{"$schema":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jsonresume/resume-schema/v1.0.0/schema.json","basics":{"name":"Derrick Kang","label":"COO of DiiVER","image":"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/a/ACg8ocKo9AFLpO6r08xjE4iF7FQhoRgU9-0j6fQrzU8LFmL4dSlxgNs=s96-c","summary":"Derrick is an expert in strategy development, business acceleration, and startup ecosystem building with over 8 years of professional experience. Currently serving as Director of Business Development at beSUCCESS and Senior Investment Associate at 1004 Partners, he specializes in connecting Korean startups with global opportunities and investors. Previously, as Head of Strategy Development at COMEUP HQ, he played a pivotal role in running Korea's largest startup event. During his 4 years with COMEUP, he worked with players from both the private and public sector to attract over 180K+ attendees, 400+ speakers, 3K+ investors, etc. He also served as Team Leader of Business Strategy Department at Korea Startup Forum, the biggest startup association in Korea with 1,500+ startup members. His previous positions include Researcher at Future Consensus Institute (one of Korea's most prominent institute), Manager at Sungkyunkwan University GSB (top-tier university MBA program), Research Assistant at Sejong Institute (one of Korea's most distinguished think tank). Derrick holds a master's degree in Political Science and a BA degree in Philosophy both at his alma mater, Sungkyunkwan University. He is also extremely skilled in English with over 10+ years of overseas experience in the US. The key competencies that Derrick possesses include: - Significant experience with proven skills focused on project management, strategy planning, partnership building and event organizing in the Startup Ecosystem - Expertise in global business development and investment attraction - Extensive knowledge on startup ecosystems and investment landscape - Excellent team management skills, networking and communication skills","location":{"city":"Seoul, South Korea"},"profiles":[{"network":"LinkedIn","username":"derrickkang","url":"https://linkedin.com/in/derrickkang"}]},"meta":{"canonical":"https://saywise.com/derrickkangnim","version":"v1.0.0","lastModified":"2026-08-24T23:53:07.340Z"},"x_saywise":{"handle":"derrickkangnim","pronouns":null,"availability":null,"oneLiner":"Derrick is an expert in strategy development, business acceleration, and startup ecosystem building with over 8 years of professional experience. Currently serving as Director of Business Development at beSUCCESS and Senior Investment Associate at 1004 Partners, he specializes in connecting Korean startups with global opportunities and investors. Previously, as Head of Strategy Development at COMEUP HQ, he played a pivotal role in running Korea's largest startup event. During his 4 years with COMEUP, he worked with players from both the private and public sector to attract over 180K+ attendees, 400+ speakers, 3K+ investors, etc. He also served as Team Leader of Business Strategy Department at Korea Startup Forum, the biggest startup association in Korea with 1,500+ startup members. His previous positions include Researcher at Future Consensus Institute (one of Korea's most prominent institute), Manager at Sungkyunkwan University GSB (top-tier university MBA program), Research Assistant at Sejong Institute (one of Korea's most distinguished think tank). Derrick holds a master's degree in Political Science and a BA degree in Philosophy both at his alma mater, Sungkyunkwan University. He is also extremely skilled in English with over 10+ years of overseas experience in the US. The key competencies that Derrick possesses include: - Significant experience with proven skills focused on project management, strategy planning, partnership building and event organizing in the Startup Ecosystem - Expertise in global business development and investment attraction - Extensive knowledge on startup ecosystems and investment landscape - Excellent team management skills, networking and communication skills","profileUrl":"https://saywise.com/derrickkangnim","markdownUrl":"https://saywise.com/derrickkangnim/profile.md","pdfUrl":"https://saywise.com/derrickkangnim/resume.pdf","archetype":{"code":"OS-DG","name":"Foundry Navigator","url":"https://saywise.com/sca/69c96ae4ea5e","rarity":"One of the first Foundry Navigators on Saywise"}},"work":[{"name":"\bDiiVER","position":"Chief Operating Officer","location":"Seoul, South Korea","url":"https://diiver.kr","startDate":"2025-12-01","summary":"Anything needed to grow our company"},{"name":"AngelRound","position":"Senior Investment Associate","location":"Seoul, South Korea","startDate":"2023-11-01","endDate":"2025-12-01","summary":"About AngelRound: AngelRound streamlines the fundraising process for early-stage startups by connecting ethical founders with the right investors, fostering fair, efficient, and sustainable startup–investor relationships. My Role & Achievements: - Designed deal sourcing and investor matching strategies for early-stage startups, creating a pipeline of high-potential investment opportunities. - Led investment due diligence including business model assessment, market potential analysis, and financial review for startup candidates. - Expanded the investor network and facilitated 100+ startup–investor matching opportunities, accelerating funding and partnership deals. - Served as a judge for external startup pitch competitions, evaluating innovation, scalability, and market readiness of early-stage ventures."