This episode features a conversation with Han Kim ’97, Managing Director, Co-founder, Altos Ventures.
Han is the Managing Director and Co-founder of Altos Ventures, a VC firm with more than $10 billion in assets under management.
On this episode, Han discusses the thought process that’s guided him through notable investments like Roblox, Coupang, Krafton, Woowa Brothers, and more. He shares the differences in how he works with entrepreneurs now vs. earlier in his investing career, and how West Point trained him to face challenges day by day.
Episode Timestamps
(02:24) The decision behind going to West Point
(04:10) How Han thought about his career early on
(06:20) Joining P&G after Stanford Business School
(12:30) Co-founding and starting a fund early in your career
(21:28) Altos Ventures first big breakthrough
(24:14) Acknowledging reality
(29:30) Some of Altos Ventures’ investments and their investing memos
(33:45) The Sitrep—The Situation Report
(38:15) The SOP—The Standard Operating Procedure
(43:09) Giving Back
“And you just have to get up every day, face the challenges, regardless of how you feel. And I think a lot of the things we do, there’s all kinds of external things that happen on a day-to-day basis. And a lot of times you sort of want to close your eyes and just avoid and pretend that maybe you don’t have these troubles, but it’s there. So you might as well open your eyes, face those things head-on and just go through it one by one. And you know, at some point there’s going to be a better day and, and I think that’s something West Point has just ingrained in me. And I think we were able to go through some tough times knowing that.”
—Han Kim ’97
