From Passion to Power: How Three NTU Innovators Rose to Lead the Hydrogen Medicine Industry"

Founder and Chairman Ryan Chen left behind a multimillion-NT-dollar career in finance to pursue entrepreneurship in the hydrogen industry.

Three outstanding graduates from National Taiwan University left behind multimillion-NT-dollar salaries at publicly listed companies to found CHY Biotech, stepping boldly into the biotechnology and hydrogen sector. Starting with the Japanese market, they spent less than a decade building momentum abroad before their success returned home—establishing the company as a leading force in the hydrogen industry in Taiwan. Today, they are forming cross-industry alliances with healthcare, medical, and wellness partners, determined to advance preventive medicine and contribute to a healthier future for Taiwan.

Text by Fu Qi-Lun • Photography by Peng Qing-Quan

Leaving a Million-Dollar Career to Pioneer the Hydrogen Industry

Ryan Chen, Chairman and Founder of CHY Biotech, is known in Japan by the business title “Daihyou Torishimariyaku” (代表取締役). A graduate of National Taiwan University’s Department of Finance and holder of a Master’s degree in International Securities, Investment and Banking from the ICMA Centre in the UK, he inherited a sharp analytical mind from his mother, who worked in securities and futures. During his years in the financial-technology field, he built a strong career of his own. But after turning thirty, despite having an impressive title and enviable salary, he sensed that staying within someone else’s company offered limited room for further growth.

“Why not start my own business?”Chen, a sports and music enthusiast, not only played baseball throughout school but also joined the harmonica club, even winning recognition in Asia-Pacific competitions. He discovered that hydrogen-related products were widely embraced in Japanese households, especially favored by athletes as post-training supplements. This insight sparked his interest in entering the hydrogen industry.

Fortunately, Chen’s open-minded family supported his idea. After returning to Taiwan at age twenty-six to begin his career, his mother felt that the securities path might not be the most suitable direction for him in the long run. At thirty-one, he stepped outside his comfort zone, and with his mother’s full backing, embarked on his entrepreneurial journey.“When you are on the right path, success comes faster,” she encouraged.

Having read over a hundred international academic papers, Chen became convinced that hydrogen will be a key factor in human health in the future. He began collaborating with design teams to develop core product technologies, driven by the conviction that technical leadership must always be maintained. With Japanese consumers already highly familiar with hydrogen products, it took only a few years before the devices designed by Chen’s team were being exported from Taiwan back to Japan—a “reverse export” success story.“We are not afraid of imitation. As long as we stay ahead in technology, we will always stand strong in the market,” Chen says.

For Chen, craftsmanship is the essence of creating exceptional products.“Our motivation at CHY Biotech is to put in our best effort every day—always striving to surpass who we were yesterday.”Looking forward, he hopes to collaborate with partners from around the world to promote hydrogen products, expand their accessibility, and help more people maintain their health and vitality.

A Steady Character Earns the Trust of Japanese Clients

Vice President Herman Su, an NTU Political Science graduate with a Master’s in Public Administration from the London School of Economics, chose not to pursue politics after graduation. Instead, he first became a journalist and later served as a confidential secretary in government. Su and Chen met during military service and quickly bonded over their shared interest in hydrogen and the health industry.Su says that Japanese business culture is conservative and values trust and reassurance—qualities hard to build solely through online communication. Yet Su earned the confidence of Japanese clients by responding to their questions with both speed and expertise.

In the beginning, Su’s Japanese wasn’t strong. How did he communicate with clients?“For the first two customer groups, I was lucky—they happened to be Chinese speakers living in Japan,” he recalls with a smile. He compares Japanese customers to a pot of soup that needs slow simmering—once mutual trust is established, negotiations flow much more smoothly.

“Many people ask me how deals can be closed through emails and phone calls alone.”Now responsible for most of CHY Biotech’s ODM business in Japan, Su jokes that managing client relationships is like building a long-term romantic partnership—you must understand the other party’s needs and respond to their concerns in a timely manner. Doing so earns lasting trust and leads to long-standing business cooperation.

