As part of our commitment to building the next generation of founders, The Korea Society is bringing Startup Scene to Yale Ventures – connecting one of the world’s most dynamic consumer technology investors with Yale’s entrepreneurial community. We are honored to welcome Eric Kim, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Goodwater Capital and Yale University alumnus, for a fireside conversation on building global consumer technology companies across borders.
Eric Kim will reflect on his journey to founding Goodwater Capital, a leading global venture firm with a portfolio of transformative consumer technology companies including Kakao, Coupang, Spotify, ByteDance, and Stitch Fix. Please join us as Eric shares insights on the rise of the global startup ecosystem, cross-border investment strategy, and how investors identify and scale the next generation of consumer platforms.
This conversation will be moderated by Josh Geballe, Senior Associate Provost for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Yale University and Managing Director of Yale Ventures.
This program is supported by Hanwha Life
Co-Hosted with
In-person attendance for this event is limited to Yale University students. If you wish to view the post-event recording, please indicate your interest via the form provided.
Global Venture Without Borders: A Conversation with Eric Kim
Thursday, April 2, 2026 | 12:00 PM (EDT)
VIDEO RELEASE: Friday, April 10, 2026
Tsai CITY (Center for Innovative Thinking at Yale)
17 Prospect St, New Haven, CT
About the Speaker:
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Eric Kim
Goodwater Capital
Eric J. Kim is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Goodwater Capital, a global consumer technology venture capital firm. He has led investments in companies including Kakao, TikTok, Coupang, Xendit, Viva Republica (Toss), Daangn Market (Karrot), MoMo, Scentbird, Hallow, Midi Health, and Everlywell.
Previously, Eric was a Managing Director at Maverick Capital, where he helped build the firm’s global venture capital, leading investments across North America, Europe, and Asia. He began his career as a business analyst at McKinsey & Company.
Eric has long been involved in education and the arts. A classically trained cellist, he was a member of the Grammy-nominated Yale Cellos. He serves on the Board of Advisors for Yale University’s School of Music and on the boards of Empowerly and StudySmarter, companies operating at the intersection of AI and education, and previously served on the national board of College Track.
Eric earned his undergraduate degree in Cognitive Science from Yale University (Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude) and an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.
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About the Moderator:
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Josh Geballe is Senior Associate Provost for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Yale University and Managing Director of Yale Ventures. He is responsible for a wide range of services and programs for students, faculty, and the broader New Haven community to launch new startups based on Yale research, provide training in entrepreneurship and innovation, expand external research partnerships, and foster the growth of the local innovation and entrepreneurship community
Prior to launching Yale Ventures in 2022 Josh served as Chief Operating Officer for the State of Connecticut under Governor Ned Lamont. With responsibility for all executive branch agencies covering 30,000 employees, he led successful initiatives to modernize government operations and led the state's nationally recognized response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to his three years in public service Josh spent his career in the technology industry, most recently as CEO of Core Informatics, a venture-backed scientific software company that was acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific where he went on to serve as Vice President and General Manager of Digital Science. Previously he spent 11 years at IBM in a variety of international executive roles.
Josh serves on the boards of directors of several non-profit organizations, including ClimateHaven where he is the founding board chair, Connecticut Innovations, AdvanceCT, BioCT and the Mory’s Association.
Josh holds an MBA from the Yale School of Management and a BA from Yale University.
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