From Curiosity to Building: How Web3 Is Reshaping Capital Markets｜Navigating Your Path in Web3
Web3 is moving beyond price cycles and narratives, increasingly intersecting with capital markets, asset management, and institutional research. As digital assets integrate with traditional finance, the lines between “emerging” and “established” markets are becoming less distinct, reshaping how capital is formed, allocated, and evaluated.
Where do students and young professionals fit in this shift? For those without direct experience, it is more important to apply your curiosity and transferable skills to an evolving digital financial system.
This conversation is about understanding structural change early, identifying where opportunities are forming, and learning how to build with intention across cycles.
We’ll discuss:
How capital is formed, allocated, and evaluated in Web3.
How digital assets will integrate with traditional finance and daily life.
What Web3 experts are looking for.
How students and young professionals can pivot into the Web3 industry.
Whether you are exploring your first step into Web3 or thinking about building for the long term, this session aims to help you move forward with clarity and conviction.
✨Panel Guest Speakers:
Meina Zhou
Co-founder & CEO @sproutfi_xyz | 2× DeFi Founder | Podcast CryptoMeina Host | NYU Data Science Alumni
Meina is the Co-founder & CEO of Sprout, building the personalized yield system for crypto wealth management. A 2x DeFi founder with 8+ years in data science across fintech, wealth management, and retail banking, she also serves on the Alumni Council at NYU’s Center for Data Science.
Hedy Wang
CEO & Cofounder @BlockSt_HQ. | @Harvard & @MIT Alumni | ex Point72 PM
Hedy is a seasoned Wall Street veteran and the founder and CEO of Block Street, the unified liquidity layer for on-chain capital markets, built to address liquidity fragmentation and execution inefficiencies in tokenized asset markets. She previously led portfolios at Point72 ($45 billion AUM). She also held senior roles at Capital One, where she helped build the 40M user flagship credit card product.
Drawing from her experience in institutional market structure and quantitative trading, she founded Block Street to bring capital-markets-grade liquidity, execution, and risk frameworks to the rapidly evolving world of real-world asset tokenization.
She studied at Harvard and was advised by faculty across Harvard Business School, Stanford Engineering, and the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Kelly Ye
Deputy Chief Investment Officer @ Avenir group
Kelly Ye is the Deputy Chief Investment Officer of Avenir Group, a next-generation investment group and family office, where she helps lead multi-strategy investing and research across digital assets. She is also a portfolio manager and Head of Research at Decentral Park Capital, a liquid venture fund specializing in digital asset investments. Kelly invests in both liquid and early-stage deals across various crypto sectors, employing a thesis-driven approach supported by in-depth fundamental and quantitative analysis. Prior to her current roles, Kelly served as the Head of Product at Fidelity Digital Asset Management and the Head of Research at CoinDesk Indices, where she played a pivotal role in building and scaling both organizations’ digital asset businesses. Before venturing into the digital asset space, Kelly accumulated over 15 years of experience in traditional finance, focusing on research and product development across asset classes. She led teams at institutions including New York Life Investments, Goldman Sachs, GSAM, and BNP Paribas.
Kelly has received numerous industry accolades and awards since entering the financial services industry in 2008. She holds a B.S. in Applied Mathematics from Peking University and a Master’s degree in Operations Research from MIT. She is a CFA® charterholder, has served on the Board of CFA New York, and co-chaired the Women in ETF Speakers’ Bureau committee.
Jianing Wu
Research @ Galaxy | MIT Sloan Master of Finance
Jianing is a Research Associate on the Research Team at Galaxy. Jianing focuses on traditional finance and digital assets, with experience leading product research at Cross River Bank and driving crypto investment strategy at WisdomTree Asset Management. Jianing has developed industry-first cryptocurrency products, published research on blockchain protocols, and holds a Master of Finance from MIT Sloan and a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Philosophy from Boston College.
About NYU Blockchain Lab:
NYU Blockchain Lab is a student-led community that bridges the campus and industry. Rooted at NYU but open to the broader ecosystem, we host Blockchain Monday Talks, hands-on workshops, developer camps, office visits, and curated panels connecting students, young professionals, and industry leaders across Web3. Our mission is simple: connect emerging talents with builders shaping the future of digital infrastructure, and create a platform where curiosity turns into capability.
About Bonjour Girls:
Bonjour Girls is a New York–based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to advancing the empowerment and development of women. Through structured social programming, small-group discussions, and official larger-scale events, we provide a supportive platform that fosters meaningful connection, knowledge exchange, and personal as well as professional growth. Our mission is to equip Asian women worldwide with the resources and community necessary to achieve their aspirations and reach their fullest potential.