Keep pulling the thread on John Kim.
Lila Sciences' business model involves using artificial intelligence combined with physical laboratories to create an improved scientific system.
The core strategic thesis of Lila Sciences, termed the "Lila paradox," is that to eliminate the need for laboratories with AI, one must first train the AI on vast amounts of data from those same laboratories.
John Kim claims that Lila Sciences is the largest firm in the world that trains its AI models on its own proprietary laboratory data, giving it a head start.
John Kim has raised more than $70 billion for venture capital and private equity firms throughout his career.
Following the 2009 financial crisis, mega-funds with strong fundraising capabilities were able to grow from approximately $6 billion to $20 billion in size.
John Kim asserts that General Partners often hire investor relations heads based on the persona they wish to project to the market, rather than on specific fundraising skills.
The compensation structure for investor relations professionals in the alternatives industry is often calculated as a blend of what associates, vice presidents, and partners are paid, weighted by the time spent on tasks typical for each level.
Underpaying senior investor relations partners relative to their deal partner counterparts creates a significant retention risk, as they can be easily recruited by other firms.
John Kim recently joined Lila Sciences, a General Catalyst portfolio company, as chairman and president of corporate development.
John Kim transitioned from General Catalyst to his current role at Lila Sciences after completing his final fundraiser for the venture firm.
John Kim's fundraising framework posits that the amount of money a fund can raise is a function of its track record plus its differentiation, divided by the complexity of its story.
According to John Kim, pension plan investors primarily seek respect for their process and requirements when being pitched.