From Korean TV Inspiration to $100M AI Fund: The 'Genius Girl' Story

A Dedicated Researcher's Journey to Venture Capital

While many students enjoyed their weekends, Songyee Yoon frequently found herself intensely focused on her studies at her university in South Korea. She would initiate complex programs on the institution’s supercomputer around dinnertime, remaining vigilant in her dormitory as the computations proceeded.

“I would often awaken at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. and walk to campus, driven by a strong desire to observe the results,” she recounted.

Inspiration for a Television Series

Yoon’s unusual dedication garnered attention on campus, ultimately serving as the basis for a character in a Korean television program centered around her college.

Although the initial intent wasn’t to model a character on a real person, the writer, through conversations with students, repeatedly encountered stories about this “peculiar girl.”

Consequently, Yoon became the inspiration for the character “Genius Girl” in the Korean TV show, KAIST.

From MIT PhD to Leading AI Investment

Today, a dramatization of Yoon’s life might resemble HBO’s “Silicon Valley.” Following the completion of her PhD at MIT, she ascended to the position of president at South Korean video game developer NCSoft.

Now, she is announcing the launch of Principal Venture Partners (PVP), a $100 million fund dedicated to supporting AI startups.

The fund will provide initial investments ranging from $100,000 to amounts in the “single-digit millions” and has already made investments in six companies, including the model-building firm, Liquid AI.

A Team of AI Luminaries

Yoon’s partners include prominent figures in the field of AI research. Daniela Rus, a highly respected researcher whom Yoon met during her tenure on MIT’s board, is among them.

Dawn Song, a MacArthur Fellow renowned for her work on computer security, and Jeremy Nixon, the founder of AGI House, a well-known AI “hacker house” attracting talented entrepreneurs, also contribute their expertise.

PVP distinguishes itself as one of the few investment firms boasting such a strong foundation of academic expertise, which Yoon believes provides a competitive edge in securing promising deals.

The Value of Diverse Perspectives

“Founders will appreciate having a diverse group of advisors offering varied viewpoints,” she stated.

Yoon contends that the research backgrounds of the PVP team provide a deep understanding of AI’s historical development and its potential future trajectory.

Betting on AI-Native Companies

The team anticipates that the next wave of highly successful companies will be those built around AI from their inception – AI-native companies – rather than those retrofitting AI onto existing platforms.

Yoon isn’t concerned about potentially missing opportunities to invest in foundational companies like OpenAI or Anthropic.

“Considering the top 10 companies on the NASDAQ, over half are digital-native businesses that emerged after the widespread adoption of broadband,” she explained.

Investment Focus and Industry Transformation

The firm will invest across various sectors, with Yoon expressing particular enthusiasm for AI’s potential to revolutionize the insurance industry.

This includes applications like simplifying insurance plan comprehension for consumers and the development of insurance products for autonomous robots.

Addressing Cultural Colonialism in AI

Yoon also acknowledges the risk of AI exacerbating cultural colonialism, a subject she addressed in a recent publication.

She cited the example of large model developers asserting that their AI is trained on “all the data in the world.”

“However, it’s important to recognize that 35% of the global population lacks access to broadband,” Yoon pointed out.

“Consequently, they are unable to contribute to the data used for AI training, leading to the underrepresentation of their cultures and perspectives.”

Promoting Representation and Understanding

She concedes that this is a complex issue requiring ongoing dialogue and increased representation within the industry – exemplified by an AI-focused fund with a diverse partnership, such as PVP.

“While we don’t market ourselves as a ‘female fund,’ I’ve observed that many female founders approach us knowing we’ll be more empathetic,” Yoon shared.

“And that we’re better equipped to recognize their genuine strengths and capabilities.”