Daniel Gwak is an advisor to Point72 Ventures, focused on defense tech.

Dan held positions at In-Q-Tel, the strategic investment firm of the CIA and U.S. Intelligence Community, at Credit Suisse and The Carlyle Group. He was also fireteam leader in the United States Marine Corps, where he was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon and Purple Heart for actions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Most recently, he was a Managing Partner at Point72 Private Investments.

I’m a big believer in transforming traditional industries with AI.

Whether helping an early-stage deep tech startup build a business around groundbreaking technology or giving established founders the capital to invest in the tools that power their business, I think the augmentation of human workflows through AI will unlock the next economic revolution. 

I started my career as a non-technical person in a technical place.

I was a private equity guy. I would fall asleep reading books on neural networks so that I’d be prepared for the next day’s water-cooler conversation. It helped me get to the right questions to ask my colleagues. 

The best way to learn is by talking to experts.

Someone who can synthesize a decade or decades of experience is like having a mountaineering guide; you learn to see the landscape in a totally different way. 

Early in my career, I spent time on the wrong questions.

I was always wondering, “what’s the right answer?” Now I spend that time thinking, “how do we drive the best outcome?” It’s a lot more human-focused, and a lot more effective. 

Small talk cheat sheet:

Wild places and how to get to them. Indonesia. Macroeconomics. Overlanding.