Live
SUM Learn
Spring University Myanmar
- Learning platform for students whose universities had closed and who needed a way to keep studying.
- 60+ self-paced and hybrid courses, 2,000+ enrolled students.
Htut (James) Wai Yan
Builder of products that reach people · Access-first designer · Founder where technology meets social impact
Profile
I build products and get them to people. That line runs through all of it: a learning platform for a university in a country where the universities had collapsed, an offline device that puts a working classroom into villages with no internet, electricity or phone signal, an admissions portal, and now, with three others, an AI-first augmented reality apps builder. Different problems, the same instinct. Design the thing, ship it, put it in front of the people it was made for, then keep widening the door.
Access is the constraint I design to first, not the feature added last. eduLamp exists because someone with no connectivity is still a learner. SUM exists for students shut out of formal education after the 2021 coup. Vincentt exists because building in augmented reality should not require 3D modelling, a game engine or code. In each case the product question and the inclusion question turned out to be the same question.
I also run the organisations that carry this work, and I hold a Master of Public Policy from Chiang Mai University with the IDRC Graduate Fellowship from the Canadian Embassy. Based in London, and open to work in product, digital learning, platform delivery and programme management.
Platforms and products built
Live
eduLamp Box
eduLamp
- Self-contained offline learning device that brings a working classroom to communities cut off from internet, electricity or phone signal.
- Runs as a local Wi-Fi hotspot for 15 to 20 learners at a time, with no app or internet needed on the learner's device.
- 42 boxes deployed across six conflict-affected states, reaching 2,600 learners through 40+ courses with 15+ partner organisations.
Live 2026
Medical education platform
A medical university
- Competency-based medical education platform, built so a medical curriculum can be delivered and assessed where a conventional campus system cannot run.
- Shipped alongside the university's online admissions portal.
Early access
Vincentt
Vincentt
- AI-first augmented reality experience builder. A user describes an AR idea in plain language and publishes it to the web.
- No 3D modelling, game engine or coding background required, and no app install required of viewers.
- Built on the Vincentt XR SDK: browser-based face, hand and body tracking, 3D primitives, materials, lighting and screen-space UI, running on WebXR.
- Founded and built by four of us, out of the team behind rangoon.tech. I hold business operations and product direction alongside the technical founders.
Experience
Mar 2026 to present
Digital Solutions Consultant
Independent
- I work independently on digital product development.
- I have worked with education institutions to build the platforms and digital infrastructure their teaching and administration run on. That spans learning platforms, student-facing systems, and the underlying infrastructure that keeps them reliable and secure.
- My focus is on building systems that work for the people they are meant to serve, including the ones a standard product tends to leave out.
- Open to conversations about new projects, collaborations and opportunities in this space.
Mar 2026 to present
Volunteer Development Coordinator part-time
St Christopher's, London
- Maintain and administer the organisation's volunteer management platform, keeping records accurate and the system running day to day.
- Coordinate and communicate with the volunteer body across programmes and services.
- Develop and deliver volunteer training, including structured onboarding and ongoing development pathways.
- Own volunteer data, reporting and impact measurement, evidencing what the volunteer programme contributes.
- Maintain programme process and compliance, covering policies, safeguarding and record-keeping standards.
Dec 2025 to present
Co-Founder
Vincentt
- Co-founded Vincentt with the team behind rangoon.tech, taking the AR product work out of rangoon.tech and into an independent venture. One of four co-founders.
- Lead go-to-market and user validation, running the early access programme and turning creator feedback into product direction ahead of commercial launch.
- Lead business and partnerships, covering the commercial model, partner conversations and the venture's commercial foundations.
- Hold product direction alongside the technical founders, including feature prioritisation, templates and use cases.
- Bootstrapped. Currently in early access and validating users.
Feb 2022 to present
Co-Founder and Lead Strategist part-time
eduLamp
- Founded eduLamp to answer a product question that had no existing answer: how to deliver a full course of study to learners with no internet access at all.
- Designed the eduLamp Box, a self-contained offline learning device supporting 15 to 20 learners at a time over a local Wi-Fi hotspot.
- Grew deployment to 42 boxes across Karen, Karenni, Chin, Kachin, Rakhine and Sagaing, reaching 2,600 learners through 40+ courses.
- Led software and hardware development, including remote content synchronisation and student analytics tracking.
- Built partnerships with 15+ organisations, among them USAID, International IDEA, Digital Public Square, Center for Social Integrity and LinQ Foundation.
- Represented eduLamp at RightsCon 2025 in Taipei, with Digital Public Square.
- Since Oct 2025 hold strategic direction and technical leadership, with field deployment run by the team in Thailand.
