Jiho Kang

David Yi (Ethos VC) a.k.a "The VC who hates most VCs" on his Personal Journey and Perspective on Growth:  "As an eight-time founder with two exits, I've seen the landscape from multiple angles. It's not about being a hero but about building a team, learning, and evolving. Whether it's in education or tech, the journey is about adapting and finding your path, not just in Korea but globally." https://lnkd.in/gVduV3MQ #startupswithseoul Chang (CK) Kim

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4 investors meetings this week (offline), including one with Robert Huynh from Reforged Labs (YC W22) to learn from his startup experience. These are so great that I even forgot to take pictures 😄 Next time then. Cool insights: - Robert is in Vietnam long-term, his team got into YC and raised global funding. Direct meetings in the US happened, but most of the time he as the CEO is doing it entirely in Vietnam. Other founders please take notes for an inspiration 🙌 - Gaming has a fresh attention, even from our government. Probably we should have more game-related startups? - Relationship is key for growth and everything. Knowing the right people is certainly one of the best things you could do for yourself and the career. - Applying to YC is much recommended, it's not that you'll be famous if being admitted, but the process cares so much about founder's approach to building and it'll make you tailor more for a long run. (And yes being in YC can be seen as a golden ticket to early stage funding, huge credibility boost) - this is my own assumption. Great day LinkedIn, catching up again soon 👍

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📰 Solo VCs are rising in popularity once again. This means only one General Partner is leading the firm, versus multiples. 💔 Why? There are GP breakups going on all around us after partnerships have been tested by the market for years now. The bar to co-found a venture firm with a partner is very high. Those GPs that thought they might graft another one on in the short term to share the load are stopping in their tracks to deeply consider those implications. 🌱 Many are opting to bring in more junior talent and grow them into Partner roles instead. It’ll take time and capital to be able to do that as the firm grows. Talked to 3 diff GPs about this at dinner last night and we’re all leaning toward that approach in our short and long term planning. 💡 FYI - this is just an observation of the moment we’re in. There are plenty of firms thriving with full partnerships as well as solo GPs. But it’s worth calling out that new partnerships are particularly risky right now, especially if the partners haven’t worked with each other for a long time.

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How to take advice is important. Prioritize taking advice from founders (over people who may be knowledgeable but are giving you advice from a completely different PoV). Ideally, try to find founders that have actually done the thing you are trying to do. When it comes to Korean startups going global, there's unfortunately not many that you can take advice from. Cue Ryan Lee (Jigo.ai) on Learning and Adapting in Business: "Be careful who you reach out to, and take advice from people who are closer to what you want to achieve... No one in our generation has cracked [the global market] yet, so keep that in mind when you get advice." #startupswithseoul https://lnkd.in/g52anyBc

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✨ Breaking: 4growth VC Announces New Fund.- 4growth VC Backed by €12 million from PFR Ventures and FENG contributors, 4growth VC focuses on growth-stage startups in sectors like FinTech, InsurTech, and MedTech. The fund plans to invest between €935,000 and €2.8 million in companies with ready products and recurring revenues. Saventic Health joined its portfolio earlier this month, showcasing its commitment to scaling high-potential companies. https://4growthvc.pl/ Please share to let other #Founders know For the ❤️ of Startups #Fusion42 #Startups #Venturecapital

