#16 - Corporate Venturing Backing the AI Transformation w/ Ji Hoon Kwon (Samsung Ventures)

🎙️ AI Infrastructure, minus the buzzwords. In this episode, Ji Hoon Kwon (Managing Director, Samsung Ventures) explains where AI data centers really choke (power, thermal, and networking) why baseload energy matters, and how a CVC can move at VC speed while creating value beyond capital. He also pressure-tests “future” ideas like floating and space data centers with an operator’s lens.Highlights🔌 Power is bottleneck #1. GPU draw jumped to ~1–1.2 kW per chip; racks push ~120 kW, and lost power turns into heat.🌡️ Thermal follows power. More watts mean more heat; rethink electrical and cooling together.⚙️ Next wave: power electronics. Efficiency in conversion and distribution becomes the lever.🔋 Baseload beats intermittency. 24/7 AI favors SMR nuclear and geothermal over variable-only supply.🧪 Diligence that saves time. Run technical and financial checks in parallel; decide fast or pass fast.🤝 Value after the check. Open doors across BUs—manufacturing, customers, and design-ins—not just capital.🛟 Future formats, reality check. Floating and space DCs have promise, but corrosion, maintenance, connectivity, and launch costs are tough.📈 What makes a “good” CVC deal. Strategic fit matters, but financial returns still keep the engine running.Resources:📬 Open Road Ventures Newsletter⚡ Bundl Venture Club