Tier Zero VIP

Solomon AI

Kik Lee

Growth signals | $14.5M (~3 seed rounds, Bessemer-led)

8.0
VIP Score
7/10
ICP Fit
$14.5M
Funding
11-50
Employees
2020
Founded
9/10
Media Gap
Tier Zero VIP

Solomon AI is building an AI-powered tax research and automation platform - starting with legal research for tax law, then expanding into full tax practice automation. Think of it as: *"AI that reads the entire US tax code so CPAs and tax attorneys don't have to."*

Founded in 2023 by Kik Lee (CEO, ex-Microsoft, previously founding member at MarqVision where he drove revenue to $3M ARR) and David Im, Solomon raised ~$14.5M in total seed funding:

| Round | Amount | Lead Investor | Date | |-------|--------|---------------|------| | Pre-Seed/Seed 1 | $3M | Crew Capital, Base Ventures, Balon Capital, Hillspring Investment | 2024 | | Seed 2 | $6.8M | Bessemer Venture Partners | Jul 2025 | | Seed Extension | $4.7M | Dunamu & Partners, Bass Ventures | Aug 2025 |

$15K Workshop

High fit. At $14.5M (~3 seed rounds, Bessemer-led) raised with 11-50 employees, Solomon AI sits in Jamie's sweet spot. This is a company at a growth inflection point where the founder's positioning and messaging are the bottleneck, not the product or team.

Why it works: Kik is the decision-maker. The company is the right size for the $15K price point. The core challenge is a positioning and messaging problem - exactly what Jamie's Unstuck Growth Intensive is built for.

Risk: Kik may feel media presence is already covered. Jamie needs to show the difference between niche trade press and mainstream founder visibility - and why the latter drives enterprise sales, recruiting, and future fundraising in ways trade press cannot.

Quick Summary

Key Intel

Massive US Market Media Gap Despite Bessemer Backing - Solomon's press coverage is almost entirely in Korean tech media (Startup Recipe, Venture Square, WOWTALE). For a Bessemer-backed company targeting the US tax market, this is a critical gap. A US busi
$1M ARR in 6 Months → Needs to Scale Awareness - $1M ARR in 6 months proves product-market fit. The next phase is scaling - which requires market awareness beyond word-of-mouth. Podcasts drive top-of-funnel for B2B SaaS at this stage.
Tax Season Timing - Tax is seasonal. Awareness built now compounds during the next tax season cycle. A podcast appearance in Q1 2026 positions Solomon ahead of the curve.
75
ICP Fit
Strong
Right-sized company. Co-Founder & CEO is the decision-maker. Venture-backed growth mode.
65
Workshop Fit
Medium
Positioning gap is the exact problem Jamie's Intensive solves.
95
Reachability
High
Active on LinkedIn. Does media regularly. Accessible CEO.
🕵️

Sherlock Research Summary

Generated by Sherlock - OpenClaw Deep Research Agent • March 6, 2026 • 7 web searches • 9 sources analyzed
AI Agent Executive Summary
Solomon AI is building an AI-powered tax research and automation platform - starting with legal research for tax law, then expanding into full tax practice automation. Think of it as: *"AI that reads the entire US tax code so CPAs and tax attorneys don't have to."*
Founded in 2023 by Kik Lee (CEO, ex-Microsoft, previously founding member at MarqVision where he drove revenue to $3M ARR) and David Im, Solomon raised ~$14.5M in total seed funding:
| Round | Amount | Lead Investor | Date | |-------|--------|---------------|------| | Pre-Seed/Seed 1 | $3M | Crew Capital, Base Ventures, Balon Capital, Hillspring Investment | 2024 | | Seed 2 | $6.8M | Bessemer Venture Partners | Jul 2025 | | Seed Extension | $4.7M | Dunamu & Partners, Bass Ventures | Aug 2025 |

What Makes Kik Interesting

The angles that matter for Jamie's outreach
Venture-backed founder (9/10) - Bessemer Venture Partners led the $6.8M seed - this is one of the most prestigious VCs in the world. ~$14.5M total across three seed rounds. Dunamu & Partners (Korean fintech giant behind Upbit). Crew Capital. This is an elite early-stage cap table
Content/media gap (9/10) - Zero podcasts. Extensive Korean tech press coverage (Startup Recipe, Venture Square, WOWTALE) but minimal English-language coverage. The US market media gap is enormous. A US business podcast would be Solomon's first significant English-language foun
Growth signals (8/10) - $1M ARR within 6 months of launch. Three seed rounds in rapid succession ($3M -> $6.8M -> $4.7M) signals explosive investor demand. Bessemer doesn't lead seed rounds casually

