London-based entrepreneur David Merry reached a significant milestone at just 25 when he sold his gambling business, Right Casino Media, for $9 million to Catena Media, where he went on to become General Manager. In 2016, he entered the world of venture capital to establish Kinetic Investments (Ki). The fund has already invested in 15 startups, made its first exit, and now is focused on identifying companies that are reshaping the digital landscape.
In an interview with Vestbee, David, Ki’s Partner and co-founder, discussed the fund’s strategy and achievements, and dynamic approach, which closely align with its name. “Kinetic” is derived from the Ancient Greek word meaning “one who puts in motion”.
David, at 25, you sold your company, Right Casino Media for $9 million. What lessons from building and selling that company have influenced your approach to nurturing and scaling startups through Kinetic Investments?
So many! If I had to just highlight a few.
First, back the founder over the idea. We built Right Casino Media with no outside backing, limited experience, and fierce competition in an already saturated space. That experience solidified my belief that with the right founders, anything is possible. It's a principle I bring into Kinetic — no matter how challenging the landscape, a resilient founder and a sharp focus can overcome enormous odds.
Then, “smooth seas never made a skilled sailor”. Progress rarely follows a straight line, and you must be ready for a ride. This impacts the founders we search for, we want people who not only expect the rollercoaster but seek to push it to new heights and use it to develop themselves. This shapes how we work with founders too. We know what it’s like to be in the trenches all too well, and I think we intuitively know better than most what support people need.
Finally, there’s the power of pragmatism. The ability to get things done without letting 'perfect' stand in the way of progress. Limited resources taught us to prioritize, focus on the essentials, and move forward — even with the rough edges. A common trap for scaling startups is allowing processes to overshadow purpose, or losing sight of Pareto's principle. I emphasize keeping things simple and always staying tied to impact. Startups need to live on bullet points, not presentations.
After your exit and time at Catena Media, you moved from building companies to backing them. What sparked that move into venture capital?
For me, it was a natural progression. I don’t think there was ever a conscious move into venture capital, more just some decisions that pushed us down that path which I then decided to keep following. Broadly speaking, with the capital I'd built up after my exit, I saw the opportunity to expand my impact. Instead of being deeply embedded in one or two ventures as a CEO, I could support a portfolio of 20 or more companies, contributing strategically across a broader landscape. This shift allowed me to step back from the day-to-day and take a vantage point where I could apply my experience in a way that amplifies growth across multiple teams, industries, and ideas. I love the startup ecosystem and the challenges it brings.
What was the driving force behind launching Kinetic Investments' first fund?
It comes down to transformation, opportunity, and track record.
Our team brings a lot of experience, particularly in B2C digital models, and we believe AI will be a real game-changer here. In particular, AI-driven hyper-personalisation will shift static website journeys into dynamic, user-tailored experiences. This will disrupt industries seen as essential as AI-driven context-awareness becomes the norm.
In a few years, I think we’ll be shocked that we used to scroll through pages of content that had no idea who we were or what we wanted. These shifts may seem gradual, but they’ll reshape how we engage with digital products — and it’ll happen faster than we expect. I also see gaps in how a lot of companies have been approaching the AI space. Funds are not as focused on the application layer as they should be, and companies seem more intent on either awkwardly retrofitting AI, using it to improve efficiency to something likely to be redundant, or just saying it in their strapline. This creates an opportunity for us.
Finally, our investment performance using my capital has had 7 years to run, and we show an excellent track record.
Tell us more about its size, geographic focus, and the types of companies and sectors you are targeting. How did you decide on these focus areas?
We’re a $30 million fund focused on AI-driven businesses solving real-world problems. We’re all about AI that doesn’t just exist for its own sake but makes everyday experiences easier, smarter, and more personal. Currently, digital life is accessible, but still full of repetitive tasks.
We want to back founders creating AI that truly enhances how people live. Imagine AI that can detect health risks through wearables for early intervention or even help you plan a holiday with friends — mapping out everyone’s preferences, finding a schedule that works, and dropping an itinerary directly into your calendar. It’s about making interactions more seamless and intuitive.
