Samsung Next is an innovation group empowering a global ecosystem of builders and founders to bring their software and services to life.

Information Technology

Samsung Next

Moran Uliel

Reshma Mohammed

David Lee is the current Head of [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next) at Samsung. Prior to this, they were a Managing Partner at [Refactor Capital](/org/refactor-capital) from January 2016 to January 2021. David was also a Managing Partner at SV Angel LLC from August 2007 to May 2015, where they made investments in [Coinbase](/org/coinbase), [Blockstack](/org/blockstack), Chain.com, LedgerX, [Flatiron Health](/org/flatiron-health), [Airbnb](/org/airbnb), [Stripe](/org/stripe),, [Dropbox](/org/dropbox), Github and others. From September 2003 to March 2007, David Lee was a Principal at Google Inc., where they led new business development efforts related to video and other multimedia search and advertising projects. Before that, they were an Associate at Morrison and Foerster LLP from October 2000 to October 2003, where they focused on technology-related transactions and structured, negotiated and closed transactions related to the Internet, computer software, hardware, and other technologies in a variety of industries. David Lee has also held positions as a Tee Ball Manager at Bees from May 2015 to January 2016, and as Head of Business Development at StumbleUpon Inc. from April 2007 to August 2007.

David Lee has a JD from New York University School of Law, an MS in Electrical Engineering from [Stanford University](/org/stanford), and a BA in Physics/Mathematics from The Johns Hopkins University.

Some direct reports include Michael Shim - Chief of Staff, Hyungchul Shin - Senior Director, Business Development, and Sam Gu - Head of [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next) Korea.

David Lee

Jordan Hoffner is the current Chief Operating Officer at [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next). Prior to this, they were the CEO of Salon Media Group, Inc. from May 2016 to May 2019, where they orchestrated the sale of the company. From February 2014 to October 2015, Hoffner served as the CEO of Federated Media Publishing, Inc., a subsidiary of Media General (NYSE: MEG). Jordan was also the CEO of Triemt Corp. from November 2011 to February 2014. Hoffner has also held the position of President, Digital Media at Electus from November 2009 to November 2011, and Head of Premium and Information Content Partnerships at Google from September 2006 to December 2006.

Jordan Hoffner received their Master of Business Administration (MBA) from NYU Stern School of Business with a concentration in finance. Jordan also holds a BA from [Vassar College](/org/vassar-college) in Urban Studies.

They are on a team with Hyungchul Shin - Senior Director, Business Development, Michael Shim - Chief of Staff, and Sam Gu - Head of [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next) Korea. Their manager is David Lee, Head of [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next). Some individuals on their team include Fadi Zananiri - Head of Sales, Josh Freeman - Head of Platform, and Helen Lin - Head of People Operations.

Jordan Hoffner

Hyungchul Shin is currently the Senior Director of Business Development at [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next). Prior to this, they worked as a Senior Manager at HQ Corporate Development for Samsung Electronics from May 2013 to January 2016. In this role, they were responsible for spearheading strategic acquisitions and investments, performing analysis across various sectors, and managing company-wide restructuring projects.

Before joining Samsung, Hyungchul worked as a Vice President at [Standard Chartered Bank](/org/standard-chartered-bank) from August 2006 to March 2013, where they advised clients on multiple M&A advisory assignments covering a wide range of sectors. Hyungchul started their career as an Equity Research Analyst at [Macquarie Group](/org/macquarie-group) from June 2003 to July 2006.

Hyungchul has extensive experience in M&A, corporate development, and strategy. Hyungchul is a key player in driving growth and long-term success for Samsung.

Hyungchul Shin is a 19 GEMBA Candidate at [INSEAD](/org/insead). Hyungchul has a Bachelor's degree in Economics from [Seoul National University](/org/seoul-national-university). Hyungchul also has certification from [CFA Institute](/org/cfa-institute) in CFA and certification from [AICPA](/org/aicpa).

Hyungchul Shin reports to David Lee, Head of [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next). They are on a team with Brendon Kim - Head of Investments, Jordan Hoffner - Chief Operating Officer, and Sam Gu - Head of [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next) Korea.

Hyungchul Shin

Emily Koster is a communications professional with over eight years of experience in the industry. Emily currently works as the Comms at [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next), and has previously worked as the Director, PR & Communications at [Text100](/org/text100), and Marketing Manager at Canary Foundation. Emily has a proven track record in supporting communications programs for brands including NVIDIA, [Cisco](/org/cisco), HARMAN and [Blackberry](/org/blackberry). Emily is a motivated individual with a passion for marketing and PR, and has used their skills to help [Stanford University](/org/stanford) non-profit focused on cancer early detection.

