Yangbin Wang (MSEE ’93) has been presented with the Distinguished Alumnus Award at the University of Florida Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering Spring 2024 bachelor’s recognition ceremony. Distinguished alumnus awards are presented to an alumna or an alumnus of the university who has excelled in their chosen field and has performed outstanding service for the university.
Wang, who founded the Silicon Valley startup Vobile in 2005, has championed the entrepreneurial and innovation education mission of the college. He has previously sponsored the college’s innovation fellowships, while Vobile has offered invaluable experiential learning opportunities to Gator Engineering students both locally and at its headquarters on the West Coast. He has also played an integral role in shaping the college’s direction by serving on both the Dean’s Advisory Board and West Coast Advisory Board. He is also an elected director of the UF Foundation National Board.
Vobile, a global leading Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider in content protection and the transaction of digital assets, has grown globally since its inception with a successful IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2018. The company pioneers cutting-edge software services utilizing its innovative core technologies, VDNA – digital fingerprinting and watermarking – developed specifically for the media and entertainment sector to safeguard content and intellectual property. With a clear focus on combatting potential content piracy, Vobile provides the necessary digital asset protection to major players like Hollywood film studios, HBO, Comedy Central, Netflix, and Amazon. Vobile’s solutions not only enable content creators to maximize their monetization strategies, but they are also critical for safeguarding the creative freedom of these industry giants, ensuring they can confidently deliver the finest content to their target audiences. Vobile’s innovative excellence in developing video identification technology earned them an Emmy at the 69th annual Technology and Engineering Emmy Awards.
Vobile was also named a Deloitte Technology Fast Leader in 2021 for its significant business growth and technology innovation. With headquarters in California and additional offices in New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo and London, Wang saw to the opening of a Vobile R&D and Operations Center in Gainesville’s Innovation District in 2022, leveraging a talent pool of no fewer than 6,000 students enrolled in AI or data science courses at UF to enhance his company’s growth and expansion. The center later moved into the San Felasco Tech City, a growing innovation hub in Alachua.
Wang earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering from UF in 1993 and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Zhejiang University in 1991. Recently, the college celebrated the establishment of the Yangbin Wang Rising Star Endowed Professorship in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE), further solidifying Wang’s commitment to academic excellence. On April 22, Wang was honored with the induction into the inaugural class of the ECE Hall of Fame alongside 11 alumni luminaries for their significant contributions to the field of electrical and computer engineering. The eminent UF Distinguished Alumnus Award bestowed by UF President Ben Sasse on May 5, further underscoring the lasting impact of Wang’s distinguished achievement in engineering innovation, business leadership, and an unwavering dedication to his alma mater and the broader innovation community.