Catherine
Kat Chen

Columbia University '25, Financial Economics

Currently working as an entry-level analyst at Chizy Investment on startup-focused projects involving market research and financial analysis. This site is a working archive: ideas in progress, side projects, and thoughts worth keeping.

"I follow evidence rather than conclusions, question assumptions, and pay close attention to what's missing."

On approach

01 — About

A mind that doesn't
stay in one lane

Kat's background is in financial economics, but her curiosity has never stayed within a single discipline. She is interested in how systems shape people, how language shapes thought, and how small design decisions can quietly influence behavior.

She is a longtime reader of detective novels, and she treats finance as a discipline where the same investigative skills apply — following evidence, questioning assumptions, paying close attention to inconsistencies and missing pieces.

Alongside her analytical work, she explores AI tools, builds small applications, keeps notebooks, and writes reflections at the intersection of finance, language, and everyday life.

Kat is drawn to clarity rather than noise, and to depth and efficiency rather than speed.

Analytical Rigor

Market research and financial analysis for startup-focused projects. Evidence-first thinking applied to complex, ambiguous problems.

ii.

Interdisciplinary Curiosity

Economics, linguistics, design, behavior. The most interesting questions live at the borders between fields.

iii.

Clear Communication

Writing and reflection as tools for thinking. Journals, notes, and essays that make complex ideas legible.

iv.

Craft & Intentionality

Whether in analysis or design, respecting the intelligence of the audience and the limits of human attention.

02 — Work & Projects

Things I've
built & researched

Work · Chizy Investment · 2025 to Present

Analyst, Startup-Focused Projects

Market research and financial analysis on early-stage startups. Evaluating investment opportunities through a combination of quantitative signals and qualitative judgment.

Research · Columbia University · 2023 — 2025

Corporate Spinoffs & Stock Price Reactions

Analyzed market reactions to 109 corporate spinoff events using Bloomberg data and regression methods. Examined how investors respond to structural corporate changes and what signals get priced in.

Research · Columbia University · 2023 — 2025

Smart Cities Infrastructure Investment

Investigated infrastructure investment patterns in Middle Eastern smart cities using national databases and empirical analysis. Explored how capital allocation decisions shape urban development trajectories.

Side Project · AI & Tools

Curious AI Builder

Exploring AI tools, building small apps, and learning Claude Code, at the intersection of finance, language, and technology. Working in public, figuring things out as I go.

03 — Journals

Notes at the
intersection

Finance · Inflation

The Numbers Look Fine. So Why Doesn't It Feel That Way?

Originally written in January 2026 and updated in March: a close reading of the CPI data and what it reveals about the current inflation narrative.

Read on Medium →

All Writings by Kat

Finance, language, behavior, and the quiet patterns that connect them. New pieces published regularly on Medium.

Visit Medium profile →

Coming soon

More pieces
in progress

05 — Contact

Let's think
through something together

Open to conversations about finance, research, writing, or anything that sits at the intersection of disciplines. Reach out via any of the channels alongside.

Email chengchen.catherine@gmail.com

X / Twitter @KatChenLab

LinkedIn Catherine (Kat) Chen

YouTube @KatChen-dg9kh