David J. Park
David Park is the Founding General Partner of the Global Innovation Fund (GIF), an early-stage venture fund launched in partnership with SRI International (formerly Stanford Research Institute). Through GIF, David is building a globally distributed network of funds and innovation labs, each designed to accelerate deep-tech commercialization by leveraging SRI’s extraordinary portfolio of breakthrough technologies, Nobel and Turing-caliber researchers, and proven venture creation model.
Under David's leadership, GIF serves as the exclusive commercialization arm for select SRI spinouts and licensing opportunities in domains such as artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced materials, semiconductor design, life sciences, national security, and climate technology. Notable SRI spinouts include Siri (acquired by Apple), Artificial Muscle (acquired by Bayer), Nuance (IPO: Nasdaq and second largest acquisition by Microsoft), Drishti (acquired by Apple), Intuitive Surgical (IPO: Nasdaq), Tempo (acquired by Salesforce), Scotty (acquired by DoorDash), Princeton Lightwave (acquired by Argo - Ford Motors), Prevasio (acquired by AlgoSec), Summly (acquired by Yahoo), Ayehu (acquired by Resolve), Meta (acquired by Zuckerberg Initiative), Orchid Biosciences (acquired by LabCorp), Lisa (acquired by Samsung), Viv Labs (acquired by Samsung, now known as Samsung AI & Bixby), and Redwood Robotics (acquired by Google) to name a few. Each portfolio company reflects David's core thesis: that world-class IP, when paired with the right operating talent and regional partners, can unlock globally transformative ventures.
Prior to founding GIF, David served as Regional Managing Partner at Kairos Ventures, a science-driven fund that backs companies spun out from elite research universities such as Caltech, Harvard, and Oxford. He has also been an active Limited Partner in VC funds and an angel investor, demonstrating his consistent commitment to building and backing next-generation technology leaders.
Beyond venture capital, David is a philanthropist, mentor, and public speaker who advocates for affordable healthcare, STEM education, and increased access for underrepresented students in innovation and leadership. He has served as an advisor to emerging startups via UCLA and USC Ventures, and he remains deeply involved in education initiatives across California and beyond.
A proud UCLA alumnus, David has been recognized as an honorary member of Delta Airlines and UTA’'s Top 100 Young Entrepreneurs of Silicon Beach. He continues to bridge worlds—between academia and industry, Silicon Valley and global capitals, philanthropy and venture building—with the singular mission of turning breakthrough science into impactful ventures for the public good.