Early Life and Background 

Q: Where are you from, and what was it like growing up?

Dylan Kim: I have a very interesting background. I was born in New Jersey, United States, but when I was around four, I moved to Korea. Later, I came back to the States, and then I went to Vietnam for high school. So, I was all around the world growing up, partly because my parents were working all over the place.

When I was younger, I hated it because I would have to make friends and join sports like soccer, and then, in a couple of years, I would have to move to a different place and make new friends again.

 Growing up was tough in that sense, and I always had tantrums when we had to move. But in hindsight, it helped shape my narrative. I got to meet a lot of people and realized I’m a connector. I like making connections and having a strong network, which I really enjoy. That’s one of the positives I took from moving around so much.

Discovering Technology and Entrepreneurship 

Q: How did your interests and experiences growing up lead you to your career?

Dylan Kim: Until middle school, I didn’t care about anything I’m doing now. I started caring around my sophomore year of high school. I loved video games; they were an outlet for me to keep in touch with my friends, especially during middle school. Even if I was far from my friends, I could still connect with them online, playing games like Call of Duty or Fortnite.

One significant moment that kickstarted my career was when I became curious about how these games were made. It stemmed from my frustration with not being good at the games and trying to exploit or hack them. That curiosity led me to programming. 

I started my career making games on indie platforms, and some of them actually did pretty well. I contributed to a game that was kind of a knockoff Pokemon, and at 13, I received my first cease and desist letter from Nintendo. I didn’t even know what a cease and desist was back then! That experience made me stop working on that game, and I started looking for what was next.

When I moved to Vietnam, I met the creator of Flappy Bird. He’s from Vietnam, so I had a chance to meet him. High school in Vietnam was a very different experience. I was used to first-world countries like Korea and the United States, where everything was well off. Vietnam was a whole new experience; there was just nothing there, and the Wi-Fi wasn’t the best either. Video games were no longer a luxury I could enjoy. So, I turned to programming and creativity. I started off as a software engineer and then gradually got into entrepreneurship.

Early Ventures and Non-Profit Work

Q: What ventures have you created up until now?

Dylan Kim: In high school, I became more focused on education, which was interesting because I wasn’t the most academically talented in middle school. I was always just the kid playing games. I struggled a bit when I first started high school. But I began reading articles and realized it wasn’t necessarily a problem with me, but with the school systems. 

I watched a video about a public school that used an Einstein quote: “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.” I felt schools didn’t really cater to individual strengths.

I was never a good test taker and wasn’t interested in memorizing content or measuring worth by grades. My passion for technology and education sparked during this time. 

My very first company was started during the pandemic. I noticed that with online learning, students who did well in school did even better, but those who were already struggling did worse. They didn’t have the luxury of in-person interaction or being forced to do things.

I developed an online platform where students could learn together and share resources. It was like Quizlet plus Zoom. We eventually scaled to 400,000 users, including college students. That experience cemented my interest in education and social justice, leading me to start my own nonprofit.

Q: What kind of non-profit did you start?

Dylan Kim: The non-profit I started was really a passion project. I realized how privileged I was to attend an international school in Vietnam, having access to resources and education that local students didn’t have, especially in areas like programming and STEM education. So, I established a non-profit to teach kids how to code, make games, and engage in STEM education.

It was something I loved, and I wanted to give back to the community. Over the three years, I ran it, we helped around 15,000 kids. The most rewarding part was seeing some of these kids eventually get full scholarships to top universities studying computer science like UC Berkeley and Carnegie Mellon. It was incredible to think that without our services, some of these students might not have had the opportunity to leave the country.

This experience really reaffirmed my desire to work in education and technology. When I moved to Boston for college, it became challenging to run operations. I eventually passed the leadership on to someone younger, and I’m proud to say it’s still running today with its fourth president. It’s fascinating and deeply fulfilling to see the impact it continues to have.

Q: How has your entrepreneurial journey changed now that you’re in college compared to high school?

Dylan Kim: Early in college, I took a break from startups and entrepreneurship. I wanted to experience college life and make new friends. But by the end of freshman year, I felt the pull back to entrepreneurship because I really enjoyed it.

College and Entrepreneurial Evolution

Q: What have you been working on since returning to entrepreneurship in college?

