"Global Investment Expert with Experience at Qualcomm Ventures and Google"
The venture capital firm specializing in early-stage startups, The Ventures, announced on the 18th that it has newly appointed Jo Yeo-jun, a global investment and technology expert, as its Chief Investment Officer (CIO).
According to The Ventures, CIO Jo Yeo-jun majored in Business Administration at Seoul National University and completed an MBA at Columbia University. He subsequently led early and growth-stage startup investments at Qualcomm Ventures and KB Investment. At Google Korea, he was responsible for key operations in Google Play partnerships, driving various collaborations, and as a partner at Fast Ventures, he has actively engaged with both domestic and international startup ecosystems.
As The Ventures’ CIO, Partner Jo plans to enhance a qualitative evaluation system centered on founders’ problem recognition and execution capabilities, lead the investment team, and oversee proactive deal sourcing and investment execution. He aims to provide intensive support, including strategic advice and follow-up growth plans, to portfolio companies planning to enter global markets.
Meanwhile, The Ventures completed its venture capital (VC) registration with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups in December 2021, becoming the third domestic case to hold both the qualifications of an Accelerator (AC) and a VC.
The firm is also strategically expanding its global investments. The Ventures has designated the Southeast Asian market as a key growth hub and has strengthened its investment activities. Last month, it invested in the local AI company Plume AI in collaboration with Vietnam’s Vingroup, supporting growth in the AI-based customer experience management (CXM) sector. Additionally, it has proactively invested in local teams such as Box Studio and 3CAT, securing a portfolio based on content, manufacturing, and tech that reflects market characteristics.
In the North American market, The Ventures has secured over 20 portfolio companies, focusing on B2C consumer sectors such as health beverages, beauty, and mega intellectual property (IP)-based distribution brands. It is also pursuing the establishment of offshore funds in the U.S. and plans to support the local expansion of brands with Korean characteristics. Furthermore, it operates a university student scouting program in collaboration with overseas universities such as UC Berkeley and the University of Illinois, as well as major domestic universities, to strengthen the discovery of early deep-tech startups.
Kim Cheol-woo, CEO of The Ventures, stated, "Since the additional VC registration, The Ventures has focused more on execution than scale." He added, "The appointment of this CIO will be an important opportunity to further enhance our accumulated investment execution capabilities and to fully activate our global strategy." He also said, "We will continue to refine and expand our investment approach that moves together with founders."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