Emily Koster's educational career includes a BA in Emily'story and Spanish from the [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](/org/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill), as well as a degree from the University of Havana.

Emily Koster reports to Angie Lee, Head of Brand and Marketing.

Emily Koster

Michael Shim is currently the Chief of Staff at [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next). Prior to this, they were a Product Strategy Manager at Samsung Electronics from March 2019 to January 2022. Before that, they were a Senior Associate at [KPMG](/org/kpmg) from January 2015 to February 2019, and a Research Analyst at The Boston Consulting Group from April 2014 to July 2014. Shim began their career as the Chief of Staff to the IFRS Foundation Trustee at the Korean Accounting Standards Board (KASB) from June 2013 to February 2014.

Michael Shim attended Daewon Foreign Language High School and Henry M. Gunn High School before earning their Bachelor of Arts in Statistics from the University of California, Berkeley.

They are on a team with Brendon Kim - Head of Investments, Hyungchul Shin - Senior Director, Business Development, and Sam Gu - Head of [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next) Korea. Their manager is David Lee, Head of [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next).

Michael Shim

Ryan Park is currently a Senior Financial Analyst at [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next). Prior to this, they worked as an Assistant Manager at Katana Sushi & Sake from April 2014 to April 2017. Before that, they were with Seoul Art Inc. as part of their Supply Chain Management team from February 2012 to January 2013.

Ryan Park began their educational career by studying human resources management and services at [San Jose State University](/org/san-jose-state-university). Ryan then went on to study business administration and management at De Anza College.

Ryan Park reports to Brendon Kim, Head of Investments. They are on a team with Eyal Miller - Managing Director, General Manager, Israel, Raymond Liao - Managing Director.

Ryan Park

Eyal Miller is the Managing Director and General Manager of [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next) in Israel. Eyal was previously a Principal at Google from February 2006 to June 2015, responsible for scouting and outreach with Israeli startups, resulting in dozens of alliances and partnerships. Eyal has also negotiated and executed complex deals across international regions (NA, EMEA and Africa) with strategic partners and private, public and government entities. Prior to their time at Google, Eyal was a Senior Consultant at [Amdocs](/org/amdocs) from January 2000 to December 2005.

Eyal Miller has a MBA in marketing and finance from [Tel Aviv University](/org/tel-aviv-university). Eyal also has a B.Sc from [Tel Aviv University](/org/tel-aviv-university).

They work with and Raymond Liao - Managing Director. Their manager is Brendon Kim, Head of Investments. Jonathan Machado - Managing Director, Investments, Tal Achituv - Technical Director, and Royi Benyossef - Director, Investments report to Eyal Miller.

Eyal Miller

Brendon Kim is the current head of investments at [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next). Brendon has over 25 years of experience in the investment industry. Brendon started their career as an associate at Coopers & Lybrand SMS in 1989 and then moved to [Altos Ventures](/org/altos-ventures) in 1996. Brendon has been with [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next) since 2016 and has been instrumental in helping the company invest in some of the most innovative startups around the world.

Brendon Kim has an MBA from [Stanford University](/org/stanford)'s Graduate School of Business, as well as an AB in Woodrow Wilson School of Public Policy from [Princeton University](/org/princeton). Brendon also has a Master of Business Administration - MBA from [Stanford University](/org/stanford)'s Graduate School of Business, and a Bachelor of Arts - BA from [Princeton University](/org/princeton).

Some individuals on their team include Raymond Liao - Managing Director, Eyal Miller - Managing Director, General Manager, Israel. Their manager is David Lee, Head of [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next). Some of their coworkers include Jordan Hoffner - Chief Operating Officer, Hyungchul Shin - Senior Director, Business Development, and Michael Shim - Chief of Staff.

Brendon Kim

Tal Achituv is a Technical Director at [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next). Tal was previously a Research Assistant / Graduate Candidate at MIT Media Lab from January 2013 to December 2018. Prior to that, they were the CTO at Purpose, Inc. from January 2013 to September 2014. Tal also worked as a Software Engineer / Product Manager at Second Decimal from May 2011 to October 2013. From June 2007 to November 2008, Tal Achituv was the CTO / VP R&D - Israel at Matchcraft Inc. where they managed the development process across three continents and performed CTO, Pre-sale, Product Magement, and SCRUM Master roles. From April 2006 to June 2007, they worked as a Senior Software Engineer at Hewlett-Packard (Mercury Division) where they were responsible for developing server-side on a leading product in the ITIL market, today "HP Universal CMDB" and for transitioning to SCRUM based Agile Methodologies. Tal Achituv also worked as an Application Defense R&D at Imperva Inc. from January 2004 to December 2004 and as a Software Engineer at Schema Ltd. from January 2003 to December 2004. Tal is also a Co-founder / CTO at Compugician from September 2008 to December 2018.

