Archive · 23 Aug 2026
Former Buddhist Monk Builds $25 Million Startup Against Accenture
Lilly Chen is a 30-year-old entrepreneur who once lived as a Buddhist monk.
She became a monk after leaving high school at 16 because of health and education challenges.
A monk later encouraged her to return to the United States and attend college.
Chen was accepted to Colorado College after earning the highest possible ACT score.
She taught herself to code and later worked as an engineer at Meta.
After about a year, she started FSH Technologies.
FSH makes software to help government agencies replace slow and old computer systems.
The company has raised $25 million and competes with large consulting firms such as Accenture.
Chen says FSH tries to solve the whole government-technology problem, not just build one piece of software.
Lilly Chen, a former Buddhist monk and Meta engineer, founded FSH Technologies after leaving Meta.
FSH Technologies has raised $25 million, including a recent $20 million Series A led by Lachy Groom.
The company develops software for cities, school districts and state agencies to replace outdated government systems.
FSH competes with established consulting firms such as Accenture in government contract bids.
Chen says her experience as a monk taught her to listen and address entire systems rather than isolated problems.
- Who
- Lilly Chen and FSH Technologies, with Accenture among its frequent competitors.
- What
- FSH Technologies raised $25 million to develop government-technology software and compete for public-sector contracts.
- When
- The latest funding was a $20 million Series A; Chen founded FSH about a year after graduating and working at Meta.
- Where
- FSH serves cities, school districts and state agencies; Chen previously lived at a Buddhist monastery in rural China.
- Why
- FSH aims to replace slow, outdated government systems and address related procurement, process and change-management challenges.
FSH Technologies’ approach
Established consulting firms’ approach
Business model
FSH Technologies’ approach
FSH says it does not charge billable consulting hours and has no separate salespeople or consultants; everyone is a builder.
Established consulting firms’ approach
Traditional consulting companies use established consulting structures, which Chen presents as a different model from FSH.
Government procurement
FSH Technologies’ approach
Chen says FSH has beaten Accenture in government contract bids and hopes successful projects will build public-sector trust.
Established consulting firms’ approach
Governments may continue choosing established firms because the public sector is risk-averse and familiar names feel safer, according to Chen.
Technology projects
FSH Technologies’ approach
FSH says it addresses government technology end to end, including software, procurement rules, existing processes, change management and resistance to change.
Established consulting firms’ approach
A more established approach may be preferred by agencies seeking familiar vendors and established systems.
- Founder
- Lilly Chen
- Company
- FSH Technologies
- Total funding
- $25 million
- Latest round
- $20 million Series A
- Series A lead
- Lachy Groom
- Earlier funding
- A $5 million seed round led by Contrary and Acrew
- Customers
- Cities, school districts and state agencies