Dylan Kim: One thing I realized about Vietnam, which is a very important statistic, is that Vietnamese people are now among the quickest-growing economies in the world. They’re the fifth biggest ethnic group coming abroad to the United States to study, and parents are willing to spend 48% of their yearly income on their children’s future, whether that’s education or other opportunities. This represents a huge market potential.

I thought about starting something again and realized that many of these students studying computer science would return to Vietnam. They need entrepreneurs and leaders who can provide actual value and catalyze economic development.

 So, I started MLV (Mam La Viet), which means a Vietnamese seedling. We began as a startup incubator for high school students, helping them start real companies and learn about entrepreneurship.

Our inaugural program last winter had 110 applicants, and we selected seven exceptional students from six different schools. They created companies in various sectors, including AI and consumer spaces. It was a very fascinating experience.

Now, we’re expanding to address the issues I mentioned earlier about schooling. Schools are fundamentally flawed because their success outcomes aren’t necessarily project-based. I believe learning by doing is when you learn the most. 

So, our mission now is to supplement contemporary education with project-based learning opportunities. We’re working with schools to integrate our programs into their curricula, either as summer school or after-school offerings.

We’re also developing an online, AI-driven product for students in Vietnam and globally. Additionally, I was involved in an incubator at MIT and became the youngest member of the Global Shapers community in the World Economic Forum at the Boston hub. 

I do a lot of things, and it’s fun to try to summarize my journey from birth to now in just ten minutes!

Founding MLV Ignite

Q: How did you and your co-founders come together to create your current start-up, MLV Ignite?

Dylan Kim: I have two other co-founders, Tim and Lindsey. Tim is from Hong Kong, and Lindsey, who is Korean, is also from Vietnam. I met Tim during my freshman year at Boston College, where he studies finance and entrepreneurship. We met at the international orientation, which takes place a week before school starts.

 During the orientation, we introduced ourselves and shared our hobbies. I mentioned my interest in entrepreneurship and joked about making the next Facebook. Tim took it seriously, and after orientation, he approached me, expressing his interest in starting a company.

Q: How did your initial connection with Tim evolve into co-founding a start-up?

Dylan Kim: We lost contact for a couple of weeks after orientation. The next time we saw each other was at the Entrepreneurship Club meeting, where we were both accepted into their freshman cohort. 

That was when we reconnected and started talking more seriously about our entrepreneurial interests. It wasn’t until May, at the end of our freshman year, that we actually sat down and discussed creating a start-up.

Q: How did Lindsey become part of MLV Ignite, and what common vision brought you all together?

Dylan Kim: Lindsey and I knew each other from our high school days in Vietnam. We both participated in entrepreneurship competitions—she was in the South (similar to living in LA), and I was in the North (similar to living in New York).

 Although we never met, we had mutual friends and knew of each other’s work. Lindsey ran an organization in high school that taught entrepreneurship and business to middle school students, showing her passion for education and entrepreneurship.

Tim and I brainstormed and realized we needed more help, so I reached out to Lindsey. We were all frustrated with how schools were handling project-based learning. We believed that learning by doing and collaborative education was the future. Sharing this vision of transforming education through entrepreneurship brought us together to form MLV Ignite.

Developing MLV Ignite’s Curriculum 

Q: How did you create the curriculum for MLV Ignite?

Dylan Kim: We approached the curriculum design by reflecting on what I would have wanted to learn in high school. For context, I’m a self-taught programmer and didn’t have many resources until I went through the MIT Launch accelerator during my junior year of high school. Up until then, I had no clue about business fundamentals. The accelerator gave me the basics, like understanding a business model, which was invaluable.

I wanted to give high school students a similar opportunity, but not in how Y Combinator operates. I had a chance to speak with Tom Blomfield, one of YC’s founders, and he disliked the idea of MLV because he saw it as a YC for high school students. YC aims to create companies that provide immense value to stakeholders, which isn’t realistic for high school students. 

Our goal is for students to learn about themselves and explore their interests, not to build the next Uber.

Q: What elements does the MLV Ignite curriculum include?

Dylan Kim: Our curriculum aims to give students as much exposure as possible to the resources needed for starting a business while emphasizing personal growth and self-discovery. It includes concepts you’d find in a typical college-level business course, but we also have reflection hours and guest speakers who share their experiences. Instead of using the Business Model Canvas, we have our own in-house canvas called “Passion to Value Creation.”

