K-PAI

Silicon Valley Privacy-Preserving AI Forum

9 minute read

posted: 18-Feb-2026 & updated: 18-Feb-2026

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Invitation

K-PAI Community Members, Friends, Innovators, Energy Enthusiasts, and Investors!

⚡ POWERING THE FUTURE WITH K-PAI! ⚡

2026 has already started with incredible momentum! Our historic New Year Celebration brought our community together in ways we’ve never experienced before—with powerful reflections on leadership, record-breaking fundraising, and pure joy that reminded us why relationships are fundamental to everything we do.

Now we’re ready to dive back into the cutting edge of technology—but with a twist!

We are thrilled to invite you to K-PAI’s 15th Forum—a unique dual-track exploration connecting the physical foundations of our AI future (battery technology) with the financial engines that bring innovation to market (venture capital and startup ecosystems).

But here’s what makes this Forum truly special: 2 FULL HOURS of energized networking!

After comprehensive presentations on battery science and investment wisdom, we’re dedicating extended time for the kind of active, interactive, energized networking you can only experience at K-PAI. Connect with battery engineers, AI researchers, investors, founders, legal professionals, and fellow innovators in an environment designed for meaningful conversations and lasting relationships.

   

Why This Forum Matters

As AI scales exponentially, two questions become increasingly critical!

  1. Where will the energy come from? Battery technology isn’t just about electric vehicles—it’s about energy storage infrastructure, grid modernization, renewable integration, and the portable power that enables edge AI and autonomous systems.

  2. How do breakthrough technologies reach global scale? The journey from innovation to impact requires more than brilliant engineering—it demands strategic capital, market understanding, and the hard-earned wisdom of those who’ve built companies across continents.

Feb-2026 K-PAI Forum brings both perspectives together in one evening, followed by the networking time to forge connections that bridge technical excellence and business reality.

  • Please RSVP via this link!
  • Please visit K-PAI Membership to learn about our K-PAI membership for qualification and all exclusive perks you can enjoy!
  • Join us at K-PAI Members Kakaotalk Chatroom using this info (if you’re qualified)!

Event Schedule: Built for Connection

This Forum features a networking-optimized format:

Time Activity
5pm - 5:30pm Registration & Early Networking
5:30pm - 6:10pm Talk 1: Battery Technology Deep Dive + Q&A
6:10pm - 6:50pm Talk 2: Investment Landscape & Founder Journey + Q&A
6:50pm - 7pm MiSook Chung: K-PAI Groups Initiative
7pm - 9pm 🎉 Extended Networking Dinner (2 Full Hours!) 🎉

Why are we dedicating 2 hours to networking?

At our New Year Party, we learned something profound - the most valuable experiences happen not just when we’re learning about technology, but when we’re connecting with the people building it. The conversations during dinner, the spontaneous collaborations, the “you should meet…” introductions—these moments create lasting value.

So this Forum is designed to give you time. Time to find your future co-founder. Time to discover your next investor or advisor. Time to connect with someone working on the exact technical challenge you’re facing. Time to build relationships that matter.

Come for the insights. Stay for the connections. Leave with relationships that last.

Speaker: Nathan Chang - SVP at Samsung Electronics DSRA, ACM Fellow, and IEEE Fellow

This talk begins with the fundamentals of lithium-ion chemistry, cell architecture, and performance trade-offs between energy, power, lifetime, and safety. It then examines manufacturing processes, cost drivers, yield challenges, and scaling constraints that shape real-world competitiveness. We connect these technical and manufacturing realities to current market trends, including chemistry transitions, supply chain pressures, regional competition, and long-term cost evolution.

As artificial intelligence drives unprecedented computational demand and clean energy transitions reshape global infrastructure, battery technology emerges as a critical bottleneck and opportunity. This comprehensive session examines lithium-ion batteries from first principles to market realities.

What Makes This Relevant to K-PAI!

Battery technology intersects with K-PAI’s core themes in unexpected ways.