May 2021 to present
Team Lead, Academic Management part-time since Oct 2025
Spring University Myanmar
- Part of the founding team that started Spring University Myanmar in May 2021, a fully virtual university built after the coup closed the country's campuses.
- Built and lead SUM Learn, the university's learning platform, carrying 60+ self-paced and hybrid courses with 2,000+ enrolled students.
- Led the design, implementation and coordination of micro-credential courses (4 to 12 weeks) and diploma programmes (6 to 9 months) across 9 schools.
- Managed 850+ course deliveries with a faculty network of 150+ members, reaching 25,000+ students since 2021.
- Serve on the Academic Board and the University Management Board, leading academic policy, credit systems and ethical review protocols.
- Oversee the Technology Systems Management team and the university's digital estate: website, learning platform, conferencing and organisational email.
- Co-lead international collaborations with the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Chiang Mai University and others, and set up SUM's first Virtual Student Exchange in 2024.
- Since Oct 2025 hold the governance seat and ownership of the digital platforms, with day-to-day academic operations run by the team in Thailand.
Sep 2023 to present
Head of School, STEM School voluntary
Spring University Myanmar
- Oversee the Department of Information Technology and the Center for Environment and Sustainability.
- Developed and launched the Diploma and the Higher Diploma in Computer Science, extending academic pathways for students.
- Led delivery of short courses across data science, data analytics, web development, databases, programming and cybersecurity.
- Implemented project-based learning models that equip students to address real-world challenges.
- Led partnerships with the Center for International Private Enterprise and Victoria University of Wellington on STEM collaboration projects.
Feb 2023 to Feb 2024
Business Development Specialist
Phandeeyar Foundation
- Supported SME Hub Asia, helping scale entrepreneurial initiatives in Myanmar and the region.
- Drafted and submitted grant proposals, and handled donor relations with partners in the US, Australia and the EU.
- Worked with the SME Hub Asia team supporting early-stage entrepreneurs and regional programmes, including activity in Cambodia.
- Provided technical consultation to the eLearning team on learning platforms and strategic direction.
- Tracked programme needs, partner engagement and project progress to support internal planning.
Aug 2020 to Oct 2020
Programme Officer
Phandeeyar Foundation
- Coordinated production of 20+ self-paced online courses on entrepreneurship, marketing and digital skills.
- Launched a chatbot-assisted student support system.
- Co-led the Startup101 incubation programme, reaching hundreds of Myanmar-based entrepreneurs.
- Contributed to training programmes in Fiji, Samoa and Papua New Guinea with GSMA and AusAid.
Nov 2020 to Jan 2021
Research Assistant
AGC Asia Pacific Pte Ltd
- Researched green buildings and sustainability standards across Southeast Asia, working on architectural glass and where green buildings can be integrated in the region.
- Produced a proposal for a Green Building Rating System covering Southeast Asian markets, supervised by Dr Hidefumi Odaka.
- Supported the production of regional strategic reports and development plans.
Education
Jun 2024 to Aug 2025
Master of Public Policy · CGPA 3.85
School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University
- Focused on governance, policy analysis and the role of data and technology in public decision-making.
- Independent study: Digital Inequality in Crisis: Analyzing the eduLamp Project as a Grassroots Response to Connectivity Gaps in Myanmar.
- Awarded the IDRC Graduate Fellowship by the Canadian Embassy.
Mar 2022 to Dec 2023
Diploma in Computing and Business Management
NCC Education · KMD College
- Practical study in computing, digital systems, business strategy and project management.
Dec 2015 to Jan 2021
Bachelor of Architecture programme not completed
Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Yangon Technological University
- Studied four and a half years of the programme and left in 2021, after the military coup, without taking the degree.
- President, Association of Architecture Students, Dec 2019 to Nov 2020. Launched the AAS website, ran weekly student-led articles and organised virtual learning seminars through Covid, and contributed to the YTU Master Plan.
- Academic Officer, YTU Students' Union, Feb 2016 to Sep 2018, working on student welfare, academic coordination and the union election committee.
- Student intern, De Arch Design Firm, Apr to May 2018, on a prefabricated meditation cabin for retreats in Sagaing.
- Student intern, Women for the World, Oct 2018, on a low-cost housing and drainage plan for Pan Thazin housing in North Oakkalapa.
- Took part in urban design projects, student competitions and conservation initiatives.