Tal Achituv has a Master of Science in Media Arts and Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Tal also studied towards a M.Sc. in Applied Math & Computer Science at the Weizmann Institue of Science. Tal's undergraduate degree is in Computer Science from [Reichman University](/org/idc-herzliya) (IDC Herzliya). Tal also has certification from the [Federal Communications Commission](/org/federal-communications-commission) in Amateur Radio License, Scuba Schools International in Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver, and Israel Defense Forces in Satellite Operator.

They work with Royi Benyossef - Director, Investments, Jonathan Machado - Managing Director, Investments. Their manager is Eyal Miller, Managing Director, General Manager, Israel.

Tal Achituv

Josh Freeman is the current Head of Platform at [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next). Prior to this, they were the Chief Digital Media Officer for Science Magazine from March 2017 to November 2018. In this role, they led a team of nearly 50 responsible for the execution of the digital strategy for the Science journals as well as for production and distribution on all platforms, the art and design teams, social media, analytics, and multimedia. Prior to that, they were the Founding General Manager of Trellis - the online platform for scientific communication from January 2014 to November 2018. In this role, they were responsible for building and operating Trellis, an online communication and collaboration platform for members of the scientific community.

Josh Freeman has an MBA with Distinction from [Harvard Business School](/org/harvard-business-school), an MPA in International Trade and Security from Harvard Kennedy School, and a B.A. cum laude in Russian Studies from [Amherst College](/org/amherst-college). Josh also attended [Gilman School](/org/gilman-school-inc).

Josh Freeman reports to Jordan Hoffner, Chief Operating Officer. Some of their coworkers include Angie Lee - Head of Brand and Marketing, Ashley Kraska - Head of Business Development, and Vivian Lovett - Head of Legal.

Josh Freeman

Fadi Zananiri is the current Head of Sales at [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next). Prior to this, they were the Chief Revenue Officer at [Inbenta](/org/inbenta) from December 2014 to June 2019. Fadi has also held positions as Sr. Account Executive - Americas at [BroadVision](/org/broadvision) and Head of Sales & Business Development, Enterprise Marketing Management at Transiris Corporation.

Fadi has extensive experience in sales, business development, and customer engagement. Fadi has a proven track record in driving revenue growth and building successful sales teams. Fadi is a strategic thinker with a passion for using technology to solve complex problems and improve customer experiences.

Fadi Zananiri has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Management from the [University of San Francisco](/org/university-of-san-francisco). Fadi also has a Master's Degree in Computer Science with a specialization in Software Engineering from [National University](/org/national-university). Lastly, they have an MBA in Business Administration and Management from [Sonoma State University](/org/sonoma-state-university). In addition to their degrees, Fadi Zananiri is also certified by IBM as an Enterprise Marketing Management (Sales Mastery) and by OutSystems Agile Platform as an OutSystems Agile Platform Certified - Trainee Developer, Associate Sizer, and Trainee Engagement Manager.

Fadi Zananiri reports to Jordan Hoffner, Chief Operating Officer. Fadi Zananiri works with Angie Lee - Head of Brand and Marketing, Josh Freeman - Head of Platform, and Helen Lin - Head of People Operations.

Fadi Zananiri

Vivian Lovett is the Head of Legal at [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next). Vivian has a wealth of experience in corporate law, having worked as a managing associate at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP from 2011 to 2015, and as a corporate attorney at the [University of California](/org/regents-of-the-university-of-california) from 2010 to 2011. Vivian began their legal career as a summer associate at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP in 2008, and later worked as a legal intern at Gap, Inc. in 2007.

Vivian Lovett attended the [University of Southern California](/org/university-of-southern-california), where they earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management. Vivian then attended the [University of California](/org/regents-of-the-university-of-california), Los Angeles School of Law, where they earned their Doctor of Law.

Some of their coworkers include Josh Freeman - Head of Platform, Fadi Zananiri - Head of Sales, and Ashley Kraska - Head of Business Development. Vivian Lovett reports to Jordan Hoffner, Chief Operating Officer.

Vivian Lovett

Helen Lin is currently the Head of People Operations at [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next). Prior to this, they were with Appirio as a Senior Manager for Compensation, Benefits, and Systems. Helen also worked with [AECOM](/org/aecom) as the Global Compensation Center of Excellence Leader. Other notable positions include Performance Management Coach & Recruiting Manager with Oakland Unified School District and Compensation Consultant with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan. 

Lin has extensive experience in compensation design, HRIS implementation, benefits management, and global compensation strategy. Helen is a key contact for all benefits programs and advises on international transfers, including work visa processing. 

