Catherine (Kat) Chen
Economics · Finance · Curious AI Builder

Catherine
Kat Chen

Columbia University '25, Financial Economics

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

Kat Chen

"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.

i.
Analytical Rigor

Market research and financial analysis for startup projects and strategy. 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 & Research

Where I've
worked & researched

01
Work · Chizy Investment Group · 2025 to Present
Analyst, Startup Projects & Strategy

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

 02
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.

 03
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.
03 — Projects

Things I've
built & shipped

Small things built for myself and the people around me, each one an experiment in how far I can steer AI. A home app, a friend's café, a bell for AI agents, and a look at why criminal cases slip through the gaps between systems.

Upkeep iOS App · Live Upkeep For my own home Every warranty and maintenance date, in one place. Neptune Cafe Web · Live site Neptune Cafe For a friend's café Scan the code, dinner's ordered. CrossCase Criminal investigation · Essay + Demo CrossCase For investigators Why cases slip through the gaps between police systems. Sound and Confirm Tools · Open source · 4 Sound & Confirm +3 For anyone running AI agents Before AI acts, it rings a bell.
View all products ↗
04 — Education & Credentials  View all →

Where I've
studied & earned

Chizy Investment Group
Analyst, Startup Projects & Strategy
2025 to Present
Certificates
Bloomberg & LinkedIn Learning
View Certificates →
Economics & Finance
  • Corporate Finance
  • Economic Development of Japan
  • Economics of Uncertainty & Information
  • Financial Behavior
  • Financial Economics
  • Game Theory
  • Hedge Funds
  • Intermediate Microeconomics
  • Macroeconomics
  • Microeconomics Seminar
  • Money and Banking
  • Public Economics
Quantitative & Tech
  • Computer Science
  • Linear Algebra
  • Statistics
Online & Others
  • AI for Business
  • Building Customized LLMs with OpenAI
  • Foundations of Behavioral Science
  • Learning AI Through Visualization
  • Machine Learning for Environmental Engineering
  • Prompt Engineering & Programming with OpenAI
  • The Art of Opinion Writing
Columbia University, 2020–2025 Full record →
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 hi@katchen.me
X / Twitter @KatChenLab
LinkedIn Catherine (Kat) Chen
YouTube @KatChen-dg9kh