[For more diverse corporate information on the startup featured in this article, visit the Unicorn Factory big data platform 'Data Lab'.]
Venture capital firm SBVA has hired Peter Park (Peter Park·Park Jung-won), an investment director at SoftBank Vision Fund, as a venture partner. Director Park is expected to continue his role at Vision Fund while concurrently serving as an SBVA venture partner.
With this hire, SBVA now has a total of four venture partners. Following Ding'an Fei, a venture partner who helps operate SBVA's China office, Chris Lee and Kaz Yoshimaru, both former Vision Fund employees, joined earlier this year, making this the fourth recruitment.
SBVA plans to expand its global network across the United States, Japan, Southeast Asia, and other regions through the recruitment of venture partners. Venture partner Chris Lee is helping identify co-investment opportunities in Southeast Asia, raise new funds, and support portfolio companies' entry into local markets, while venture partner Kaz Yoshimaru is leading strategic advice and structuring for a new fund aimed at investing in U.S. startups. Venture partner Park is expected to contribute to expanding SBVA's network with Japan as its base.
Unlike general partners (GPs) at the management company, SBVA's venture partners are roles that identify investment opportunities and support the growth of portfolio companies based on expertise and networks built externally. As many hold concurrent positions, they operate while maintaining their existing affiliations, similar to Venture Partner Park.
Although Venture Partner Park comes from IT platform companies such as Google and LINE, SBVA has decided not to limit his role to specific industries. An SBVA official explained, "He is expected to take on the role of strengthening SBVA's network in Japan based on his past investment experience and networks, and supporting portfolio companies in discovering and expanding new business opportunities in the Japanese market."
Venture Partner Park graduated from the Wharton School and Northwestern University and began his career in investment banking at Citi Hong Kong. He subsequently worked at Google Singapore and LINE. Since joining SoftBank Vision Fund in 2019, he has identified companies in robotics, autonomous driving, fintech, and quantum computing. Notable examples include quantum software company Classiq and neutral atom-based quantum computer company QuEra.
This recruitment was led by Lee Jun-pyo, CEO of SBVA. The two formed a connection through an investment in SODA, the operator of the limited-edition trading platform SNKRDUNK. SBVA participated in SODA's Series B round in January 2021 and subsequently led its Series C round. Venture Partner Park invested in SODA's Series D round at Vision Fund, forming a connection with Lee (CEO). SODA is the first case where Vision Fund invested in a startup initially discovered by SBVA.
Lee Jun-pyo, CEO of SBVA, stated, "Peter is a rare figure who combines investment and operational experience across the United States and Asia," adding, "He will play a crucial role in building presence and networks in Japan as SBVA expands global investments and strengthens connections between Asian portfolio companies and markets."
SBVA started in 2000 as an early-stage investment VC under SoftBank Group and became an independent legal entity after being acquired by D.E.O.V, founded by Son Tae-jang, Lee Jun-pyo, and Taira Atsushi, in 2023. As of March this year, it manages approximately 290 billion won in assets. In Korea, it has discovered and invested in companies such as Lunit, Danggeun, Upstage, and SemiFive at their early stages.
[MoneyToday startup media platform Unicorn Factory]
in FUTURE
