LEADing the Way: Kaiwen Liu, Analyst

From the fairways to the boardroom, Kaiwen shares his professional golf journey and purpose-driven spirit.

LEADing the Way: Kaiwen Liu, Analyst

At our core, we're more than our investments. LEAD is a group of passionate people driven by a shared belief: assisting entrepreneurs evolve to where they need to be. We know that those behind every cutting-edge innovation and world-altering idea are those who dare to lead the way.

We truly embrace the strength of connection, so we want the world to know our leadership team. That’s why each installment in our Q&A series, LEADing the Way, showcases how the authentic, forward-thinking individuals who make up our team coexist to act on LEAD’s selfless goals and vision.

With years spent on the course and a keen eye for promising investments, Kaiwen shares his thoughts on consumers’ shift away from reactive sick care, the unique challenges facing fan engagement, and the challenges alongside the opportunities in health care.

Discover how the multihyphenate’s personal journey has fueled his commitment to investing in a brighter, healthier future.

While you’re here, subscribe to our newsletter for future updates!

Q: What recent sports and health tech trends have you been paying attention to most?

A: On the health side, I have been paying attention to proactive wellness in various categories as people around the world are increasingly focused on improving their health in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Increasingly, people are beginning to realize that even the absence of symptoms and diseases does not necessarily indicate great health, and consumers are increasingly focused on every aspect of what makes them whole and complete, which includes physical, mental, and social well-being, all of which contribute to a productive and satisfying life. Additionally, spiritual well-being is becoming increasingly important to people at a time when there’s also a growing volume of medical literature illustrating the healing effects of spirituality on morbidity and mortality. As a result of consumers shifting their focus away from sick care, more people have become increasingly educated and discerning about food ingredients, water quality, the materials they wear, the environment (blue light at night & man-made EMFs/EMR), and the quality of relationships with themselves and others.

On the sports side, I’ve been interested in how athletic activities can lessen the effects of social isolation and help people reconnect to local communities. Most sports are inherently social and can be a powerful tool in bringing people together.

Q: What are the biggest opportunities and challenges you foresee in sports and health tech in the next 5-10 years?

A: The biggest challenge for sports and leagues is connecting with the Gen Z population, as Gen Zers have a fundamentally different attitude and relationship to traditional sports compared to Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers. On the health side, the challenge is the increasing burden of chronic diseases on individuals, communities, and society at large. About half of Americans are dealing with at least one chronic disease, and 90% of the $4.5T annual healthcare expenditure in the U.S. are for people with chronic and mental health conditions. Although the U.S. is a leader in medical innovation and spends nearly twice as much as the average OECD country on healthcare, life expectancy in the U.S. is lower than the OECD average. Currently, the U.S. “health care” system is focused on treating downstream physical symptoms, and even when patients have a diagnosis, high costs prevent many from receiving critical treatments. More frustrating is the fact that not many people have access to the upstream factors which sustain health, such as clean air, water, and quality food. Much more needs to be done to address the underlying causes of chronic conditions and diseases or else the abysmal state of American health will continue.

Q: Can you take us through what a day in your life looks like at LEAD?

A: I review numerous pitch decks, talk to startup founders, conduct due diligence on potential investments, consult with industry experts, and do as much reading and research as I can to learn about how the status quo came to be, and formulate my thesis on future opportunities.

Q: What excites you about being a part of a company that’s improving lives in sports and health?

A: Both topics are close to my heart. Golf was a big part of my life before joining LEAD; the sport taught me many values that I continue to carry with me today and has shaped who I am as a person. It’s a privilege now to be able to invest in startups that can help introduce sports and movement to more people. On the health side, I’ve had personal health challenges even though I was always diligent about what I ate and made sure to stay physically fit. The process of healing my body made me realize just how many aspects of modern life are not conducive to good health, and I was shocked to learn the lengths that some people must go to live a symptom-free life. Investing in and working with founders and companies that address some of the underlying problems gets me out of bed every morning.

Q: What is the most impactful thing you do to maintain your health and well-being?

A: That’s a very tough question because sometimes, neglecting one aspect of my life throws me off balance completely. If I had to pick one, it would be surrounding myself with people I trust, respect, and admire. With their support, I have been able to overcome health issues and make tough but ultimately beneficial decisions that help me grow as a person.