Su notes that hydrogen-related products already enjoy high visibility in Japan, adored by many celebrities and athletes. Actress Norika Fujiwara frequently shares her personal experiences and has become an ideal spokesperson.Idol Kazuya Kamenashi endorses hydrogen-related products as well—he says using them improved his metabolism and left him feeling refreshed and energized.

Vice President Herman Su (left) earns the trust of Japanese clients through his professional and prompt responses to their inquiries. Marketing & Sales Manager Eric Wu (right) has studied under Professor Tsan-Zon Liu—widely regarded as the “Father of Hydrogen Medicine”—and possesses a strong understanding of the scientific principles behind molecular hydrogen.

Excellence in Marketing Management — Bridging Online and Offline Engagement

A company with great products still needs a strong marketing team.Formerly working under Chen in the same company as his direct supervisor, Eric Wu now serves as Marketing & Sales Manager at CHY Biotech. A graduate of the Quantitative Finance Program at National Tsing Hua University and holder of an MBA from National Taiwan University, Wu built the company’s initial website during its early days and specializes in digital marketing. By integrating resources across multiple channels and studying directly under Professor Tsan-Zon Liu — widely known as the “Father of Hydrogen Medicine” — Wu combines academic expertise in hydrogen science with practical marketing execution, allowing him to navigate the field with confidence.

Wu explains the latest pure-water electrolysis technology: by reversing the process of a hydrogen fuel cell and electrolyzing pure water, ultra-high-purity hydrogen gas can be produced without generating by-products.

“Our products deliver high-purity, high-efficiency, and highly safe hydrogen. No matter where you are, accessing molecular hydrogen becomes effortless.”

According to Wu, CHY Biotech implements a fully integrated end-to-end workflow — from technology development and product design to production and manufacturing — earning recognition from clients worldwide. His current marketing strategy combines both online and offline channels: publishing blog content to share the latest international advancements in hydrogen-medicine research, while simultaneously hosting in-person seminars and informational events to help consumers better understand the science behind molecular hydrogen.

Alex Chen, Chairman of Sustainable Development Consulting Co., Ltd., aims to make hydrogen inhalation accessible to everyone and to drive the widespread adoption of the industry as he leads the company into the Taiwan market.

Integrating Healthcare, Wellness, and Lifestyle Industries

Today, CHY Biotech’s products are seen around the world. A major turning point came through collaboration with SGS Ultra Trace Industrial Safety Hygiene, an internationally recognized verification institution, which certified that CHY’s hydrogen generators produce 99.995% pure hydrogen gas. This validation further elevated the brand’s reputation and global presence.

Alex Chen, Chairman of Sustainable Development Consulting Co., Ltd., holds exclusive distribution rights for multiple key CHY products in Taiwan. After witnessing how hydrogen products have become deeply embedded in daily life across Japan—significantly improving health and quality of life among the elderly—Chen envisioned bringing the same benefits to Taiwanese households. After several rounds of discussion, he successfully secured the general distributorship for CHY’s core products in Taiwan.

“My goal is to make hydrogen inhalation accessible to everyone—to ensure people across Taiwan know about hydrogen and to make the industry part of everyday life.”

Having previously experienced the ups and downs of entrepreneurship—including the pain of business failure—Chen understands resilience firsthand. These experiences strengthened his determination to persevere. By chance, he encountered the hydrogen industry, which he describes as a field with immense future value and irreplaceable potential. Once he began promoting hydrogen products in Taiwan, the market responded quickly, allowing him to capture a significant market share in a short period of time.

Looking ahead, Chen’s strategy for Taiwan focuses on household-friendly and portable hydrogen products, while forming cross-industry partnerships with the wellness and lifestyle sectors. He is currently in discussions with renowned spa centers, premium massage chair brands, leading mattress manufacturers, deep-sleep research centers, and senior wellness facilities.

Chen believes that massage chairs have already evolved to include massage functions, music, and Bluetooth connectivity.

“If hydrogen inhalation functionality were added, it could spark a new wave in the global massage chair market,” he says with confidence.

Excellence Magazine — April 2024, Issue No. 456

April 1, 2024, 3:07 PM — United Daily News / Excellence