Where They Might Be Stuck

Signals that the $15K workshop could land
Massive US Market Media Gap Despite Bessemer Backing - Solomon's press coverage is almost entirely in Korean tech media (Startup Recipe, Venture Square, WOWTALE). For a Bessemer-backed company targeting the US tax market, this is a critical gap. A US busi
$1M ARR in 6 Months → Needs to Scale Awareness - $1M ARR in 6 months proves product-market fit. The next phase is scaling - which requires market awareness beyond word-of-mouth. Podcasts drive top-of-funnel for B2B SaaS at this stage.
Tax Season Timing - Tax is seasonal. Awareness built now compounds during the next tax season cycle. A podcast appearance in Q1 2026 positions Solomon ahead of the curve.
Sources Analyzed (9)

Profile

Identity

TITLE
Co-Founder & CEO
Solomon AI
COMPANY
Solomon AI
Founded 2020 - United States
FUNDING
$14.5M
11-50 employees

Experience

CURRENT
Co-Founder & CEO at Solomon AI
Since 2020
ACCESS
He IS the Co-Founder & CEO

Ecosystem

ACCESS
10/10 - Direct decision-maker

Company & Product

Solomon AI

HQUnited States
Founded2020
Employees11-50
Revenue$1M-$10M
ProductSolomon AI

Funding & Growth

$14.5M
Total Raised
11-50
Employees
2020
Founded
8/10
Growth Score

Funding Details

$14.5M (~3 seed rounds, Bessemer-led)

Media & Visibility

Channel Effectiveness

LinkedIn
Profile exists
Unknown
Podcast
None found
None
Press
None found
None
Speaking
None found
None
Blog/Content
None found
None

Online Presence & Gap

Limited

What's Completely Missing

No Podcast No Press No Speaking No Blog/Content

Pain Signals & Angles In

Signal 1Massive US Market Media Gap Despite Bessemer Backing
  • Solomon's press coverage is almost entirely in Korean tech media (Startup Recipe, Venture Square, WOWTALE). For a Bessemer-backed company targeting the US tax market, this is a critical gap. A US business podcast would be the first significant English-language founder profile - exactly what Kik needs to build brand awareness in his primary market.
Signal 2$1M ARR in 6 Months → Needs to Scale Awareness
  • $1M ARR in 6 months proves product-market fit. The next phase is scaling - which requires market awareness beyond word-of-mouth. Podcasts drive top-of-funnel for B2B SaaS at this stage.
Signal 3Tax Season Timing
  • Tax is seasonal. Awareness built now compounds during the next tax season cycle. A podcast appearance in Q1 2026 positions Solomon ahead of the curve.

Fit Assessment

7.5
ICP Fit
High

Venture-backed, 11-50 employees, Growth signals is the direct decision-maker. Right-sized for the $15K Intensive. The strategic positioning problem is exactly what Jamie solves.

9
Media Gap
9/10

Korean-American. Ex-Microsoft. AI tax research platform. Bessemer Venture Partners led $6.8M seed (Jul 2025). Zero podcasts despite tier-1 VC backing.

Outreach Angles & Value Bombs

The Killer Narrative

Korean-American. Ex-Microsoft. AI tax research platform. Bessemer Venture Partners led $6.8M seed (Jul 2025). Zero podcasts despite tier-1 VC backing.

Why Kik Should Care

Korean-American. Ex-Microsoft. AI tax research platform. Bessemer Venture Partners led $6.8M seed (Jul 2025). Zero podcasts despite tier-1 VC backing.

Loom Video Audit Ideas

Jamie should pick ONE of these and record a 5-10 minute Loom. The goal: deliver so much free value that Kik has to respond.

