Open to opportunities

Carl Wu

@carlwu

Message

AI-native growth leader scaling PLG subscriptions from acquisition to monetization.

Zimbabwe

Message

What I'm looking for

I’m looking for an AI-native growth leadership role where I can build self-serve PLG motions, run high-velocity experimentation, and own monetization—from ICP to conversion and retention—inside a team that values fast learning and cross-functional execution.

I’m a founder-minded growth leader with 10+ years of experience and deep PLG subscription expertise, scaling ARR end-to-end—from acquisition → conversion → retention → monetization. I’ve led hyper-growth initiatives across Uber and venture-backed startups, and I now focus on AI-native growth that accelerates time-to-value and monetization.

At Uber, I built Uber Commute from $0 to a $140M annual run-rate in 12 months, establishing Commute as a major new growth driver. At Coursera (pre- to post-IPO), and later as VP of Growth at venture-backed teams, I doubled ARR to $50M in 14 months by building an “ARR machine” powered by high-velocity experimentation.

I believe hyper growth is a two-legged run: optimizing the funnel for existing use cases while driving 0-1 expansion for new markets. I’ve delivered retention and lifecycle wins by launching AceChat, a video-based AI tutor that drove +32% retention, and I’ve improved engagement (+28%) by redesigning gamification into a mastery-driven progression system.

Most recently, I’ve worked on AI-native PLG motions—like an AI lawyer copilot that went from idea to post-revenue in 6 months—by designing self-serve experiences with an instant “aha” that personalizes in seconds. I’m at my best when I can orchestrate cross-functional execution, sharpen Value→ICP→Channel, and operationalize growth systems so teams reach PMF faster.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Head of Growth

Current

Vertical AI Foundry

Jan 2024 - Present (2 years 3 months)

Drove a pivot to self-serve PLG by sharpening Value→ICP→Channel and launching a new onboarding and monetization flow, reaching ~$500K revenue in ~2–3 months from $0. Increased demo-to-client conversion 70% and grew double-digit premium law firm clients by addressing compliance and data security needs.

Product Led Growth Conversion Rate Optimization Onboarding GTM Strategy AI Agents Monetization

VP of Growth & Head of AI

Numerade

Jan 2022 - Jan 2024 (2 years)

Doubled ARR to $50M in 14 months by building an “ARR machine” with high-velocity growth experimentation (10+ tests/week) while maintaining analytical rigor. Increased trial-to-paid conversion 35%, expanded pricing tiers 3→6, and boosted retention 32% by launching AceChat, a multimodal AI tutor.

Paywall Testing Trial To Paid Optimization Pricing Strategy AI Tutor (AceChat)Retention Funnel Analytics

VP of Growth

LingoAce

Jan 2021 - Jan 2022 (1 year)

Scaled usage from 5M to 10M classes worldwide in one year. Increased learner engagement 28% by redesigning gamification into a mastery-driven progression system (quests, instant themed feedback, meaningful unlocks).

Gamification Design Mastery Progression Mobile Learning User Segmentation Scaling

Head of Mobile Growth

Coursera

Jan 2020 - Jan 2021 (1 year)

Analyzed 1M+ B2C learners to seed users into the sales pipeline, generating hundreds of Fortune 500 leads. Drove mobile engagement by creating learning features including content downloads and audio-based learning.

Mobile Growth Sales Pipeline Lead Generation Funnel Optimization

Co-founder & CEO

Mindhero

Jan 2017 - Jan 2020 (3 years)

Launched Mindhero, an anti-stress mobile app that was featured by Google. Applied data intelligence and behavioral change product principles to drive user adoption and engagement.

Product Leadership User Adoption Data Intelligence Engagement Strategy Product Development

Head of UberCommute

Uber

Jan 2015 - Jan 2017 (2 years)

Conceived and launched UberCommute, scaling from $0 to a $140M annual run-rate in 12 months and establishing Commute as a major growth driver. Owned the go-to-market playbook (launch markets, KPIs, local GM partnerships) and scaled hyper-growth via viral marketing, partnerships, and an experimentation engine.

Marketplace Growth Go To Market Strategy Viral Growth Strategic Partnerships KPIs Cross functional Leadership Experimentation

Founder & CEO

Sparks Mobile

Jan 2011 - Jan 2015 (4 years)

Scaled an ML-based video recommendation app to millions of users. Raised a Series A from BlueRun Ventures and achieved a successful acquisition by building recommendation-driven engagement and data systems.

Machine Learning Scaling entrepreneurship User Engagement

Director of Product Management

Tencent Web Search

Jan 2009 - Jan 2011 (2 years)

Led a team of 6 product managers for Tencent’s mobile search products and worked on core search technologies including indexing, web crawling, ranking algorithms, and NLP. Launched 8 vertical search product lines and grew users to 30M+ while increasing market share from 3% to 14%.

Search Product Management Natural Language Processing Information Retrieval Verticals Team Leadership Market Share Growth

Software Engineer

Microsoft

Jan 2005 - Jan 2007 (2 years)

Developed early IoT software including .NET-based retail device software and payment-related applications. Built production software systems grounded in a hands-on engineering approach.

.NET Software Engineering Systems Development

Software Engineer

Urban Science

Jan 2003 - Jan 2005 (2 years)

Developed business intelligence software for car manufacturers. Delivered analytics-focused software capabilities to support automotive business decisions.

Business Intelligence Analytical Software Data Analysis Reporting Software Development Automotive Analytics