Chien-Yi Tsai’s career hasn’t followed a straight line, and that’s exactly what led him to innovation.

Looking back, Chien-Yi doesn’t see a single defining moment that made him an inventor. Instead, he sees a series of questions, challenges, and moments of curiosity that gradually shaped him into the engineer he is today. His focus was never on earning a patent, but on continuous learning, solving meaningful problems, and pushing beyond what felt comfortable.

“I never set out with the goal of becoming a patent inventor,” Chien-Yi shares. “I was focused on learning, solving real problems, and pushing myself beyond what felt comfortable.”

That mindset ultimately led him to Coupa, and to invention.

A Career Built on Curiosity

Like many engineers, Chien-Yi’s early career was about building strong foundations: understanding how systems work, weighing technical tradeoffs, and learning how technology can solve real business challenges. Each role added depth such as stronger technical skills, broader systems thinking, and a growing appreciation for collaboration.

When Chien-Yi joined Coupa, he entered an environment that actively encouraged curiosity. The challenges weren’t neatly packaged; they were complex, evolving, and deeply connected to real-world supply chain operations. That complexity pushed him to think bigger and approach problems more creatively.

Before Coupa, Chien-Yi didn’t consider himself an “inventor.” He saw himself as a problem solver. Over time, he realized the distinction wasn’t as clear as he once thought.

“I didn’t think of myself as an inventor but more of a problem solver,” he says. “Over time, I realized those two things aren’t very different.”

The Spark Behind the Patent

The idea that eventually became a patent began with a simple question: How can supply chains become smarter, faster, and more efficient as new delivery methods emerge?

As delivery models continue to evolve, Chien-Yi became increasingly interested in how emerging transportation capabilities could be thoughtfully integrated with traditional logistics networks. That curiosity led to deeper exploration of how different modes of delivery could operate together within a single system.

As Chien-Yi thought more about the increasing viability of drones, it became clear to him that they could play a meaningful role in logistics. But integrating aerial delivery with traditional ground transportation introduced an entirely new layer of complexity.

What started as informal conversations and rough concepts evolved into a structured exploration of how to model routes that intelligently combine aerial and ground delivery assets, accounting for capabilities, constraints, and user preferences. The challenge wasn’t just technical; it required rethinking how multiple transportation modes could operate as one unified system.

Chien-Yi credits his colleague at the time, Hafiz Hasan, as a key partner in the ideation and patenting process.

“Hafiz played a major role in shaping the idea and writing the patent,” Chien-Yi notes. “I learned a tremendous amount from working with him.”