Navigating the uncertainties of quitting an established career to venture into entrepreneurship is a common challenge for many aspiring startup founders. The question of when to take that leap adds another layer of complexity to the journey. To shed light on these dilemmas, we invite you to join our conversation with Curtis Lee, a seasoned startup founder, currently serving as the VP of Global Payments and Cash at Microsoft.

Curtis embarked on his entrepreneurial path by founding Luxe, a premium valet and auto-concierge system, in 2013. After Luxe’s successful acquisition to Volvo Group, Curtis returned to the entrepreneurial arena with the launch of Pinwheel, a fintech specializing in payroll API, in 2021. During this discussion, Curtis will share the intricacies of how he charted his entrepreneurial path, strategically navigating tech giants, startups, and investment firms, to fulfill his aspirations. Additionally, Curtis will impart how his firsthand founding experience has transformed him into a more emphatic investor, particularly for early-stage startups in their foundational phases.

This program is supported by Hanwha Life

Charting Entrepreneurial Paths:
Curtis Lee, From Luxe to Pinwheel and Beyond

Wednesday, February 28, 2024 | 6 PM (EST)

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Curtis Lee has over 20 years of experience in technology as an entrepreneur, executive, and investor. Prior to his current role leading the Payments and Cash team at Microsoft, Curtis was a repeat entrepreneur, founding two companies, Pinwheel, the leading income and employment data API company and Luxe, a mobility software and services company which was sold to Volvo.

Earlier in his career, Curtis led product teams at Google, YouTube, Groupon, and Zynga and was an investor at Summit Partners and ATV. Curtis holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Economics from UC Berkeley.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR:

Since joining WABC-TV in 2015, CeFaan Kim has covered a wide range of important stories. During the pandemic shutdown, he reported nightly from the streets of New York City, speaking with health care workers, gravediggers, farmers and others impacted by the health crisis.

CeFaan also reported daily on the Black Lives Matter protests that followed the murder of George Floyd. He covered the 2020 presidential election recount in Pennsylvania, the Chelsea terrorist bombing and protests of President Trump's travel ban at JFK airport.

CeFaan has consistently reported on poverty within the AAPI community, including an exclusive report in 2016 on Asian-American seniors who were riding casino buses to help make ends meet and how the pandemic has impacted Chinatown in NYC.

Throughout the pandemic CeFaan has been at the forefront covering the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes, interviewing and telling the stories of countless victims. His reporting helped spark a national conversation on anti-Asian hate and changed how the NYPD investigates anti-Asian hate crimes.

He is the recipient of a national Edward R. Murrow Award for his coverage during the coronavirus pandemic, multiple Emmy awards including for his coverage during the BLM protests, and a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for his anti-Asian hate coverage.

CeFaan is also a veteran who served as a U.S. Army Reserve Sergeant. He is the former co-chair of the Asian American Journalists Association's Media Watch Committee and serves as an AAJA mentor.

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