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📢 Ultimate VC & Investor Resource List for Fundraising 📢 If you’re currently fundraising or plan on raising soon, here’s a comprehensive list of VCs, Angel Investors, and Accelerators based on my research, offering invaluable insights into funding opportunities globally. 🌍 📈 Why VCs? Venture capitalists play a crucial role in scaling startups, especially in today’s fast-paced market. They bring not only capital but also valuable industry connections, expertise, and strategic guidance. This curated list is a powerful starting point for your fundraising journey. Here’s the breakdown: 💰𝗩𝗖𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲: Pre-Seed: https://lnkd.in/gnxYgFF8 Seed: https://lnkd.in/g7rntFQa Seed & Series A: https://lnkd.in/gU_PZwra Below $200 Million: https://lnkd.in/gx96SFZh 🌍 𝗩𝗖𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: US VCs: https://lnkd.in/gDcKfxwD NYC VCs: https://lnkd.in/gMKTstBz European VCs: https://lnkd.in/gZC4qqxW UK VCs: https://lnkd.in/gkPYUKH3 French VCs: https://lnkd.in/dpFeE59c Spanish VCs: https://lnkd.in/gBD_7rRY Baltic VCs: https://lnkd.in/gx2iHdDS Australian VCs: https://lnkd.in/gbFnpmRX Indian VCs: https://lnkd.in/durcuiUw Singapore VCs: https://mapofthemoney.com/ 🏭 𝗩𝗖𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆: Climate VCs: https://lnkd.in/d__3NqRC Deep Tech VCs: https://lnkd.in/gqTqjKJu HealthTech VCs: https://lnkd.in/gMWDprYC FinTech VCs: https://lnkd.in/gWFADRuP Consumer VCs: https://lnkd.in/ganPEBgV 😇 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝘀: US Founders Investing: https://lnkd.in/gHtZZY2y SaaS Angels: https://lnkd.in/g3z9sBAE Global Women Angels: https://lnkd.in/gYAW3avh Middle East Angels: https://lnkd.in/ghZ5PeQF Africa Angels: https://lnkd.in/g3z-cx6z Crypto Angels: https://lnkd.in/gJfuaFVy 🚀 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀: Complete Accelerator List: https://lnkd.in/dncseAmE 🎯 Bonus Tips: 1. Founders, writing a compelling business plan is key for fundraising. Here’s a template by Sequoia Capital to get you started (https://lnkd.in/g-a8KKBY). 2. Cold outreach to investors works best when it's strategic, so do your homework before reaching out! 3. To get intro's to VC's checkout this post by Jeanine Suah If anyone would like to add or update this list, feel free to message me directly. Let’s help each other navigate the world of venture capital! 🔥 ♻️ Found this helpful? Repost to share with your network and help more founders on their journey. Do follow these incredible people for some more insights Jeanine Suah, Kevin Jurovich, Edrizio De La Cruz #venturecapital #startups #fundraising #entrepreneurship #investing

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Check out our Mangusta Capital Vertical AI breakdown below!

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Takwin VC Sprint#2, 3 days to go,שלושה ימים אחרונים باقي 3 ايام- انتم لا تريدون تفويت هذه الفرصه ******************************************* Takwin VC will invest in up to hashtag#5_startups_in_5_weeks, Link to apply: https://did.li/dEEaa What we need from you: 1. Great and committed team. 2. Great idea, preferably based on tech innovation. 3. One Co-Founder is an Arab-Israeli. Stage: 1. Can be very early – idea can do, though validation check will help. 2. If you already have TNUFA or other early financing – no problem. What Takwin will give: 1. $50k in SAFE investment. 2. Support, good advice, network to scale. When: 1. Apply between June 1st to 30th, 2024. 2. We will meet the qualified teams and make our decision the week after!

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While some VCs may scoff at this strategy, it's actually an interesting one for emerging Southeast Asia where most of VC investing has been likened to "small- to mid-cap PE investing" (s/o to Dmitry Levit). Big opportunity for VCs that bring operator and PE chops. https://lnkd.in/g7N9tYfT

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Siren's goals and progress on contactout and athena.vc 23rd July 2024 Last week goal(s) & what did I do: Athena VC: - Deeptech founders Outreach - Meetings ran - 1 - Meetings booked for this week - 1 - Stats - last week (Switching the approach to get on a podcast/interview) - Total connection requests sent: 101 (Founders in sustainable energy) - Connection request accepted: 17 (17%) - Replied to LI message: 2 (12%) - Question answered: 0 (0%) “Expert opinion” article Asking for review and permission to post on YouTube - Sent to 19 founders - 2 agreed to post on YouTube - 6 replied to keep their insights to community members only - Finished editing “Expert opinion” article, created 2 versions - Share to public - Share within the community Curated and sorted into a list of programs for deep tech startups ---------- This week: Athena VC - Continue to schedule more calls with founders in the sustainable energy industry - Follow up for review and permission to post on youtube - Pick a topic to work on (Energy creation) - Study 10 top companies - Read top 20 research journal articles in the field - Write about what road blocks I come across and what is confusing and strategies for figuring it out (Chatgpt or wikipedia, etc.) ---------- Misc 🤰 EDD - Jul 29th Might start taking my maternity leave anytime this week During my leave: Read Sam Altman blog - https://lnkd.in/gAAXZcBC Read startup playbook - https://lnkd.in/g9Uka7Da Read PG’s essays - https://lnkd.in/geHZYnip Read zero to one, paper trail on fire, founders at work #AthenaVC #BuildInPublic

