Christopher Kong, co-founder and CEO of AI startup Corvera, has criticized the UK's comfortable and risk-averse culture, explaining why he relocated his company from London to San Francisco.
UK vs US: Risk Appetite
Kong, an Oxford graduate who previously launched a successful vegan food brand, founded Corvera in October 2025. He noted that convincing US customers to adopt new AI tools is significantly easier than in the UK. "I think in the UK, perhaps people have had it more comfortable and there’s a bit more of a safety net and therefore there’s more to lose and perhaps not too much to gain… whereas in the US it’s the complete opposite, you have everything potentially to lose, but also everything to potentially gain," Kong told City AM.
Success Stories Drive Risk Appetite
He highlighted the pervasive success stories in the Bay Area, from road signs to buses, which foster a culture of risk-taking. "I think that trickles down, not just in the tech companies and the entrepreneurs, but all the way down to every strata of society. I think everyone has now, as a result, more risk appetite, because they see that success and they see how these tech companies have become so successful and they want to be part of that journey, even if they’re just an early customer," he said. Kong contrasted this with London, where such enthusiasm is lacking.
Corvera's Growth and Funding
Last month, Corvera secured $4.2 million (£3 million) in seed funding to accelerate its expansion in automating operations for consumer packaged goods brands. The round was led by 6 Degrees Capital, with participation from over 20 venture capital and angel investors, including 20VC, Rebel Fund, Duke Capital Partners, and Multimodal Ventures. The funding follows Corvera's participation in Y Combinator's Winter 2026 cohort, where it was selected from over 30,000 global applicants and received backing from alumni founders.
