Kai Daniels, supervising principal of General Motors’ corporate venture arm, GM Ventures, began her career in corporate venturing after forming her startup SoFitU. She started at General Motors as a global IT project manager in 2014 and later became the corporation’s development project lead. “Once I discovered General Motors had a venture group, I knew that was the place I wanted to be,” says Daniels.
Her desire to work with entrepreneurs and advanced technology is what pushed her to apply for her first role at GM Ventures. “I took the initiative to send my resume directly to the managing director of GM Ventures and requested a meeting. This proactive approach led me to showcase my skills and enthusiasm for the role,” she says.
“Once I discovered General Motors had a venture group, I knew that was the place I wanted to be.”
Daniels began as an analyst at GM Ventures and was promoted to her current position of supervising principal in 2023. She says that working in the venture capital space never offers a dull moment.
“Every day presents a new and interesting challenge. The recent highlight of my role was our investment in Niron Magnetics, a sustainable permanent magnet developer,” says Daniels. “I am enthusiastic about joining its board and continuing to support the company’s growth and partnership with General Motors.”
Daniels says that leading the training of GM Ventures’ new analysts has been fulfilling. “Being able to contribute to the growth and development of the next generation of high-impact investment professionals is something I am very passionate about,” she says.
Established in 2010, GM Ventures is a global fund with offices in the US, Canada and Israel. The firm invests $100m annually in automotive-related technology companies that create strong strategic impact for General Motors and its customers. The venture unit invests in early stage to growth startups. It has 33 companies in its portfolio, including MycoWorks, Envisics and Yoshi.
See the full list of GCV Emerging Leaders for 2024 here.