ZUNZUNSTARTUPS
I am often asked by founders about how I support the startups we invest in at Genesia Ventures. Most people are familiar with the terms Hands-on and Hands-off investing. Over time, however, I have come to realize that neither fully reflects the way I want to show up for founders. Instead, I choose a third path—one I call Hands-if. In this blog post, I’d like to share the thinking behind this approach, why it is a deliberate and strategic choice, and what kinds of value I consistently strive to contribute to our startup founders.
Hands-on, Hands-off… or Hands-if?
Hands-on investing is often described as close involvement—actively stepping into the startup’s internal operations to help. Hands-off, on the other hand, means staying at a distance: observing, advising occasionally, but largely leaving founders to figure things out on their own.
Hands-if, as I see it, sits intentionally between these two extremes. It simply means: Hands-on if the founder wants and truly needs it. If not, I step aside—quietly supporting, encouraging, and creating space for the founder to focus fully on running the company.
I hold a strong belief that early-stage startup founders—especially those with real strong capability and resilience, whom we choose to back—do not want their investors to be overly hands-on or to intervene excessively in the internal operations of their companies. They are the captains at the helm, steering the business forward. More than anything, they value the autonomy to make decisions, set direction, and navigate the journey themselves. Unnecessary or excessive intervention can be counterproductive, and may even deprive founders of the ownership, initiative, and opportunity to build the internal capabilities that are essential for long-term success.
Why I Don’t Believe in Being Fully Hands-off Either
That said, I also don’t believe in being completely hands-off.
The startup journey is long, uncertain, and emotionally demanding. It is easy for founders to feel isolated—especially during moments of doubt, failure, or exhaustion. In those moments, presence matters.
I believe every founder needs encouragement—someone who reminds them not to give up when things get tough. And founders with real ambition don’t want investors who only show up on the cap table and disappear afterward. They want partners who care, who listen, and who are willing to contribute beyond capital when it truly matters.
The best founders understand that building a great company requires mobilizing every possible resource. They don’t want passive money. They want aligned partners.
Hands-if as a Deliberate Balance
From this perspective, Hands-if becomes the most balanced approach.
It avoids unnecessary interference, while never abandoning the founder. It is rooted in patience, trust, and long-term commitment. I want to be an investor who is always there—quietly encouraging, consistently supportive, and ready to step in when called upon.
That’s why my personal signature to founders has always been simple: “Keep Fighting!”
When founders need support, I want them to know that I will show up—and that I will do my best to contribute real value, not noise.
So What Value Do I Actually Want to contribute?
Just like startups need to understand their own USPs, I believe investors should be equally self-aware about where they can add the most value. For Genesia Ventures—and for me as a Venture Capitalist—I focus on contributing strategic, differentiated value, not generic advice.
Capital Stack Engineering
I want to support founders as a Capital Stack Engineer—helping design a funding strategy that goes beyond equity alone.
This includes connecting startups with the right equity investors at the right stage, and exploring debt financing by connecting startups with domestic banks and international financial institutions
A recent example is working with partners like OCB Bank in Vietnam, as well as Japanese financial institutions that can offer patient, low-cost capital—helping our startups extend their runway and scale more sustainably.
Strategic Value Creation
I also want to strive to be a Strategic Value Creator—connecting startups with the right strategic partners. This may include facilitating partnerships with banks for fintech startups that require close banking relationships to scale. It may involve introducing key individuals within a startup’s target market who can contribute strategic insights and accelerate growth. It can also mean enabling business collaborations with domestic and international companies that create meaningful leverage and long-term value for the startup.
That said, building these partnerships must be done thoughtfully—with the right partners, at the right time. I have learned that if a startup has not yet built sufficient internal strength, making connections too early may fail to generate the impact originally intended. Strategic value only materializes when both sides are prepared to execute.
To contribute value at the right moment, I cannot be fully hands-off. I need to understand what the founder is facing, what the company truly needs, and when support would actually help.
That’s why I aim to be a Discussion Partner—someone founders can talk to openly, without pressure. From those conversations, I can proactively contribute insights, connections, or capital solutions when the timing is right.
If there are moments when I haven’t yet added visible strategic value to a company, it is rarely due to a lack of effort. More often, it’s simply because the timing isn’t right yet—or because the startup is still building the internal strength needed to fully leverage that value. Supporting startups is a long journey. It requires patience, clarity, and constant awareness of when to act—and when to wait. As I often share with our founders: “You only know a good horse after a long road.”
I hope this blog post helps founders better understand my Hands-if philosophy—and the intention behind how I choose to show up as an investor. More importantly, I hope it helps founders reflect on what kind of investor they truly want beside them on this long journey. Finding alignment in values, mindset, and working style matters far more than chasing names or valuations.
If this way of thinking resonates with you, I look forward to crossing paths—and growing together.
Keep fighting!!