},{"name":"beSUCCESS","position":"Director","location":"Seoul, South Korea","startDate":"2023-11-01","endDate":"2025-11-01","summary":"About beSUCCESS: beSUCCESS is a leading startup media and business strategy firm in South Korea, supporting startups with global branding, investor relations, and go-to-market strategies. My Role & Achievements: - Spearheaded strategic planning and government project bids, securing ₩20B (~$15M) in funding. - Led the launch of international branding services, driving 20% YoY revenue growth through global partnerships and sales expansion. - Managed a 100+ startup & investor network, facilitating cross-border investment and partnership opportunities. - Oversaw end-to-end service planning, sales pipeline development, and operational process optimization."},{"name":"Korea Startup Forum","position":"Team Leader","location":"대한민국 서울","url":"https://kstartupforum.org","startDate":"2022-04-01","endDate":"2023-11-01","summary":"About Korea Startup Forum (KSF): KSF is South Korea’s largest startup association with 2,000+ member startups, fostering innovation through policy advocacy, startup support programs, and global networking platforms. My Role & Achievements: - Directed strategic planning for private-sector funding projects, securing ₩140B (~$100M) through partnerships with Samsung, Google, Naver, Kakao Ventures, and more. - Scaled Korea’s top startup platform to 50,000+ annual visitors, hosting 400+ speakers and 1,400+ B2B meetings globally. - Led open innovation programs connecting 100+ corporates with 500 startups worldwide, driving commercialization and investment deals."},{"name":"COMEUP (컴업)","position":"Head","location":"Seoul, South Korea","startDate":"2020-07-01","endDate":"2023-11-01","summary":"About COMEUP: COMEUP is Asia’s leading global startup event, providing a platform for startups, investors, and corporates to connect, collaborate, and grow. My Role & Achievements: - Built and led a 15-member operations team, scaling the event to 50,000+ attendees and 100+ corporate partners annually. - Designed and executed investor–startup matchmaking platforms, enabling 1,400+ business meetings and multiple follow-on funding rounds. - Elevated COMEUP’s global brand presence through 30+ media partnerships and cross-border collaboration initiatives."},{"name":"Yeosijae","position":"Researcher","location":"Seoul, South Korea","startDate":"2019-06-01","endDate":"2020-07-01","summary":"About Yeosijae: Yeosijae is a leading public policy think tank in Korea, focusing on future innovation, economic strategy, and digital transformation research. My Role & Achievements: - Secured ₩2B (~$1.5M) in research funding through proposal writing and strategic project planning. - Published digital policy reports attracting 1,000+ monthly readers, engaging policymakers and industry experts. - Coordinated executive board meetings and policy forums, enhancing institutional visibility and collaboration."},{"name":"SKK GSB Sungkyunkwan University","position":"Manager","location":"Seoul, South Korea","startDate":"2017-10-01","endDate":"2018-09-01","summary":"About SKK GSB: SKK GSB is a globally recognized business school in Korea, offering top-tier MBA programs in collaboration with leading U.S. institutions. My Role & Achievements: - Managed 200+ MBA students and 20+ international faculty members, streamlining program operations and academic exchanges. - Established global academic partnerships and student exchange programs with top universities. - Reduced onboarding time for international faculty by launching structured orientation programs."},{"name":"Sejong Institute","position":"Research Assistant","location":"Seongnam, Gyeonggi, South Korea","startDate":"2015-11-01","endDate":"2017-09-01","summary":"About Sejong Institute: Sejong Institute is Korea’s most prominent independent think tank, focusing on foreign policy, security, and international relations research. My Role & Achievements: - Conducted data-driven research and policy analysis for government-funded international relations projects. - Organized policy seminars and academic forums, strengthening knowledge-sharing among policymakers and researchers. - Supported research publication efforts, contributing to KCI/SSCI-indexed academic papers and reports."}],"education":[{"institution":"성균관대학교(SKKU)","studyType":"석사 in 정치외교학","startDate":"2016-01-01","endDate":"2019-01-01"},{"institution":"성균관대학교(SKKU)","studyType":"학사 in 유학동양학","startDate":"2008-01-01","endDate":"2016-01-01"},{"institution":"Daewon Foreign Language High School","studyType":"프랑스어","startDate":"2002-01-01","endDate":"2005-01-01"}],"skills":[{"name":"Deal Sourcing"},{"name":"Angel Investing"},{"name":"Investor Relations"},{"name":"Strategic Partnerships"},{"name":"Business Development"},{"name":"International Business Development"},{"name":"Global Sourcing"},{"name":"Startup Development"},{"name":"International Sales"},{"name":"New Business Development"},{"name":"Media Relations"},{"name":"Literature Reviews"},{"name":"Research Design"},{"name":"Online Research"},{"name":"Operations Management"},{"name":"Faculty Management"},{"name":"Program Management"},{"name":"Training and Development (HR)"},{"name":"Project Planning"},{"name":"Project Management"},{"name":"Team Management"},{"name":"Strategic Planning"},{"name":"Team Leadership"},{"name":"Leadership"},{"name":"Communication"},{"name":"Analytical Skills"},{"name":"팀운영"},{"name":"소통"},{"name":"리더십"},{"name":"영어"}]}