you can keep talking about for hours? 

Unsurprising, it will work. Outside of work, probably cars, cards and calories.

🎥  What's your favorite movie/TV show? 

V for Vendetta and The Big Bang Theory!

🍨  What's your go-to ice cream flavor?

Coconut. It’s light and refreshing.

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