We have all heard stories of niche businesses popping up during COVID. For Johnson Cheng ’05, one volunteer opportunity grew into a business that incorporated his interest in the sciences, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI). Cheng is the founder and CEO of Voyager Education, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education firm in Hong Kong that offers courses in space science, physics, the programming language Python, and AI. Voyager Education offers top-notch, certified STEM courses and experiences to develop future leaders in this age of Artificial General Intelligence. “Our mission at Voyager Education is to empower and inspire lifelong learners by providing an accessible, high-quality education that fosters growth and discovery. We strive to create a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that celebrates teamwork and cultivates critical thinking skills,” says Cheng.
Johnson Cheng '05 with his wife and three sons
In addition to Cheng’s work in Voyager Education, he is also an investor in AI and enterprise Software as a Service (SaaS) companies across the globe. His portfolio includes companies like FiscalNote, Sonatus, Full Truck Alliance, AutoX, and others. Prior to founding Voyager Education, he ran a B2B industrial goods and Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) e-commerce platform under China South City Holdings.
Cheng attended Cornell University and received his B.S. in Applied Economics and Management. He currently lives in Hong Kong with his wife and three sons.
Read more about how Cheng started Voyager Education and his work involving AI.
What was your motivation to start Voyager Education?
During COVID, I volunteered as an advisor to the School of Optoelectronics at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, helping Professor Yishi Shi promote experiment-based science education courses in mainland China. With the lockdowns, we brought these courses to schools in Hong Kong, which eventually led to the founding of Voyager Education. We adapted these courses to meet local needs, and now, accredited by STEM.ORG, we offer courses in artificial intelligence, Python, sustainability, and space science. Students from top international schools in Hong Kong, such as Concordia International School Shanghai, SIS, Hong Kong International School, Shrewsbury, English Schools Foundation, and the French International School, have benefited from our products and services.
As an investor in AI startups and a father of three boys, I’m keenly aware of how disruptive technologies, like AI, will reshape society. This awareness motivated me to offer STEM education to prepare the next generation of leaders, scientists, engineers, and innovators in the age of AI.
How do you predict teaching STEM will change in the coming years?
I believe AI will drive a shift toward project-based and experiment-driven learning, moving away from rote memorization and examinations. Students will enhance their problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills through hands-on experiments and exploration. Schools like Elon Musk’s Ad Astra offer a glimpse of what cutting-edge education could become. At Berkshire, with AI making learning easier and faster, we’re seeing high school students engage in college-level research and we’re also seeing middle schoolers tackle more advanced subjects earlier. AI will personalize learning, adapting to each student’s needs and accelerating their mastery of subjects.
In our Python course, for example, students progress at their own pace through fun, auto-graded challenges guided by our AI agent, the “Python Coach.” Using this approach, we’ve taught 10-year-olds how to utilize algorithms and analyze data with Python. For educators, AI will provide the freedom to focus more on creative course design rather than administrative tasks. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT can draft lesson plans and PowerPoints, enabling teachers to concentrate on delivering engaging and impactful content.
How do you think AI will impact education?
AI's impact on education will be as transformative in its role as the personal computer. It will revolutionize how we learn, teach, and assess progress. One example I find particularly valuable is using AI tools like Perplexity to simplify complex physics concepts, complete with proper source citations. Generative AI tools such as Cursor and ChatGPT can be used to build custom apps for learning, including vocabulary training. Personally, I use an app called Atlas English, which connects to ChatGPT to generate contextual usages and colloquial examples, helping me deepen my vocabulary learning.
The potential for AI to disrupt education is limitless. That said, it’s crucial for students to build a strong foundation in core subjects like math, languages, and sciences. This foundation will equip them to ask the right questions and use AI to further their studies. As futurist Pascal Finette noted, AI is like the calculator— it didn’t replace the need for humans to learn arithmetic but allowed us to focus on more advanced mathematics once we had mastered the basics. In the same way, AI will empower us to accelerate learning and take it to the next level faster.
How did Berkshire help shape your career path and/or interests?
I am immensely grateful to the faculty and staff at Berkshire who showed me unwavering kindness and patience. They often had more faith in me than I had in myself, inspiring and pushing me to achieve greater things. I owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Jarvis, Ms. Romano, Ms. Loose-Brown, Mr. Bellas, Ms. James, Mr. Splawn, Mr. Tanzosh, Dr. Kohlhepp, Dr. Wu, Mr. Bredenfoerder, Ms. Geerhold, Mr. Dalton, and many others who profoundly impacted my life and guided me through challenging times.
My passion for space science was sparked by the astronomy class I took and the nights spent stargazing. This passion ultimately led me to offer a space science course at Voyager, which has become one of our most successful offerings.
What memories of your time at Berkshire stand out the most to you?
One memorable moment was playing Banquo in Macbeth. We had a high number of Asian students in the cast, so it became something of an Asian-themed production. My roommate, Jason Chan ’06, played Macbeth, and we were close friends on and off stage. It was my first time acting, and I loved every minute of it. That's the beauty of high school—you can step outside your comfort zone, try new things, and even if you embarrass yourself, people forget about it … until you write about it in an alumni spotlight article years later.