HJ Hong

Associate

HJ (Huck Jun) joins Romulus from Columbia University, where he worked on cancer immunotherapy and CRISPR-Cas9 research at the university’s Cancer Research Center. Prior to this, he worked on using the world’s most potent biosynthesized neurotoxin (tetrodotoxin) for producing analgesic and antitumor agents at Biosensor Research Institute, Seoul National University of Science and Technology. He has also founded and led an internationally recognized community service project in Laos with the Africa-Asia Development Relief Foundation.

Coming from a family background of real estate and investing, HJ has seen companies grow alongside him since youth. At Romulus, HJ focuses on investments in the healthcare, pharma-tech, and construction tech sectors. Notably, he worked on the due diligence for Scope AR (YC S15) with Joey in the winter of 2018. 

HJ’s dream is to bring forth a Silicon Valley-like environment where founders and great ideas can thrive back in South Korea, where he is originally from. He is also on his own journey of founding a startup of his passion, when the time is right.

Outside of work, where can you be found?

In the gym working out, parks and streets of Manhattan, karaoke in K-town, local zoo or someplace green.

What’s something few people know about you?

I had a lot of different dreams growing up. I originally wanted to be an astronaut, the president of South Korea, a dinosaur, and then a zookeeper. My passion in zoology and animals led me naturally into scientific research, from which I became passionate in the tech startup ecosystem. Helping build great ideas that originate from discoveries and novel technology sounded like what I have always wanted to do.

What do you like the most about your job?

Everyday is so dynamic and different. I feel like I learn something new everyday. Speaking with founders always gives me a spur of motivation and energy. I am a firm believer of the networking effect of passion: passion spreads naturally.