Sign In

Mike Kim

Head of Google for Startups, APAC

Mike Kim is the Head of Google for Startups for both the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and Korea. He has been in this role since December 2019 and December 2020, respectively. His work focuses on empowering and supporting startups across Asia, leveraging Google's extensive resources to foster innovation and entrepreneurship.23

Background and Experience

  • Education: Mike graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Davis.3
  • Previous Roles:
    • Before joining Google, he worked at LinkedIn, leading Global Business Development for their Profile and Higher Education product teams.
    • He also served as Senior Director of Corporate Development for Baedal Minjok, Korea's largest mobile food ordering service, and held positions at Monster Worldwide and Zynga.23
  • Entrepreneurial Ventures: While still a student, he founded University Passport, a college touring company, and later created Yollege, a college review site recognized by BusinessWeek as one of the Top 5 Newcomers to the Web in 2008.23

Personal Connection to Korea

Mike has strong personal ties to Korea; both of his parents immigrated from there, and he maintains close family connections in the country. His passion for supporting the Korean startup ecosystem is deeply rooted in these connections.12

Vision at Google for Startups

Under Mike's leadership, Google for Startups aims to provide tailored support to entrepreneurs by offering mentorship, training programs, and access to Google's network. The initiative includes physical campuses where startups can collaborate and innovate.13 Mike is particularly focused on addressing the unique challenges faced by startups in different regions, ensuring that Google’s resources are effectively utilized to foster local ecosystems.12

Highlights

Sep 4 · linkedin

Google for Startups is thrilled to launch Year 3 of our 'Startup School: AI' program in Busan!

Last week, with Mayor HeongJoon Park and local startup leaders, we kicked off our 2024 program to ensure we continue to develop this dynamic city into a global startup hub. Hope to see many of you there!

Aug 22 · linkedin

Earlier in the year, in collaboration with Seoul Mayor, Sehoon Oh, we launched Google for Startups 'Startup School AI' with the shared vision of training thousands of startups on emerging Ai technology.

As we look towards 2025, we are excited to continue to work together to not only develop Seoul into one of the most dynamic startup ecosystems in the world, but a global leader on #Ai.

Related Questions

What are some of the key programs Mike Kim oversees at Google for Startups in Korea?
How has Mike Kim's background influenced his approach to supporting startups in the APAC region?
What unique challenges does Mike Kim face in the Korean startup ecosystem?
How does Google for Startups tailor its support to different regions like Korea?
What are some success stories from startups that Mike Kim has worked with?
Mike Kim
Mike Kim, photo 1
Mike Kim, photo 2
Add to my network

Location

Singapore