[093] Hard fight 1
“First of all, thank you for the quick decision. professor.”
“no. It’s an opportunity, so I shouldn’t miss it. Thank you for giving me a chance.”
Professor Shashua showed up after dinner time. It was late, but it seems to show his heart that is hard to endure one night.
It was late, so most of the guests enjoying the night were drinking at the bar, so the lobby lounge was quiet.
“I wonder what the answer to my proposal will be.”
Professor Shashua pulled out a finely folded piece of paper from his coat pocket.
“This is the initial start-up cost. And I made a brief note of the proposed equity structure according to the investment.”
I almost burst into laughter when I quickly looked at the numbers written on the paper.
These numbers are sufficient to guess the scale of Cognitense, which was founded in 1995.
The difference between Korean venture companies and Korean venture companies is clearly approaching.
Korean ventures show traces of efforts to attract as much money as possible, but on this piece of paper, there were traces of hard work on how to save money.
It offered the minimum cost, and it was a small amount of money that would make me laugh.
He folded the paper and quietly set it down on the table.
“professor. Can I tell you something more important than money?”
“of course.”
“Are you sure that your research will become a reality?”
“That’s right.”
Professor Shashua nodded and showed a confident look. There was not the slightest hint of pretense in his attitude.
Believe in yourself. Now that you have what you need, you can move on to the next step.
“How does the technology center cooperation take place? If you look here, it says that a 3.7% stake will be given to the university technology center…?”
“Ah, the cost aspect is usually strong for the equipment and laboratories provided by the school. Including miscellaneous things like other library books.”
Professor Shashua added an explanation about the school when I showed a sensitive reaction to the stake.
“Our university spares no support for entrepreneurship. It is an uncertain research to produce meaningful results, but it is already enough to support more than $ 200,000 in equipment and materials. 3.7% is by no means a lot.”
“Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m not blaming the school. I just wanted to know the size of the school’s support.”
Of course, this is not all.
“The first funding required until meaningful results are achieved is $700,000, and the second amount required until commercialization is possible is $1.5 million. Is that correct?”
“yes.”
Professor Shashua, a little nervous to see if he thought I was too much, just stared at my mouth.
“And Miracle’s stake is 35%.”
“Is it not enough?”
“no. You’re reasonable. I am serious.”
Professor Shashua relaxed and smiled brightly. believe that the deal has been concluded.
However, it is right to decline the first offer. Whether the offer is reasonable or not.
“professor.”
“yes.”
“Now I will tell you what I think. It may be irrational, but will you listen to it?”
“Ah yes.”
Looking at the professor whose smile had disappeared, he said slowly.
“I will give $400,000 to the university technology center. And so far, the equipment provided by the school will be left as owned by the school. As a result, the school does not owe anything, so there is no need to give the 3.7% stake, right? Should I give you more?”
I just shake my head, but I can’t open my mouth. As for the second proposal, the more disruptive it is, the greater the effect. Just like Professor Shashuya was shocked now.
“And I will raise the first round of funding to $7 million. Prepare all the necessary equipment with the most advanced, and recruit all the necessary manpower. Even a PhD at MIT in the US is fine.”
“Me Mr. Jean!”
If you get a second shock before the first shock wears off, you stutter like this.
“The second funding for commercialization is decided at that time. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I won’t spend the 1.5 million dollars the professor said, I’m just putting off the decision because I don’t know if I’ll need 15 million or more.”
Maybe they think I’m crazy. And you may think that this investment case may end in vain.
ten times the required amount. That’s not the end. You must have read the momentum to throw ten times or even a hundred times the amount you want.
This is just one case.
Either the possibility of success has already been recognized in the market, or it is the timing to further develop an already successful business.
However, Professor Shashua only wrote the first line of Chapter 1 in terms of a novel. No one knows whether this novel will be completed or sold well in the future.
But I’m not crazy.
When Professor Shashua starts a business with this item, a Russian investor with a bright insight immediately shoots 10 million dollars and secures a huge stake.
If I wrote my hand in advance, there would be no room for me to bring a spoon and interfere with the table.
“Mr. Jean, frankly, that’s an incredible suggestion. It’s true that I set the budget a little tight, but a whopping 10 times the amount…”
“My story isn’t over yet.”
Embarrassed, Professor Shashua seemed to have something to say, but kept his mouth shut.
“Instead, I would like to set Miracle’s stake at 60%.”
As soon as the word 60% came out, the professor’s face crumpled, but my offer was still not over.
“It just holds. All voting rights will be given to the professors, and they will not be involved in management at all. We won’t even dispatch that common audit, so there’s no need for a separate report on how the investment was spent. Think only of business success.”
I put on a pod as I finished my story. Now it’s time to hear Professor Shashua’s final answer.
But I can’t open my mouth. He blinked and stared at my face.
“professor?”
“Oh dear. sorry. It’s the most absurd investment condition I’ve ever heard… Isn’t this almost a gamble?”
Those eyes that don’t trust investors must be so absurd.