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Big problem for seed-stage startups. Series A funding is being delayed. Most companies need to extend their runway beyond the planned 24 months. It's a new reality, very different from what we got used to in the last ten years. Chon Tang, fund manager at Berkeley SkyDeck shared some data from Carta that is a wake up call for all founders working for a Series A. In the current #funding landscape, startups often encounter #delays in securing #SeriesA funding, leading to liquidity challenges and tough decisions. For those who have recently raised #seed funding, preparation is key. Our latest article offers actionable tactics you can adopt to extend your financial runway, optimize your business model, develop a strong financial plan, and uphold investor relationships. Discover how to navigate and thrive, even if Series A funding lies two or more years ahead. Stay resilient, focused, and transform obstacles into opportunities. Explore more insights on ensuring your startup's survival and growth! #seedstage #seriesA #startup #founders #runway #tactics

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While waiting for official 2024 number - Healthcare startups in SE Asia hit record $515M funding in 2023, with Singapore leading femtech innovation (32 startups). Total funding reached $1.5B over 5 years, driven by healthtech & femtech growth across the region 🏥📈

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Excited to run the PRODUCT MARKET FIT course for the cohort of early stage founders from Japan.  Especially enjoyed the discussion on... 🔍 The Power of Sharp Questions in Startup Growth 🚀 Sharp questions aren’t just inquiries; they’re 🔪 reality checks. These questions cut through fuzzy assumptions, pushing founders to clarify what they really know about their business. 🧩 Simple yet tough to answer, they reveal blind spots and untested hypotheses. By dismantling the “illusion of explanatory depth” (the belief that we know more than we do), sharp questions enable founders to refine their Product-Market Fit (PMF) or Go-to-Market (GTM) strategies with clear-eyed precision. 💡 Instead of vague confidence, founders achieve clarity on essentials—like their 🎯 ideal customer, 💎 product differentiation, and 📈 go-to-market path. The outcome? 🎉 Clearer thinking, smarter pivots, and more impactful growth strategies. Curious how sharp questions could transform your strategy? Check out my PMF course on Maven. Next cohort January 7th 2025 (link in comment) Thanks to StartX for hosting. Kyle Wong Darsh Singh Mann Sreejith Mohan Thanks to JETRO - Japan External Trade Organization Ken Yoshida Kayako Koganeyama #StartupGrowth #ProductMarketFit #GoToMarket #Entrepreneurship #Founders

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Jensen Huang On Nvidia’s seed round: "You Need these three things to raise successfully funding from VC" Jensen shared his fundraising experience for NVIDIA - "I didn't take any business or marketing classes and never used a presentation software called Persuasion on my Mac before. I bought the Mac just for that purpose and tried creating a company presentation for venture capitalists. We started working on my 30th birthday after getting the company funded. Initially, we met daily with the three of us, not sure what to do. We spent about six months chatting about daily life and deciding where to go for lunch, which was a big deal for us. Later, it was even a big deal if someone put doughnuts in the fridge for the morning. After meeting a lawyer at Cooley Godward, I gave him $200 to help incorporate the company. I got 15% (or maybe 20%) of Nvidia for that $200. I never finished my business plan or Gordon Bell's book on starting a high-tech company. Despite not having a complete plan, I incorporated the company. They introduced us to two venture capitalists, and I shared my ideas with them. VCs care more about great people than business plans, your reputation and history matter. Having a big vision for a large market is crucial. The idea should be clever and unique. The size of the market is important too; it needs to be large enough for the investment to make sense." Any thoughts? opinion? Enjoyed the post? Follow Sahil S. for more . #startups #nvidia #genai #fundraising #seed #founders #investors #funding #check #angelinvestors #funding

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第3弾は、Y CombinatorのWebサイトで「Healthcare」で分類されている、メンタルヘルス×モニタリング（1社）、企業の医療費削減（1社）、在宅介護支援（1社）、カップル向けAI恋愛アプリ（1社）について、スタートアップについてそれぞれまとめました。ぜひnoteをご覧ください。 ブログ記事はこちら（Here is the blog post）↓ https://lnkd.in/gT-RcVVJ *Although the articles are in Japanese, please feel free to contact me in English if you are interested in the content. I would like to introduce companies from the Y Combinator Winter 2024 Batch. Part 3 summarizes each of the startups categorized under "Healthcare": One in Mental health x monitoring, One in Reducing corporate healthcare costs, one in Home care support, and one in AI relationship app for couples.