This canvas helps students think about their customers and how to maximize value. It also encourages them to see competition as inspiration and consider how their business aligns with their long-term goals. We emphasize introspection and character development.

Last winter, we ran a one-week program at my high school in Hanoi, Vietnam, which we found too short for our objectives. This summer, we’re running two-week programs in both Hanoi and Saigon. We plan to expand to Hong Kong this winter, where one of my co-founders is from. 

Lessons Learned from Inaugural Program

Q: What lessons did you learn from running the inaugural program last winter?

Dylan Kim: One key lesson was the importance of program length. Initially, I wanted to provide students with everything I knew to give them a solid platform to start from. The participants were ambitious high school students, many with their AP courses completed at a younger age. While they appreciated the content, I realized the program could have been more effective with fun community activities. After all, they’re still kids and want to have fun. 

One of my core tenets is that collaborative learning is better than learning through competition. This summer, we’ve made the program more like a summer school, incorporating more outdoor activities and team sports to foster a sense of community. Vietnam gets really hot, so we’re also finding ways to help students enjoy the warmth without overexposing them to it.

Q: How are you refining the program for this summer and future iterations?

Dylan Kim: This summer, we’re focusing on making the program more collaborative and fun. We’ve added community activities and team sports to help students connect on a deeper level. I believe that grinding for hours a day isn’t the right approach. There’s a balance to be struck, and it’s important to spend time with friends and family.

For Gen Z, who are already impressive and ahead of their peers by starting businesses at a young age, it’s crucial to remember that success doesn’t have to come at the expense of personal relationships. I want our students to understand that while being academically driven and ambitious is great, there’s also value in enjoying time with loved ones. This balance is a message I aim to convey to our participating students this summer, and it’s something we’re incorporating into our program design.

Acquiring Sponsorships and Partnerships

 Q: How did you acquire sponsorships and partnerships for MLV Ignite?

Dylan Kim: A key factor in how I view entrepreneurship is accessibility and social impact. Our program is priced at $500, which is much cheaper than similar programs in the States, which cost around $6,500. However, $500 is still a hefty amount for Vietnamese families, especially local students. I didn’t want financial barriers to prevent students from accessing our program. Although we are a business and not a nonprofit or charity, we needed to ensure financial accessibility.

To achieve this, we got sponsorships. Last winter, we relied on an angel network of individuals who believed in our mission. This network was built from my previous work with my nonprofit.

Q: Can you share specific examples of successful partnerships?

Dylan Kim: This summer, we formed a new connection with TVS, an investment bank that also handles venture capital and private equity. They have a strong history of social impact. During COVID, they donated masks and health supplies to local villages in Vietnam. They’ve also sponsored schools and other initiatives, which shows their commitment to social impact as a public company.

I had a call with one of their managing directors who believed in our mission. After a few pitches, our sponsors committed to around 44 million Vietnamese Dong (a few thousand dollars) in sponsorships. 

They are providing full-ride scholarships to local students and funding the expansion of our programs to Saigon, where they are headquartered. This partnership has been incredibly valuable, and I hope to continue it.

Funding Strategies and Networking

Q: What other support have you received to grow MLV Ignite?

Dylan Kim: Recently, we received support from the Soaring Startup Circle, a Boston College Alumni-founded venture fund. I also do some work with them, and they have provided us with $10,000 in funding. This support includes mentorship and will help us grow the company and make it more venture-bankable.

Sponsorships are a core tenet of our long-term vision. Eventually, we want to create an online platform to make our program accessible to everyone at a much lower cost. We are currently focused on securing sponsorships, going through accelerators, and growing our company.

Q: How did you initially fund MLV Ignite and the summer programs?

Dylan Kim: Our initial funding came from paying customers. For our winter program, the tuition fees covered all the expenses. We didn’t need to invest any personal money initially because the revenue generated was sufficient to run the program. This allowed us to scale to a higher and larger level without dipping into our own funds or those of our co-founders.

Q: What is your perspective on bootstrapping versus seeking external funding?

Dylan Kim: While we didn’t need to bootstrap MLV Ignite, I believe founders should start with bootstrapping unless they clearly understand how fundraising works. Bootstrapping helps you develop a solid foundation and understanding of your business. Although I have experience as a three-time founder and have worked with investors, we found it easier to use the funds from our paying customers initially.