Lin has a proven track record in developing successful compensation programs and managing complex HRIS conversions. Helen is an expert in managing human resources metrics reporting and has a deep understanding of international employment law.

Helen Lin has a Master's degree in International Employment Relations and Human Resources Management from the [London School of Economics and Political Science](/org/london-school-of-economics-and-political-science) (LSE). Helen also has a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley. Helen is certified by [SHRM](/org/shrm) in SPHR (inactive).

Their manager is Jordan Hoffner, Chief Operating Officer. Some of their coworkers include Angie Lee - Head of Brand and Marketing, Vivian Lovett - Head of Legal, and Josh Freeman - Head of Platform.

Helen Lin

Sam Gu is the current director of Samsung NEXT Korea. Prior to this role, Gu held various positions at Samsung NEXT and Samsung Electronics. From 2014 to 2020, Gu served as senior manager of M&A, operations, and partnerships at Samsung NEXT. In this role, they were responsible for corporate development strategy, incorporation of Samsung NEXT LLC and Samsung NEXT Fund, and post-merger partnerships. From 2018 to 2022, Gu served as director of new business projects at the corporate management office of Samsung Electronics. In this role, they were responsible for identifying new business areas and developing corp dev strategy in gaming, metaverse, and biotech. From 2003 to 2014, Gu served as manager of product innovation and global partnerships at Mobile eXperience of Samsung Electronics. In this role, they were responsible for the world’s first Windows tablet - Win 8 developer preview, a predecessor of Samsung ATIV/MS Surface, and Samsung’s first gaming laptop, a predecessor of the Samsung Odyssey gaming series.

Sam Gu pursued an Executive MBA in Business Administration and Management, General from [Seoul National University](/org/seoul-national-university). Prior to that, Sam Gu completed a BA in Public Administration from [Yonsei University](/org/yonsei-university).

Their manager is David Lee, Head of [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next). Sam Gu works with Jordan Hoffner - Chief Operating Officer, Brendon Kim - Head of Investments, and Hyungchul Shin - Senior Director, Business Development.

Sam Gu

Jonathan Machado

Raymond Liao is the current Managing Director at Samsung NEXT. Raymond has held this position since 2019. Prior to this, they were a director at [OXIO](/org/oxio) from 2017 to 2019. From 2016 to 2017, they were the CEO and co-founder of Expeto. Raymond has also worked as the CTO of [Space and Time](/org/space-and-time), the CEO of FreedomFi, and the Chief Product Officer of [IoTeX](/org/iotex). Liao has a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan and a master's degree in business administration from [Stanford University](/org/stanford).

Raymond Liao began their educational career by earning a B.E. in Electronics & Information Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Raymond then went on to earn a M.A.Sc. in Communications Group from the University of Toronto before interning at AT&T Labs Cambridge, UK in the Wireless ATM field. Lastly, they earned their Ph.D. from Columbia Engineering in COMET Group Electrical Engineering.

Their manager is Brendon Kim, Head of Investments. They are on a team with and Eyal Miller - Managing Director, General Manager, Israel.

Raymond Liao

Royi Benyossef

Miguel Cruz

Angie Lee

Ashley Kraska is currently the Head of Business Development at [Samsung Next](/org/samsung-next). Prior to this, they were a Co-Founder at E3 Vision where they provided business consulting with an emphasis on business development, partnerships and marketing to clients across multiple industries including media, tech and biotech. Ashley has also held the position of Vice President, Sales & Business Development, Television & New Media Distribution at NBCUniversal Media, LLC from January 2004 to December 2016. In this role, they were responsible for developing new business and formulating content and digital distribution strategies for film and TV library of 7K+ titles across myriad channels, platforms and partnerships generating $1.3B in annual revenue. Some of their standout achievements include facilitating major partnership for the release of Curious George on Hulu, resulting in historic revenue; championing first digital distribution for fan-favorite titles like Jaws, The Office, Jurassic Park, and Law & Order: SVU; and developing partnerships for hard-to-sell reality TV content, elevating brand appeal & expanding buyer base to achieve revenue. Ashley has been recognized as top talent and has been chosen for internal consulting teams to advise on investments around next-generation entertainment technology including gaming and AR/VR.

Ashley Kraska attended [Duke University](/org/duke-university) for their BA in Public Policy. After working in the field for a few years, they decided to pursue their MBA at Columbia Business School.

A direct report to Ashley Kraska is and Miguel Cruz - Business Development. Ashley Kraska reports to Jordan Hoffner, Chief Operating Officer. They work with Fadi Zananiri - Head of Sales, Angie Lee - Head of Brand and Marketing, and Vivian Lovett - Head of Legal.

Samsung Next

Org chart

Teams

Leadership Team

CEO and Executive Team