Skills
Hard skills
- Product management and strategic roadmapping
- Digital platform architecture and delivery
- Inclusive and accessible product design
- eLearning platform management
- Course design and instructional production
- Web and low-code development
- Business development
- Policy analysis and governance
- Educational administration
- Project management and agile coordination
Soft skills
- Leadership and team coordination
- Strategic thinking and problem solving
- Cross-sector and international collaboration
- Public speaking and storytelling
- Adaptability and resilience
- Stakeholder engagement
- Conflict resolution
- Ethical decision-making
- Critical thinking and innovation
Recognition
Leadership & engagement
- Speaker · RightsCon 2025, Access Now, Taipei 2025
- Country Fellow · International Visitor Leadership Program, U.S. Department of State, "Education in the Digital Age" 2024
- President, Myanmar Committee · International Development Field Camp, Japan and Myanmar Feb 2020 to Jan 2021
- Task Force Member · U-Report Myanmar Oct 2018 to Jan 2021
- Myanmar Representative · AIT-Tiger Leong Innovative and Leadership Camp 2018
- Delegate · Model United Nations 2018
- Campus Chapter Director · MYEO, Myanmar Youth Empowerment Opportunities, Yangon Technological University Dec 2017 to Nov 2018
- Participant · Yetagun Youth Innovation Program, playground design for primary schools Nov 2015 to Feb 2016
Awards
- Second Runner-up · Futuristic Design Competition: The Private House, Embassy of Design 2020
- People's Choice Award · 2nd Inter-Universities Impromptu Talk Show 2018
- Winner · Yetagun Youth Innovation Program 2017
- IDRC Graduate Fellowship · Canadian Embassy 2024 to 2025
Publications & research
- Research Lead · Higher Education in Post-Coup Myanmar · K4DM Marketplace Dec 2023
- Co-Author · Higher Education in Myanmar 3 Years after the Coup · K4DM Marketplace Jul 2024
- Independent Study · Digital Inequality in Crisis: the eduLamp Project as a Grassroots Response to Connectivity Gaps in Myanmar Aug 2025
Architecture & design
- "The KORU" · Meditation Cabin Competition, Bee Breeders, New Zealand 2021
- The Private House · Second Runner-up, Futuristic Design Competition, Embassy of Design 2020
- Theingyi Market · building preservation documentation Sep to Oct 2019
- Thar Mine Kham · heritage site conservation planning, Aung Ban, Southern Shan State Apr to May 2019
- North Oakkalapa · low-cost housing plan, Women for the World 2018
In the press
- Straits Times · In Wartorn Myanmar, Students Find New Ways to Learn 2024
- The Diplomat · Myanmar's Non-Government Education Sector Needs Urgent Help 2021
- Frontier Myanmar · The Emerging Alternatives to Military-Slave Education 2021
- kr-Asia · Can Online Learning Fill the Gap in Myanmar 2021
- BBC Burmese · interview clip 2021
Languages
- Burmese Native
- English Fluent
References
Current roles
- Clare Hodder · Strategic Volunteering Partner, St Christopher’s C.Hodder@stchristophers.org.uk
- Waing · CEO and CTO, Vincentt waing@vincentt.studio
Spring University Myanmar
- Thura · President admin@springuniversitymm.com
- Phyu Phyu Thin Zaw · Head of School, School of Health drphyu.pptz@gmail.com
- Catherine Tai · Center for International Private Enterprise, on the STEM School partnership CTai@cipe.org
Earlier roles
- Paing · Lead of Strategy and Partnerships, Phandeeyar Foundation paing@phandeeyar.org
- Kyaw · eLearning Manager, Phandeeyar Foundation kyaw@phandeeyar.org
- Hidefumi Odaka · Executive Director, AGC Asia Pacific hidefumi.odaka@agc.com
Academic
- Dr Ora-Orn Poocharoen · Director, School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University ora-orn.p@cmu.ac.th
- Asst. Prof. Piyapong Boossabong, PhD · School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University piyapong.b@cmu.ac.th
- Theingi · Head of Department, Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Yangon Technological University tgi.shwe@gmail.com
Timeline
- 2015Began the B.Arch programme, Yangon Technological University
- 2016Yetagun Youth Innovation Program · joined the YTU Students' Union
- 2017Won the Yetagun Youth Innovation Program
- 2018Model UN · AIT-Tiger Leong · U-Report Myanmar · internships at De Arch and Women for the World
- 2019Thar Mine Kham and Theingyi Market conservation projects · elected President of AAS
- 2020Phandeeyar Foundation · AGC Asia Pacific · Futuristic Design Competition
- 2021The coup. Left architecture, joined Spring University Myanmar
- 2022Founded eduLamp · started the NCC diploma
- 2023Head of STEM School · Phandeeyar Foundation · research lead
- 2024IVLP · first Virtual Student Exchange · started the MPP at Chiang Mai
- 2025RightsCon Taipei · completed the MPP · moved to London · co-founded Vincentt
- 2026Independent consultancy · St Christopher's · medical platform live