About Us

An initiative of Zino Ventures, the KungHo Fund name honors the term “Gung-ho,” meaning work together, in harmony.

Zino Venture’s name is based on the Latin word “Sino,” which refers to Chinese culture, but with the “Z” for New Zealand. Zino is a symbol of innovation, flexibility and fearless global thinking.

KungHo combines and honors the three significant cultures and countries that have greatly influenced the Fund’s founder, George Gong: China, New Zealand and the United States. Born in China, an immigrant to New Zealand and now living in the U.S., Mr. Gong wanted to set up a business that drew on the strengths and experiences from each country and use them to help start-ups grow.

Gung-ho /ˈɡʌŋˈhoʊ/ is an English term meaning “enthusiastic” or “overzealous”. It is thought to have originated from the Chinese short-form of what were known in the 1930s as “Chinese Industrial Cooperatives”, 工合, meaning “work together”. Gung-ho is also sometimes anglicized as “kung-ho”. The term was picked up by United States Marine Corps Major Evans Carlson from his New Zealand friend, Rewi Alley, one of the founders of the Chinese Industrial Cooperatives. Later Carlson used gung-ho during his command of the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion. From there, it spread throughout the U.S. Marine Corps hence the association between the two, where it was used as an expression of spirit and into American society as a whole.

Our Approach

Intentional Engagement

Investor-to-Entrepreneur

The KungHo Fund will continue the Zino Ventures’ culture of engaging person-to-person, investor-to-entrepreneur. This has allowed partners to get to know entrepreneurs well before investing. Solely relying on financial reports may provide some insight to the decision-making process, but intentionally engaging with entrepreneurs directly helps both the investors and start-ups succeed.

Access to Supports

Deep Connections and Networks

With GP’s based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA and deep connections in the local, national, and global startup and investment communities, Zino’s KungHo Fund will support start-ups to access investor capital, advisors, mentors, and large US market opportunities earlier in their lifecycle. Being embedded in the US startup community will attract and help develop unicorns that are more likely to deliver exponential financial returns, but also provide a benefit to society through the impact of their technology and the desire to serve the common good.

Our Network Around the World

KungHo Partners

The KungHo Fund’s seasoned Partners will lead the fund’s day-to-day operations.

  • George Gong


    CEO & Managing Partner
    Tech & Angel VC

    Chairman, Zino Ventures
    Co-founder, Beyondsoft
    Managing Partner, Jubilee Capital Management
    Limited Partner, LearnLaunch EdTech Fund
    Former Board Member, Callaghan Innovation

    LinkedIn

  • Shawn Ke


    COO & Managing Partner
    Fintech

    Managing Partner, KungHo Fund
    Former GM of GF Securities IT Department
    Former CIO of GFAM
    Former Member of AMAC FinTech Committee

    LinkedIn

  • Ferris Lu


    Partner
    Venture Capital & Private Equity

    Partner, KungHo Fund
    Director, Zino Ventures
    Partner, Forbright Concerto

    LinkedIn