[092] Sowing Season 2
“Professor! Professor Shashua.”
As soon as the lecture ended, I hurriedly followed the professor out the front door.
I wasn’t entirely sure if this young professor was the person I was looking for, which made me feel a bit uneasy.
“Yes? Are you a student who came in late?”
“Well, I did come in late, but I’m not a student.”
Professor Shashua stopped and looked me up and down.
“My apologies. So, what brings you to me?”
“I just have one question. Are you currently conducting research in the field of optics using standard deviation?”
“Yes, I am.”
He didn’t seem surprised, which suggested that the research was already public knowledge.
I was the one caught off guard.
It seemed like this professor was indeed the person I was looking for. But had the commercialization of his research already progressed significantly?
If there was no room for me to get involved, my trip to Israel would have been a complete waste.
Knowing a bit about the future isn’t always a superpower, as I’ve learned.
Buying undervalued stocks in bulk can suddenly spike their prices, drawing attention from other investment firms. Short-term investments are practically impossible.
It’s better to take a long-term view, buying stocks gradually over several years. But this approach can be frustrating. Once you own a significant amount, becoming a major shareholder, you inevitably attract attention.
The best strategy is to build a relationship before a startup launches and become an angel investor. Of course, this requires knowing the information inside out.
Hoping it wasn’t too late, I spoke up.
“This might take a while. Could you spare some time?”
I handed him my business card, and he gave me a curious look.
“Miracle Investment?”
Seeing his expression, I felt like cheering.
That look and those eyes meant no one had approached him from a business angle yet, or he wasn’t prepared for it.
“Yes. You can check the website URL on the card and decide if you’d like to meet.”
Professor Shashua glanced between the card and me before speaking.
“Let’s meet in my lab at the tech center in two hours. Does that work for you?”
“Thank you. I’ll see you soon.”
I bowed slightly, and he waved a hand before quickly disappearing.
I spent the next two hours wandering around the campus.
With time to spare, I noticed things I had missed in my rush. There were barricades and a checkpoint near the main gate.
I later learned that when there’s a threat of terrorism in the Middle East, security checks become quite thorough. They search not only visitors but also students and professors, making the term “powder keg” feel very real.
The archaeology department at Hebrew University is world-renowned, and the campus museum was impressive. But the university’s greatest pride is undoubtedly Einstein.
Albert Einstein, of Jewish descent, left his intellectual property to Hebrew University, which he helped establish, before he passed away in 1955.
Until about a decade ago, the university only formally owned Einstein’s intellectual property without making any commercial efforts.
However, after hiring an intellectual property expert named Berly Hill as an agent, commercialization began in earnest.
The university started marketing Einstein’s name and image, charging fees for events and advertisements using them. The revenue from this exceeds $1.5 million annually.
It’s a frightening world when even the image of a person can be turned into money, infiltrating the sacred ivory tower.
After circling the campus, I headed to the tech center.
Entering Professor Shashua’s lab, I saw a few people engrossed in their computer monitors.
“Have you been waiting long? Please, come this way.”
Professor Shashua led me to a small room. It was surrounded by books, with papers and camera lenses piled on every desk and chair, leaving little room to sit.
He brought over a spare chair and gestured for me to sit.
“Please, have a seat.”
It was uncomfortable, but what choice did I have? This man could be the golden goose of the future.
“Why would the Wizard of Hollywood want to meet someone like me, wrestling with math formulas?”
The Wizard of Hollywood?
Could he be referring to Miracle in the U.S.? Or did he read an article with that title?
“Hollywood is just one of our investment areas. We’re always interested in new technologies and promising startups.”
“Are you interested in CogniTens?”
“What? CogniTens?”
How could I make such a mistake!
I mustn’t show surprise at anything this professor says.
I quickly tried to recover.
“Could you explain, please?”
He looked slightly disappointed as he explained.
“CogniTens is a 3D optical measurement solution for assessing the precision of metal parts or assemblies. It’s both the name of the solution and the company.”
I didn’t fully grasp it, but it didn’t matter.
Isn’t this the genius professor whose every startup idea has been a hit?
“When was the company founded?”
“We started in 1995.”
“I’ll add that company to my list.”
“Add?”
“Yes. The reason I sought you out is because I’m interested in technology that provides users with information collected through cameras within a minimal margin of error.”
Professor Shashua began to look at me with surprise.
“How did you…?”
“I read papers on artificial intelligence and computer vision systems. Well, not me personally. One of our staff discovered them, and I only grasp the basic concept.”
I quickly drew a line, hoping to avoid deep questions and discussions. I couldn’t let my ignorance show.
“Do you think that concept is significant enough to cross the ocean?”
The professor’s eyes sparkled.
