# Steve Lee > Steve Lee, co-founder and Managing Partner of Neoclassic Capital, has a rich history in the digital asset investment landscape with prior roles at BlockTower Capital and Goldman Sachs across Asia and the US. - Canonical URL: https://iq.wiki/wiki/steve-lee - Categories: People in crypto - Tags: Advisor, Founder, Investor - Created: 2026-06-25T20:56:26.053Z - Last updated: 2026-06-28T18:00:33.399Z - Source: IQ.wiki — the world's largest blockchain and crypto encyclopedia (https://iq.wiki) --- **Steve Lee** is a co-founder and managing partner of Neoclassic Capital, a venture capital firm focusing on [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) and digital assets. Throughout his career, Lee has been influential in bridging the gap between the US and Asia in the financial technology and [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) sectors, promoting investments in [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) and [digital asset](https://iq.wiki/wiki/digital-assets) technologies. [\[1\]](#cite-id-cEVtm3ND1179xh38) [\[2\]](#cite-id-Q2gfEyVT12Z42lHL)​ ### Early Life & Education Steve Lee was born in South Korea and has spent significant periods living in Japan, the United States, and Singapore. He pursued higher education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a Master of Science in Material Science and Engineering. [\[1\]](#cite-id-cEVtm3ND1179xh38) ### Career #### Early career Steve Lee began his career in 2008 as a Product Engineer at The Dow Chemical Company, where he worked on the development of electronic materials for semiconductor manufacturers, including Intel and Samsung Electronics. In 2010, he joined Deloitte as a Research Analyst, contributing to mergers and acquisitions projects involving large South Korean business groups, which served as the basis for later work with [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain). #### Goldman Sachs (2010–2018) In 2010, Lee joined Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) in Singapore as a Senior Analyst. His work included portfolio analysis, risk management, and operational support for portfolio managers and traders based in New York, London, and Tokyo. He also coordinated processes involving trading, sales, operations, compliance, and technology teams, while handling requests from institutional clients across Japan, South Korea, China, and Australia. Lee transferred to Tokyo in 2014 and became a Portfolio Manager and Trader. In that role, he managed portfolios consisting of equities, fixed income, private equity, and hedge funds. His responsibilities also included executing foreign exchange and derivatives transactions and providing trading solutions for Japanese institutional clients, including pension funds, financial institutions, and third-party distributors. #### BlockTower Capital (2018–2022) Lee joined [BlockTower Capital](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blocktower-capital) in 2018, where he served as Investment Director and Head of Asia-Pacific. His responsibilities included investments in publicly traded [cryptocurrencies](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) and private companies operating in the financial services and consumer sectors. As Head of Asia-Pacific, he managed relationships with investors and market participants across China, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore, including [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) exchanges, over-the-counter trading firms, mining companies, and service providers. #### Career break (2022–2023) Between October 2022 and December 2023, Lee took a career break. During this period, he worked as an angel investor and advised startups and institutions involved in the [digital asset](https://iq.wiki/wiki/digital-assets) sector while preparing the launch of a new investment firm. #### Neoclassic Capital (2024–present) In January 2024, Lee co-founded Neoclassic Capital and became its Co-Founder and Managing Partner. The firm focuses on investments related to [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3), [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) technology, and [digital assets](https://iq.wiki/wiki/digital-assets), including projects connected to the entertainment industry. His work at the firm includes investment activities involving [digital asset](https://iq.wiki/wiki/digital-assets) infrastructure, [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) technologies, and companies operating in Asian markets. #### Industry activities Lee has participated in conferences, panel discussions, and industry events related to [digital assets](https://iq.wiki/wiki/digital-assets) and [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) technology. His public appearances have covered topics including [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) regulation, market conditions, and policy developments. He has also maintained a public presence through industry and social media platforms, where he shares updates related to [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency), [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) technology, [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3), and companies associated with his investment activities. [\[6\]](#cite-id-sYRzNNfIZZoha15f) [\[5\]](#cite-id-pBOryd8k92LUwBEQ) [\[4\]](#cite-id-fC9grhKb6CU3MlTp) [\[3\]](#cite-id-gJU1SIuaQDYbBuMa) [\[2\]](#cite-id-Q2gfEyVT12Z42lHL) [\[1\]](#cite-id-cEVtm3ND1179xh38)