Geographically, we’re interested in the usual markets but are especially excited about regions with a lot of talent and emerging startup ecosystems, where venture capital isn’t as prevalent. We’re talking about places like MENA, Southeast Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, and Latin America — regions with growing enthusiasm for AI and a real openness to adopt digital solutions.
What key characteristics or metrics do you look for when deciding to back a startup, and how have these evolved since you first started investing?
When we’re deciding to back a startup at the pre-seed and seed stages, it comes down to the founder. We’re looking for someone with the vision to see an opportunity and the resilience to push through challenges. The startup journey isn’t easy, and as a former founder, I know you need grit, adaptability, and a team that truly works well together to make it happen.
We also look for early signs of market validation. We want to see that the company is solving a real problem and that there’s genuine traction with users, even if it’s just early feedback.
Over time, we’ve also started prioritizing founders with a global vision - teams that have the ambition and a solid plan to expand internationally. With our expanded support team, we’re ready to help them scale up and take their solutions worldwide.
Ki emphasizes value-added strategies for its portfolio companies. What specific support mechanisms or strategic insights do you bring to the table that set Kinetic Investments apart from other venture capital firms?
We’re not just here to write a check; we’re here to solve real challenges early-stage founders face. They need to wear so many different hats, and it’s difficult to cover them all well. We often see gaps on the tech side — where some founders don’t have the experience to see far enough ahead toward scale — or in marketing, where scaling beyond a familiar channel can be tricky.
And data and analytics are another hurdle. A lot of companies have basic systems in place, but to leverage AI and data to their fullest, you need another level of insight. That’s why we built a team to support these areas directly. Across finance, HR, operations, marketing, tech, data and legal. By filling these gaps, we help founders focus on their big vision while building something with real staying power.
How has Kinetic Investments been performing so far, and what milestones or successes are you most proud of at this stage?
We’ve been investing since 2016, and although we didn’t follow traditional VC timelines since this was deploying my capital, we’ve built a strong portfolio over the years. Based on metrics like IRR, we’re performing in the top 5% of funds of similar vintage years, which we’re proud of. We’ve built up a portfolio of 12 companies, with 10 still going strong, and had a great exit with Seven Star Digital.
But if I’m honest, what I’m most proud of is the role we play as true partners, not just backers. We’re here for the founders, putting in time and resources to co-build alongside them.
As a GP focused on next-gen tech, what emerging trends in AI and digital consumer experiences are you most excited about?
One of the most exciting trends we’re seeing is how AI is transforming digital experiences to be richer and more personal. We’ve moved from simple text-based applications to AI that powers immersive audio, video, and interactive content across industries. In entertainment, for instance, AI can tailor music playlists or create soundscapes that adapt to a listener’s mood in real time In children’s media, it can craft personalized audio stories using familiar voices, making the experience unique and comforting. It’s brilliant to see AI moving beyond the hype and becoming something genuinely transformative.
While there’s still some caution around AI and the odd dystopian narrative, the reality is people are adopting it so quickly because it’s improving their lives in practical ways. ChatGPT, for example, reached 100 million users in just two months, while platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp took years to reach the same milestone. And this rapid adoption is even more pronounced in the markets we focus on, like the Philippines, Turkey, and Chile, where there’s real enthusiasm for AI. In these regions, people are looking to AI to make a real difference in areas like education, and health, reinforcing its potential to enhance lives in meaningful ways.
What’s next for Kinetic Investments?
What’s next for us is building out the Kinetic ecosystem so we can support founders in a bigger way. As we close our first fund, we’re focused on finding great founders with big ideas in AI and helping them bring those ideas to life.
We’re rolling out some new initiatives too — a venture scout program to broaden our reach, plus partnerships with universities, research centers, and other investors to grow our network. The idea is to create a real ecosystem where founders get the right resources and support to go from an early stage all the way to scaling globally. We’re excited to dive deeper and make a bigger impact with everything we’re building here.
What is the best way for startups to reach you?
Startups can always reach us through our website, or by reaching out to anyone on our investment team. We make it a point to answer everyone — we’re always open to meeting ambitious founders and excited to hear about fresh ideas.