Q: How important is networking in securing funding and support?

Dylan Kim: Networking is crucial. Your first impression and the relationships you build are very important. My connections in Vietnam, built from my previous ventures, believed in me and supported our new initiative. We also had advisors and mentors who believed in our mission. 

However, it’s important to remember that there’s always a return expectation, whether it’s by impact or financial return. For students, my advice is to start with your own money, participate in competitions for equity-free funding, and seek venture capital only after generating some revenue. This approach minimizes risk and pressure.

Lessons Learned and Personal Reflections

Q: What have been some key lessons you’ve learned about yourself?

Dylan Kim: I like to call myself a full-time student and a part-time entrepreneur. Being a college student with the luxury of working in a company full-time is rewarding but challenging. It means taking calls between classes, waking up earlier, sleeping later, and sometimes staying into work when my friends go out. 

Entrepreneurship is a grind, and it’s not for everyone. However, hitting milestones and making an impact is incredibly rewarding. I’ve realized that a career in entrepreneurship is for me, but it’s crucial to figure that out early on. Even if things don’t work out, I still have two more years in college to find a job, so I feel relaxed knowing I have a backup plan.

Q: How has your perspective on career paths and helping others evolved?

Dylan Kim: I’ve learned that not everyone is suited for entrepreneurship, and that’s okay. Early on, I didn’t understand why some people preferred careers in banking or a corporate nine-to-five job. It sounded horrible to me, but I realized that everyone has their own vision of what’s best for them. 

I had a tendency to push others to be the best version of themselves based on my perspective. Now, I understand that my vision of their best version might not align with their own. It’s important to be supportive without overstretching how much I try to help them.

Q: What are your views on profit-driven motives versus mission-driven entrepreneurship?

Dylan Kim: Another important lesson is that not everyone needs to be purely profit-driven. Many young entrepreneurs start businesses aiming to become millionaires, but I don’t see that as the right approach. Being grounded in a personal mission and having a social impact aspect of your business is very important. 

My personal mission is to change how education works for everyone. I believe that if you focus on impacting people positively, the money will follow. It’s crucial to balance making money with creating value and impact. 

Overcoming Challenges and Navigating Risks

Q: What challenges have you faced as an entrepreneur, especially as a college student?

Dylan Kim: Balancing the responsibilities of being a college student with entrepreneurship is a significant challenge. You need to manage your classes, grades, and exams while also running a business. It’s stressful to balance everything, and sacrifices are inevitable. It’s like the triangle of family, friends, fun, college, and work. 

Now that I’m focused on my career and business, I find myself spending less time with friends and family, which I really value. Prioritizing has been a challenge, especially as we grow and scale. I have investor money and a responsibility to honor their trust, but I also need to maintain my relationships and do well in school.

Q: How do you handle the unconventional path of entrepreneurship compared to traditional career paths?

Dylan Kim: Explaining my entrepreneurial path to friends and family has been challenging because it’s unconventional. They are used to the traditional path of graduating college, getting a job, and working a nine-to-five. Making it clear that I want to do my own thing and assuring them that it’s a viable career choice is difficult, especially coming from an Asian household. It’s important to sound professional and give confidence to those around me that this isn’t just a hobby but a serious endeavor.

Q: Do you feel pressured when comparing your path to that of your peers who follow traditional career paths?

Dylan Kim: Yes, there’s definitely pressure, especially now as a rising junior. Many of my peers are announcing their internships at prestigious companies like Google and Goldman Sachs, and they’ll likely make good money right out of college. Meanwhile, there’s a chance I might be living with my parents. This creates a sense of falling behind since, in high school, I was ahead, running a business and being seen as cool. 

But now, as everyone is securing internships and building their LinkedIn profiles, it sometimes feels like I’m lagging. It’s a mindset challenge, learning to be resilient and adaptable and believing in my own path as an entrepreneur. This self-belief is crucial, and while it can be challenging, it’s a vital part of the journey.

Q: What’s the scariest, riskiest choice you’ve ever made?

Dylan Kim: Honestly, I think everything in business involves risk. For MLV Ignite, we want to scale online, and a significant challenge is maintaining the level of engagement that in-person learning offers. We don’t want to be just another Udemy or Duolingo. 

