This edition of Startup Scene will explore one of venture capital’s most elusive forces: momentum. As the landscape rapidly shifts—from the rise and retreat of web3 and blockchain to today’s explosive AI wave—both founders and investors face a critical question: how do you tell the difference between short-lived hype and the kind of transformative momentum that drives lasting impact?
Join us for an exclusive presentation featuring three distinguished investors – Bryan Kim (Andreessen Horowitz), Mike Kim (Third Prime), and Karen Moon (Node Innovation Ventures) – as they each share their distinct investment philosophies and portfolio strategies. Together, their talk will offer a wide range of views into today’s ever-evolving startup landscape: from AI emerging technologies, to cross-border investments, and to innovations in consumer platforms.
The conversation will be moderated by Danny Crichton (Lux Capital).
This program is supported by Hanwha Life
Riding the Momentum: How VCs Navigate Hype and Sustainable Growth
Wednesday, September 3, 2025 | 6 PM (EDT)
The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017
About the Speakers:
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Bryan Kim (“BK”) is a partner at Andreessen Horowitz, where he invests primarily in consumer AI applications. He is particularly interested in how AI is reshaping consumer experiences across core themes such as productivity (ElevenLabs, Cluely, Raspberry), consumer health (Function Health, Slingshot AI), creation (Captions, Civit.ai, Glif, Viggle), and connection (BeReal, Partiful).
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Mike Kim is a General Partner at Third Prime, where he primarily invests in vertical AI applications. He is particularly interested in the intersection of AI and various physical industries and has led investments across aerospace (Moonware), energy (Everstar), and advanced manufacturing (First Resonance). Prior to joining Third Prime, Mike was a partner and senior investment professional at Valinor Management, a multi-billion-dollar “Tiger Cub” investment firm, where he led investment activities across a number of industries including industrial technology. Prior to Valinor, Mike was a partner and senior investment professional at other leading, multi-billion-dollar, investment firms including UBS O’Connor, Suvretta Capital Management, and Trian Partners, originating and underwriting investments in public and private companies with a research-intensive, long-term orientation. Mike started his career as an investment banker in the Technology M&A group at Bank of America in New York, where he advised both public and private companies in the technology industry. Mike received his undergraduate degree, cum laude, from Georgetown University.
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Karen Moon is a seasoned entrepreneur and investor with over 20 years of experience across retail and technology. Her expertise is at the intersection of data-driven consumer insights, AI, and human-centered design. She is currently founding CCO at Spangle AI, an agentic AI startup optimizing shopping journeys for brands and retailers. Karen also co-founded, scaled, and sold a predictive analytics startup Trendalytics, which served industry-leading clients such as Revolve, Saks, Neiman Marcus, Shinsegae, Gap Inc., J.Crew, Levi’s, Urban Outfitters, Target, Ulta, Stitch Fix, Estée Lauder Companies, Zappos, and more. The company was also a Google Machine Learning Competition Finalist. Karen has several years of experience as an investor and advisor in consumer brands and technology through Suttona Capital, Node, and Goode Partners. As an active advisor and investor, she has supported founders on go-to-market strategy, fundraising, hiring, and strategic partnerships. Her corporate advisory work with corporate executive teams and boards includes digital transformation and new business expansion opportunities. She began her career in Goldman Sachs’ TMT investment banking group, followed by roles in corporate strategy and new business development at Gap Inc. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from UCLA, where she graduated summa cum laude.
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About the Moderator:
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Danny Crichton analyzes science, technology, finance and the human condition as Partner, Research at Lux Capital, a venture capital firm investing in emerging and growth-stage science and technology ventures. Previously, he was managing editor at TechCrunch as well as a foreign correspondent based in Seoul, South Korea. He’s a Fellow at the Manhattan Institute in New York. For several years, he was an early-stage VC investor with General Catalyst in Palo Alto and Charles River Ventures in Boston and New York. After graduating Stanford with honors in Mathematical and Computational Sciences, he was awarded a Fulbright research scholarship to South Korea, where he investigated the country's modern industrial policy for startup innovation. Danny is based in Brooklyn.
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