“The value depends on where the technology is applied. Don’t you already have a field in mind?”
“Of course. But I’m curious about Mr. Jin’s thoughts.”
Looking him in the eye, I spoke without hesitation. If he had other ideas for the technology, I needed to steer him in the right direction. If he was already on the right path, it would only strengthen our collaboration.
“An eye for cars.”
Professor Shashua’s eyes widened like car headlights.
“I imagined a car equipped with your technology. If a small camera could gather information around the car and alert the driver within a minimal margin of error, it could sound a warning before any external contact. If a camera on the rear bumper displayed everything on an interior monitor, there’d be no need to turn your head when reversing or parking.”
“If a front camera accurately calculated the distance to the car ahead, it could drastically reduce collision accidents, and recognizing traffic signals could enable automatic braking.”
The professor was now enthusiastically sharing his thoughts.
“We’ll elevate it to a level where lane recognition is possible, preventing lane departures.”
“Converting analog data to digital can integrate it into the car’s system.”
“Exactly. Your ultimate goal is…”
“A self-driving car!”
Seeing the professor excitedly talking, I couldn’t help but smile.
“Professor, what do you think is the true goal of autonomous driving?”
“What? Isn’t autonomous driving the goal? What do you mean by the goal of the goal?”
“I believe the true goal of autonomous driving is zero traffic accidents.”
This was a statement to earn points with Professor Shashua. And it worked.
He was speechless for a moment. When he finally spoke, it was with admiration.
“That’s true. I hadn’t thought that far.”
“It’s only a matter of time. I’m sure you’ve considered it too.”
Whether it was Professor Shashua or the chairman of Google who first said the ultimate goal of autonomous driving was zero traffic accidents, I wasn’t sure, but the result was satisfying.
He would see me not just as an investor but as a young man with a broad perspective.
“Shall we get to the main point now?”
“The main point?”
“Yes. The reason I crossed the ocean.”
“Are you saying you’d invest when all we have is a concept and basic theory?”
“You shouldn’t be surprised yet; I haven’t even mentioned the investment conditions.”
Calming his surprise, Professor Shashua spoke.
“Hold on. The possibility of autonomous driving is slim. It’s something out of a sci-fi movie. While theoretically possible, we don’t know when it could be used in reality. And it’s questionable whether people would trust a computer chip with the steering wheel, as it involves life and death.”
His lack of belief and certainty was understandable. The new era was approaching too quickly.
And I realized he was a trustworthy person. Someone seeking investment wouldn’t usually point out the negative aspects from an investor’s perspective.
“Is there anything more fantastic than turning a dream into reality? Look at our company name. It’s Miracle.”
Leaving the still-bewildered Professor Shashua, I stood up. It was better to leave some room after surprising him this much.
“I’m staying at the Sheraton. Please think carefully about the investment conditions, and contact me when you’re ready. Oh, and include CogniTens as well. Then…”
For Professor Shashua, this was an unexpected and surreal situation.
As I bid farewell, he finally regained his composure.
“Oh, my apologies. The Sheraton… I’ll be in touch, Mr. Jin.”
When I shook his hand, I felt a firm grip.
A firm handshake meant he didn’t want to let go, right? It seemed like I had already crossed the 90% mark.
I was willing to accept any proposal he made.
I considered exploring Jerusalem but decided to head straight back to the hotel. I couldn’t afford to be idle when such an important person might come at any moment.
Waiting at the hotel until he came to find me was the right move.
As I entered the hotel, Kim Yoon-seok, who was sipping coffee in the lobby lounge, jumped up and hurried over.
“Did you finish your business?”
“No, what are you doing here?”
“I was waiting for you, sir.”
Was he being diligent, inflexible, or was it because of something he heard on the plane that was bothering him?
“Oh, I did some sightseeing in the city this morning too. But with all the checkpoints and soldiers with guns wandering around, I just couldn’t get into the tourist spirit, so I came back early.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. Sure, there were soldiers here and there, but not enough to kill the mood for exploring the city.
It just feels a bit off to be out having fun while the boss is working.
“There’s really nothing for you to do, Mr. Kim. Who knows when you’ll get another chance to visit this country? Don’t regret it later—go out and see the sights. If everything goes well today, we’ll be heading back tomorrow. We just planned for extra time, just in case.”
Watching Mr. Kim’s expressions change by the second was amusing.
“I’m going to head up to my room and rest for a bit. Just go out and enjoy yourself.”
Leaving the still-hesitant Mr. Kim behind, I walked over to the front desk.
I handed over my business card and asked them not to miss anyone who might come looking for me.
Now, I could finally relax and stretch out.
By tonight, at the latest, I would become a major shareholder in a company with over 10 trillion won in assets, holding the key technology for autonomous driving.