To scale, we need to go online, and I’m exploring the use of artificial intelligence, something I’ve been learning about in college. AI is where the hype is right now, and it sounds attractive to investors, but it’s a space I’m not very familiar with, which makes it a big risk. Whether it’s the right decision or not, I have no idea yet, but we’ll see how it goes.

Q: How do you navigate the uncertainties and risks in your entrepreneurial journey?

Dylan Kim: We’re at a stage where sometimes I don’t even know if we’re going in the right direction. When starting out, you have a clearer idea of what you need to do—talk to customers, analyze competitors, etc. 

Now, it’s more about self-trust and having strong co-founders, which I’m fortunate to have. This daily uncertainty is challenging, but it builds resilience. Compared to this, nothing in school feels like a risk anymore, not even exams. The thrill of venture building overshadows academic challenges. Exploring the AI space as an ed-tech company is daunting, but it’s also very rewarding.

Advice for Gen Z Entrepreneurs and Founders 

Q: What’s the best piece of advice someone has given you so far?

Dylan Kim: The best piece of advice I’ve received is to prioritize your friends and family. I can’t remember who exactly gave it to me, but it was likely one of my mentors. At the end of the day, they are the ones who will stick by your side, even if things go horribly wrong. Having a strong support system is crucial because they’ll be there for you no matter what.

Q: What advice have you found most valuable in entrepreneurship and startups?

Dylan Kim: Another invaluable piece of advice came from a professor and mentor of mine from Florida: data drives decisions. Many people building their ventures tend to follow their heart or intuition, thinking that if it feels right, it must be right. While passion is important, decisions should be grounded in data. Interview people, gather insights, and avoid making assumptions.

Always have a reason for your actions based on data, not just feelings. This approach prevents many issues that arise when co-founders have differing opinions based on gut feelings. When decisions are data-driven, it’s easier to navigate disagreements and stay on course. 

Q: Have any books, podcasts, or creators significantly influenced your journey?

Dylan Kim: One person who has really influenced me is Alex Lieberman from Morning Brew. He has a podcast where he interviews founders, focusing not only on their successes but also on their failures. I listened to it a lot during high school. What sets his podcast apart is that it delves into founders’ struggles and challenges, which many media outlets often overlook. 

They tend to highlight stories of people raising millions or becoming billionaires but skip over the hardships. Understanding these struggles is crucial, and that’s the part I find most valuable.

Q: How else do you seek inspiration and learn from others’ experiences?

Dylan Kim: I listen to various podcasts, including Lex Fridman’s. He’s a researcher at MIT and brings in fascinating guests like Sam Altman and Elon Musk. These discussions are insightful and provide a lot of depth.

Beyond podcasts, I enjoy talking directly to other founders and learning about their narratives. For instance, hearing your story about growing up, getting your job, and dealing with a medical condition was incredibly interesting. Learning the stories behind the processes and the reasons why people do what they do is more valuable to me than just the outcomes. The outcome often reflects the process, so understanding the “why” is crucial. Whether through podcasts, books, or personal conversations, I seek opportunities to learn from others’ experiences and journeys.

Uncompromisable Values

Q: What is the one thing you will never compromise on regarding business?

Dylan Kim: I think the mission is something I will never compromise on. The methods of achieving that mission can always change, but the core problem you’re trying to solve should remain constant. As the saying goes, don’t get married to the solution; get married to the problem. For me, the problem is that education is fundamentally flawed and has been for centuries. This hasn’t changed, and I believe it needs to.

The workforce will change, especially now, with the introduction of AI. We don’t need people who are good at repeating tasks or just doing what they’re told. We need people who can think critically, collaborate, and be entrepreneurial. We’re at a critical juncture where schooling needs to evolve.

Maintaining this vision is crucial for MLV Ignite or any other venture I undertake in the education space. That’s the main reason why I do what I do. The approach may change based on data and customer feedback, but the mission stays the same. There isn’t a perfect formula; being an entrepreneur means facing challenges and making pivots. As long as your ethos and mission remain intact, the journey and methods can adapt.

Connect with Dylan! 

Interested in connecting with Dylan? Find him on LinkedIn here. 

Want to learn more about MLV Ignite? Visit their website here for more information. 

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DISCLAIMER: This article is written in Dylan Kim’s voice. The conversation and answers are based on Dylan’s actual responses and have been edited in collaboration with him to reflect his authentic voice and experiences.