Born in South Korea and currently in New York City, Huckjun (“HJ” or “Huck”) Hong built his career at the intersection of science, investing, and company building.
His early work began in research: from Korean government-backed projects at Seoultech using pufferfish neurotoxin (Tetrodotoxin) for pain therapeutics, to bioinformatics and AI research at Columbia’s Cancer Research Center. That foundation shaped the way he is drawn to problems where deep research can meet real-world impact.
Over time, that scientific foundation evolved into a broader interest in how innovation is financed, scaled, and brought to market. This led him into venture investing, company building, and working alongside tech companies across diverse industries.
Today, he is an operator, investor, and advisor at the intersection of AI, vertical software, and essential services — anchored by a core thesis in strengthening the foundations of society with innovation.
He was previously an investor at Takeoff Capital (VC investing in infra and construction tech) and Romulus Capital (VC from MIT focused on B2B startups). He’s also worked closely with EquipmentShare (NASDAQ: EQPT) on strategic investments and financing through its early-stage and growth.
Huckleberry Partners is his own personal investment vehicle for early-stage and opportunistic assets.
HJ previously worked at Bridge Investment Group (acquired by Apollo) and holds a B.A. in Biology and Business Management from Columbia University. He is currently pursuing an M.S. in Data Science and AI at Columbia with expected graduation in Dec 2026.