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I often meet international founders who have built a product with traction and revenue in their local market, and now want to take the product global. The problem is, as soon as they try to go global, many of the founders realize their product doesn’t work for the global market. This is not surprising. Software products are built for users (either consumers or companies), and users’ desires and needs are different in different markets. (This can be a different story for packaged goods.) Now you’re in a predicament: - You can’t give up on going global: Unless you’re in China, going global isn’t really a choice; you’ll hit the growth ceiling pretty soon if you’re operating only in your local market - You can’t give up on existing users and revenue: Any revenue is good revenue, especially for small startups, so giving up users, traction, and revenue isn’t a smart move - You can’t afford to have two different products: Forking your product to build a “global version” means managing two different products in a small company, which is often a suicidal move Then what do you do? Ideally, you would have developed a global product from day one, but you can’t go back now. In my opinion, the only way to pull this off is by building a “global one build”: - Keep operating in the local market with the existing product. Meanwhile, start building a new “global one build” product in the background. This might require fresh funding and 6-12 months of development time - Not every feature in your current local product might make it to the global one build (some might survive as local-only extensions or plugins) - Once the global one build is launched, port your local users over to the global one build. For your local users, this will feel like a major product update. Now, you’re not a local product anymore; you’re a global product that momentarily happens to have a lot of users in a specific local market. These are very different things. It’s imperative you communicate the plan and roadmap transparently and involve the entire team. Make sure no one feels like they’re second-class citizens or doing throwaway work (“We’ll focus on the global market as a company. Now, you two will do the maintenance work for this local client.”). I’ve also seen some founders take on this global project as their personal 20% project. That approach almost always fails. Generally speaking, when the CEO’s interest isn’t aligned with the rest of the team’s, it just introduces a lot of confusion. By the way, if your product hasn’t reached success in your local market yet, all of this is a moot point; go find the PMF first.

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Last Call! Financing the Venture Series – over Zoom, with class-room option for last module - Starting this Thursday, October 3rd at 1pm PST Getting founders and their startups ready to attract capital and deal with all the complications of various finance forms, due diligence and ensuring enough capital is available for their venture.   All modules will be online (Zoom), option to attend Module 6 in-person class format in Victoria and Vancouver, all classes are from 1-3pm.   ✔ Oct. 3 - Intro to Financing ✔ Oct. 17 - Engaging Investors from Intro to DD  ✔ Nov. 7 - Term Sheets and Deal Structure  ✔ Dec. 12 - Valuation ✔Jan. 17 - Journey to Success ✔ Feb. 6 Victoria, Feb. 7 Vancouver - Deep Dive Cap Table, executive summary and pitch deck Info and registration here: https://lnkd.in/gvhFFCg5 New ventures and startups require capital to grow and scale up. Founders not only struggle to find the capital they require; they might lack the background to successfully engage and negotiate with investors.   The program helps you to be ready for pitching and engaging with the right investors, engaging in due diligence and using data rooms, discussing sources and funding and term sheets, understanding and negotiating valuation and managing post-investment relationships. Pieter Dorsman VIATEC New Ventures BC

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founder1~ my venture is pre-revenue, would you want to invest. founder2~ my venture is pre-revenue, could you help me in fund raise by connecting with investors? founder3~ i'm at idea stage, would like to pitch for investment. same revert to all 3...(may Budha bless you in my head 🙏 ) 99.99% of the times, i have observed only ventures with traction getting investor attention, exceptions being serial entrepreneurs or those building in genAI space (which is super hot right now), hence pls come back with at-least 6/12 months of traction (paid customers) which will be a simple validation of your product/service with the TG 🙂 #startups #founder #investment #growth #india

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