  • AI-driven optimization - Battery manufacturing, supply chain logistics, and performance prediction increasingly leverage ML
  • Energy infrastructure - The power demands of AI datacenters connect directly to grid-scale storage
  • Privacy-preserving collaboration - Battery companies share operational data through federated learning to improve processes without exposing IP
  • Korean technological leadership - Korea’s battery manufacturers (LG, Samsung, SK) represent some of the nation’s most advanced manufacturing and R&D capabilities

This talk provides the technical depth and market context to understand why batteries matter—not just for EVs, but for the entire AI-enabled, electrified future we’re building.

Talk 2: Seoul to Silicon Valley - Lessons Learned as a Founder and Investor

Speaker: David Lee - Investor, Entrepreneur, Tech & Media Exec, Producer

Join David Lee—prolific investor, tech executive, entrepreneur and one of Google’s first 200 employees—for an inside look at the his journey and lessons learned from the Silicon Valley venture capital and startup ecosystems.

Drawing on his experience backing over 150 companies, including giants like Facebook, Twitter, Wish and companies in Korea such as Olaworks and Miso, David provides a high-level investor’s perspective on what truly moves the needle for global operators. From the fundamentals of scaling to the current AI explosion with Poseidon and Higgsfield, he will share his experiences as an investor and entrepreneur for founders navigating the 2026 Silicon Valley landscape.

In this candid session, David shares hard-won lessons from two decades at the intersection of technology, capital, and entrepreneurship.

What Makes This Relevant to K-PAI!

Many K-PAI members are founders, aspiring founders, or early employees at startups. David’s perspective offers something rare: a view from inside the room where investment decisions happen, informed by actual operational experience building companies.

Whether you’re seeking funding, considering joining a startup, evaluating career moves, or simply curious about how Silicon Valley actually works behind the buzzwords—this session provides unfiltered insights from someone who has seen it all, succeeded and failed, and kept building anyway.

Special Session: K-PAI Groups Initiative

Presented by MiSook Chung - Former HR Leader @ Micron, Wharton CHRO, Connecting People, Purpose & Innovation

After our talks, MiSook Chung will introduce K-PAI’s organic groups (소모임) initiative—a framework for members to self-organize around shared interests, professional goals, and personal passions.

Why this matters?

Our New Year Party taught us something important - K-PAI’s value isn’t just in quarterly forums—it’s in ongoing relationships. K-PAI Groups provide structure for those relationships to deepen between our main events.

By the time we transition to dinner, you’ll have everything you need to either join an existing group or start your own!

For more information, visit our Groups page showcasing existing K-PAI Groups and their activities.

2 Hours of THE K-PAI Networking

7pm - 9pm - This is why you came!

Light dinner and refreshments, generously sponsored by Erudio Bio Korea, Inc., create the perfect environment for meaningful connections:

Professional Connections:

  • Meet potential co-founders, collaborators, advisors
  • Connect with investors, mentors, industry experts
  • Discover hiring opportunities or find your next role
  • Build relationships with Korean institutions and Silicon Valley organizations

Technical Exchange:

  • Discuss battery technology challenges with engineers working on energy storage
  • Explore AI/ML applications in manufacturing and supply chain
  • Share insights on privacy-preserving computation in industrial settings
  • Debate the future of energy infrastructure and sustainable tech

Cross-Pollination:

  • Battery engineers meet AI researchers (unexpected applications emerge)
  • Founders meet investors (real conversations, not rushed pitches)
  • Legal professionals meet technical teams (practical guidance on IP and compliance)
  • Experienced leaders meet early-career professionals (mentorship relationships form)

Cultural Community:

  • Connect with fellow Korean professionals navigating Silicon Valley
  • Share experiences, challenges, advice
  • Build the support network that makes a difference

And Yes, Fun:

  • Because the best conversations often happen when you’re laughing
  • Because professional networking doesn’t mean being professionally boring
  • Because K-PAI knows how to celebrate community

Pro Tips for Networking Success:

  1. Come with questions, not just answers! The best networkers are genuinely curious.
  2. Make introductions! “You should meet…” is the most powerful phrase in networking.
  3. Follow up within 48 hours! Connections fade fast without follow-through.
  4. Don’t just collect business cards! Have real conversations.
  5. Help before you ask! “How can I be useful to you?” opens doors.