“If the first card is an ace, there are enough chips to go all-in.”
I still can’t accept whether it’s cautious or suspicious.
“I’m thinking of investing in Cognitense as well, but would it be enough for $1 million? The stake will be adjusted to the current capital ratio.”
He stopped saying more phrases and moved on to the topic.
“A million dollars is an 80% stake in Cognitense. That’s a bit troublesome.”
“Then let’s make it 50 or 49%. Other conditions are the same as those already mentioned.”
I put down the coffee cup I was holding. There is nothing more to say.
“You should think again. If you accept my terms, I will make an investment contract for you tomorrow. If you review and sign it, the entire amount of the investment will be deposited into the designated account immediately.”
Noticing that the story had ended, Professor Shashua also put down his coffee cup and stood up.
“The unconventional proposal was well received. I never imagined that I would worry about hearing such good conditions, but it has become a reality.”
“It is unbelievable when you win the lottery. The higher the winnings, the better.”
He held out his hand and asked for a handshake.
“I have no doubt that your research will be a lottery for me. haha.”
* * *
Maybe because he had a lot of money, Oh Se-hyeon didn’t ask.
All he had to do was say, “You’re good for less than ten million dollars.”
He told me only the big stem of the investment conditions and ended the call.
If you make a contract in Miracle and send it by e-mail, your work here is over.
This will be a really long term investment. However, it is hoped that by using Professor Shashua’s ‘Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS)’, Ajin Motors will increase its market share in Korea and contribute to preventing inferior cars from lacking advanced systems overseas.
As if no one hates winning the lottery, the next day Professor Shashua ran to the hotel in the morning.
“God said you shouldn’t miss this miraculous opportunity.”
As a Jew, he referred to divine revelation. I laughed lightly and made a joke.
“Did God really say that? Or is it the result of a cold-hearted calculation?”
“Actually, like a scientist, accurate calculations come first. haha.”
I handed out the investment contract to him with a bright smile.
“This is a draft contract.”
Professor Shashua, who read the contract meticulously, had a bright face.
“It’s nice not to be cluttered. But I would like to double check with the lawyer.”
“Of course you should. And the company name was left blank. Please write it yourself.”
“Ah, even if it’s not, I thought of a company name once. It was named Mobileye. How is it?”
So far, nothing has changed.
They have the same name.
“Very good. I know exactly what you are looking for.”
I smiled heartily and held his hand.
I was insured for over $10 billion.
It remains to be seen whether you will touch the big money at maturity or break the insurance before that and use it for other purposes.
* * *
When I returned to Korea, the person who had been waiting for me was not Oh Se-hyun.
He had no interest in what I did when I went all the way to Israel to work on mixing Daeah Construction with HW Group.
The place I ran straight from the airport was none other than my grandfather’s library.
“Hey. Why did you go to that dangerous place?”
Grandpa’s eyes were full of worry and anger.
“These days are fine. It’s not always a war zone.”
Seeing me safe and sound, Grandpa wiped his heart out.
“I was forced to resist trying to call. I’m afraid it’ll just interfere with my work.”
“You could have called. I just came here to get some fresh air.”
“You guys all the way to the other side of the world to get some fresh air? I won’t ask what it is, so stop saying things that won’t work.”
The grinning grandfather returned to his original form.
“That’s not why I rushed to see you.”
Just in time, I opened the study door and my aunt and uncle showed their faces.
“Ah, Do-joon was there too?”
My aunt smiled brightly and patted my shoulder.
“Everyone sit down. Because I have something to tell you.”
It must be because of the upcoming local elections that Grandpa called us all.
“Choi West.”
“yes. Father-in-law.”
“There is no problem with your nomination for the mayor of Seoul, right?”
“That’s right. Since we have become an opposition party and the popularity of the past government has plummeted, there is no one to challenge. It’s smooth.”
It was natural for the two of them to look good since they had put the first button on their way to the mayor of Seoul.
“It feels like pouring cold water on me, but there is something I need to know. It seems that the ruling party has chosen Kyung-yeol Ko as the candidate for mayor of Seoul.”
I was the only one with a normal face in this room.
Goh Gyeong-yeol, the ruling party candidate who was elected mayor of Seoul in the 2nd national and local local elections. Oh, of course it happened in a previous life.
He is a bureaucrat with no party affiliation. He is also a trustworthy administrator. Having recruited a person who is free from left and right politics, the opposition party has met a formidable adversary.
My uncle’s complexion had already turned an earthy color, and he bit his lip.
“Hehe, Do-joon, you seem to have wasted money?”
“More than that, Grandpa. I don’t think it’s been on the news yet, so how did you know?”
“How do you know? Go Kyung-yeol called in the morning to say hello. And the ruling party is trying to recruit him, but he asked what to do.”
“yes? Why is he asking your grandfather for permission?”
“The guy who went up to that position with my money will have a fight with my son-in-law, of course he has to be allowed. I would have liked to hear the answer that I would not intervene. haha.”
that laugh
Now Grandpa is enjoying this situation.
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