Taking on big challenges is nothing new for Tsai, who was just 15 when she arrived at MIT. And while she always loved math and science, at the Institute she discovered even more interests. "Part of what was magical about MIT was that it really does encourage you to explore a lot of things," she recalls. In fact, she double majored (in mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering), double minored (in political science and biological engineering), and earned a master's in the MIT Media Lab. An early career in commodities trading took her to Switzerland and Singapore. Next, she worked at a fintech startup, and though the company wasn't successful, she discovered that the entrepreneurial mindset suited her.