Dinner Sponsor - Erudio Bio Korea, Inc.

We are deeply grateful to Erudio Bio Korea, Inc. for sponsoring the light dinner and refreshments that make our 2-hour networking session possible!

About Erudio Bio

Erudio Bio represents the convergence of AI innovation and biomedical breakthroughs that K-PAI exists to celebrate. Founded with dual presence in the United States (Erudio Bio, Inc.) and Korea (Erudio Bio Korea, Inc.), Erudio Bio is pioneering AI-powered platforms that are transforming cancer diagnostics and drug discovery.

Two Revolutionary Platforms:

1. Versatile Smart Assay (VSA) - Cancer Diagnostics Revolution

VSA technology enables ultra-sensitive, multiplexed detection of cancer biomarkers from minimal sample volumes. By combining advanced microfluidics, AI-driven analysis, and privacy-preserving computation, VSA makes precision oncology accessible and affordable.

2. bioTCAD™ - Drug Discovery Acceleration

bioTCAD™ (Biological Target-Compound Activity Discovery) applies AI to dramatically accelerate the drug discovery process. By intelligently modeling molecular interactions and predicting compound activity, bioTCAD™ reduces the time and cost of bringing new therapies to market.

Validation and Recognition

Erudio Bio’s work has garnered significant recognition:

  • $1 Million Gates Foundation Grant (2024): Supporting development of diagnostic technologies for global health challenges
  • Seoul National University Bundang Hospital Partnership: Joint development of cancer diagnostic devices with one of Korea’s leading medical institutions
  • Silicon Valley - Korea Bridge: Dual headquarters enabling seamless collaboration between U.S. innovation ecosystems and Korean clinical/manufacturing excellence

Learn more: www.erudio.bio

Why You Should Attend

If you’re a battery engineer or energy researcher

  • Hear comprehensive coverage of your field from fundamentals to market dynamics
  • Connect with AI/ML experts exploring applications in energy systems
  • Meet potential collaborators and learn about Korean institutions’ activities

If you’re in AI/ML

  • Understand the physical infrastructure constraints shaping AI’s future
  • Explore applications in manufacturing optimization and supply chain
  • Discover how energy storage connects to datacenter sustainability

If you’re a founder or aspiring founder

  • Get unfiltered insights from a legendary investor with 150+ investments
  • Learn what actually matters when raising capital
  • Connect with potential co-founders, advisors, investors
  • Understand how to navigate Korea-Silicon Valley dynamics

If you’re an investor or considering venture capital

  • Hear David Lee’s perspective on evaluating startups in 2026
  • Network with founders and operators in K-PAI’s community
  • Explore technical domains (like battery tech) that inform investment theses

If you’re a legal professional

  • Understand technical context for IP, regulatory, and compliance work
  • Connect with engineers and founders who need legal guidance
  • Build relationships with fellow legal professionals in tech

If you’re in business development, sales, or partnerships

  • Meet potential partners, customers, collaborators
  • Understand emerging technologies that drive new opportunities
  • Expand your professional network across technical and business domains

If you’re exploring career transitions or new opportunities

  • Discover what’s happening at the cutting edge of technology
  • Meet people who can open doors and provide guidance
  • Get exposure to both technical depth and business strategy

If you’re part of K-PAI’s community

  • Reconnect with friends from past forums
  • Meet new members who’ve joined since you last attended
  • Participate in the 소모임 initiative and find your tribe
  • Celebrate the relationships that make everything else possible

Target Audience

Everyone who is or wants to be part of the K-PAI community!

  • Current K-PAI members (you’re the guests of honor!)
  • Past forum attendees (welcome back!)
  • Anyone interested in joining our community
  • Friends and colleagues of K-PAI members
  • Technology professionals across all domains
  • Anyone passionate about responsible AI development
  • People who value genuine professional community

We will see you all there!

Best regards,
K-PAI Committee

Updated:

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