[London, United Kingdom | June 12, 2026] — The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, widely known as the RSA, has elected Mr. Jitong Yao, founder and chairman of the International Commonweal Support Organization (ICSO) and founder and chairman of Mutong Capital, as an RSA Life Fellow. This prestigious recognition marks a significant milestone in Mr. Yao’s long-standing commitment to youth philanthropy, social innovation, education technology, public-interest governance, and sustainable models of social impact.
The election of Jitong Yao as an RSA Life Fellow is not only an international recognition of his individual achievements, but also a powerful affirmation of a new generation of Chinese youth leaders who are actively participating in global social innovation and cross-sector public value creation. Through his work across education, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, technology investment, and youth development, Mr. Yao has consistently sought to build bridges between business and public welfare, between young people and global opportunities, and between idealistic social vision and sustainable institutional practice.
Founded in 1754 and headquartered in London, the RSA is one of the world’s historic interdisciplinary institutions dedicated to advancing ideas, innovation, creativity, and social progress. Over more than 270 years, the RSA has brought together creators, entrepreneurs, educators, scholars, designers, policymakers, community leaders, and social innovators who share a common commitment to improving society through practical action and public-minded thinking. Its Fellowship represents a global creative network of individuals recognized for using their experience, insight, and influence in the public interest.
Mr. Yao’s election as an RSA Life Fellow reflects the alignment between his personal mission and the RSA’s long-standing spirit of public benefit, creative enterprise, and social progress. As a young entrepreneur, philanthropist, scholar, and social innovation practitioner, Jitong Yao has developed a distinctive path that combines international education, youth leadership cultivation, philanthropy, technology, and institutional design. His career demonstrates how the next generation of builders can transform public values from abstract ideals into practical platforms, sustainable organizations, and measurable social outcomes.
Born in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, with ancestral roots in Beijing, Jitong Yao has built an interdisciplinary academic and professional background across sociology, computer science, information management, and innovation studies. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley, completed his master’s degree in Computer Science at Harvard University, and is currently pursuing doctoral studies in Information and Innovation Management at the University of Hong Kong. This cross-disciplinary training has shaped his long-term focus on the relationship among social responsibility, technological innovation, sustainable development, public-interest governance, and global youth empowerment.
Mr. Yao’s public-interest journey began early. In 2017, while studying in the United Kingdom, he founded the International Commonweal Support Organization (ICSO), a youth-driven public welfare platform dedicated to advancing international volunteerism, public-interest education, and cross-border social innovation. Since its founding, ICSO has grown into a platform connecting young volunteers, educational institutions, nonprofit partners, and public-interest projects across multiple regions. Through this organization, Mr. Yao has encouraged young people to move beyond short-term volunteer participation and develop deeper capacities in social responsibility, global citizenship, and problem-solving.
Over the years, Mr. Yao has also founded and developed a series of institutions and enterprises, including Tiger Rose, Tongying Education, Yibeiti Education, Mutong Capital, and Meta X Innovations. These organizations reflect his broader commitment to education innovation, youth entrepreneurship, technology investment, and sustainable public-interest development. Rather than treating philanthropy as an isolated act of donation, Mr. Yao has consistently explored how educational systems, enterprise mechanisms, youth organizations, and social resources can work together to build long-term models of impact.
In the field of education and youth development, Mr. Yao has advocated for the integration of public welfare action, global education, and benefit-oriented thinking. He has repeatedly emphasized that public-interest projects cannot rely solely on goodwill, donations, or external support if they are to survive and scale over time. Instead, he believes that philanthropy must be supported by sustainable organizational structures, professional training systems, cross-sector partnerships, and long-term resource mechanisms. This philosophy has guided his work in youth philanthropy programs, social innovation courses, international education initiatives, and public-interest leadership training.
In entrepreneurship and investment, Mr. Yao has focused on education technology, artificial intelligence, consumer technology, youth innovation, and social value investment. As founder and chairman of Mutong Capital, he has worked to connect capital, technology, education, and public welfare, exploring how emerging industries can create not only financial returns, but also meaningful social value. His entrepreneurial practice reflects a new generation of business thinking: companies should not exist merely to win markets, but to become useful, responsible, and sustainable nodes within society.
His achievements have received increasing public attention. In 2022, Jitong Yao was named to the Hurun U30 China Entrepreneurship Pioneer list, becoming one of the young entrepreneurial representatives recognized for innovation and growth potential. In 2023, he was selected for the Forbes China Elite Under 30 list, further highlighting his influence in youth entrepreneurship, education innovation, and public-interest practice. These honors, together with his election as an RSA Life Fellow, demonstrate the growing international recognition of his cross-sector leadership and social impact.
At the heart of Mr. Yao’s work is a consistent belief: young people should not only be beneficiaries of education and opportunity, but also creators of public value. Through ICSO and related initiatives, he has sought to help young people develop a broader understanding of society, build practical leadership skills, and participate in global public-interest action. He believes that youth development is not limited to academic success or career advancement; it also requires civic awareness, empathy, institutional thinking, and the courage to respond to real social problems.
The RSA Life Fellowship offers Mr. Yao a broader international platform for dialogue, collaboration, and public-interest innovation. As part of a global community of fellows, he will have the opportunity to engage with leaders from education, technology, social enterprise, public policy, design, philanthropy, and community development. This global network is expected to further strengthen his work in youth leadership cultivation, sustainable philanthropy, social innovation research, and cross-cultural exchange.
The election also carries symbolic significance for Chinese youth entrepreneurship and global public welfare participation. It shows that young Chinese innovators are increasingly contributing not only to commercial growth and technological advancement, but also to the global conversation on public value, social responsibility, and sustainable development. Mr. Yao’s recognition by the RSA reflects a broader trend: the world is paying closer attention to young leaders who can connect innovation with responsibility, capital with compassion, and local action with global vision.
Following the announcement, Mr. Yao expressed that becoming an RSA Life Fellow is both an honor and a responsibility. He stated that the recognition will encourage him to continue advancing youth philanthropy, education innovation, technology investment, social impact research, and public value building. He also emphasized that he will remain committed to supporting young people in China and around the world as they participate in global social innovation, cross-cultural communication, and long-term public-interest action.
Industry observers noted that Mr. Yao’s election as an RSA Life Fellow marks a new chapter in his international development. From founding youth public welfare organizations to building education and technology enterprises, from promoting sustainable philanthropy to exploring the relationship between business and public value, he has formed a distinctive model of cross-sector leadership. His work provides a meaningful example for young entrepreneurs who hope to combine personal achievement with social responsibility.
Looking ahead, Jitong Yao is expected to further deepen his efforts in global youth development, public-interest education, social innovation, and sustainable impact systems. Through ICSO, Mutong Capital, and his broader network of institutions, he will continue to promote new models that connect philanthropy, entrepreneurship, education, and technology. His election as an RSA Life Fellow is not only a recognition of past achievements, but also a starting point for broader international collaboration.
With this honor, Jitong Yao enters a historic global community dedicated to creativity, enterprise, and social progress. As a young leader committed to public value and institutional innovation, he stands at the intersection of education, philanthropy, technology, and global youth empowerment. His election as an RSA Life Fellow marks a significant milestone in his personal journey and offers a compelling vision for the future: a new generation of leaders who do not separate success from responsibility, but use innovation, capital, and education to build a more inclusive and purposeful world.