David Chao speaks Mandarin and Japanese, was recruited by a sumo stable as a teenager before moving to the U.S., and later helped lead DCM into China as one of the first Silicon Valley venture firms to invest there, all while keeping a signature style of taking 15% to 25% stakes in Series A rounds and setting aside a separate fund for riskier bets like early VR, drones, and AI. He also serves as an independent board director at SoftBank, where he gives long-term strategic advice and represents the interests of smaller shareholders.