Loom 1 - Website Positioning Audit (RECOMMENDED)
Pull up https://solomontax.ai and walk through the homepage messaging. Show the gap between how Solomon AI describes itself (technical/feature language) and how customers would describe the value. Jamie's framework: "Who is this for? What problem does it solve? Is this the customer's language or the company's language?" Point out specific copy that could be stronger. End with: "These are simple changes you can make with what you already have."
This is Jamie's signature move. Specific, actionable, impossible to ignore because it is about Kik's company.
Keep it conversational, not harsh. Show a good example for contrast. End with something actionable today.
Loom 2 - Founder Visibility Gap Analysis
Google "Kik Lee" and "Solomon AI" side by side. Show what comes up - or doesn't. Compare to competitors or similar-stage founders who have strong media presence. The gap between Kik's credentials/story quality and their actual online visibility is the hook. "Your story is worth 10x more coverage than you're getting."
Pure data, zero judgment. The Google results show the gap between where Kik's story lives and where it should live.
Frame this as a strategic observation about channel diversification, not criticism.
Loom 3 - Customer vs. Company Language Gap
Find customer testimonials, G2 reviews, or case study quotes for Solomon AI. Show the mismatch between how Solomon AI talks about itself (features, technology) and how customers describe the value (outcomes, feelings, transformation). Jamie's insight: "Your customers are telling a better story than your homepage. That gap is costing you deals."
The language gap between company messaging and customer language is a universal insight that resonates with every founder.
Be specific - pull real quotes if possible. The more concrete the examples, the more likely Kik takes a call.

Multi-Channel Outreach Plan

Hit multiple channels in the same week. Each touchpoint delivers value, not asks.

1
LinkedIn Connect
Day 1
Warm intro
2
Loom Video
Day 2-3
Value bomb
3
Email + Loom
Day 3-4
Send the audit
4
Side Door
Day 5
Co-founder/CRO
5
Follow-Up
Day 7-10
Gentle nudge
6
Physical Mail
Day 10-14
Pattern interrupt

Day 1: LinkedIn Connection

"Kik - I work with venture-backed founders navigating post-raise growth. Korean-American. Ex-Microsoft. AI tax research platform. Bessemer Venture Partners led $6.8M seed (Jul 2025). Zero podca Would love to connect."

Day 2-3: Record the Loom

Record the Website Positioning Audit (Loom 1 above). Keep it under 10 minutes. Be specific, be helpful, end with actionable advice. Do NOT send via LinkedIn - hold for email.

Day 3-4: Email with Loom

Subject: "Something I noticed about Solomon AI's positioning"

"Hi Kik - I recorded a short video walking through something I noticed on https://solomontax.ai. It's not a pitch - it's a genuine observation about the gap between how Solomon AI describes itself and how your customers talk about you.

[Loom link]

If any of it resonates, I'd love 20 minutes to dig deeper. If not, no worries - hopefully the video is useful either way.

Jamie"

Day 7-10: Follow-Up

"Hi Kik - one more thought. I looked at how your customers describe Solomon AI vs. how your homepage describes it. The language gap is fascinating - and I think it's the key to unlocking your next wave of growth. Happy to walk through it if you're curious."

Messaging That Might Work

Starting points Jamie should rewrite in his own voice. The specific details are what make them work.

The Direct LinkedIn DM

"Kik - I work with venture-backed founders navigating post-raise growth positioning. I noticed Solomon AI has raised $14.5M and is at 11-50 employees - that is exactly the inflection point where founder positioning and messaging become the bottleneck, not the product.

I recorded a short analysis of Solomon AI's positioning that I think you will find useful - no pitch, just observations. Would you be open to a 20-minute strategic diagnostic? Worst case, you get a new perspective on your GTM."

Warm Email Subject Lines

Option A: "Something I noticed about Solomon AI's positioning"
Option B: "The gap between Solomon AI's story and its visibility"
Option C: "Kik - a question most 11-50-person founders don't ask"
Option D: "Your fundraise story deserves a bigger audience"
Rule: Every subject line is about Kik's business, not about Jamie.

Things to Avoid

Saying They're "Stuck"
They're growing. Use "what's next" framing, never "what's wrong."
Generic "Let's Hop on a Call"
Kik gets dozens of these a day. Lead with value, not asks.
Probing Fundraising Details
Stick to published numbers. Don't ask about burn rate or runway.
Comparing to Competitors
Never position against their competitors. Focus on their story.
Being Salesy in the Loom
The Loom should feel like free consulting. If they learn something, the call books itself.
Mentioning Revenue Specifics
Unless publicly disclosed, don't reference ARR or revenue numbers.

Bottom Line

Kik Lee is a Tier Zero VIP lead scoring 8.0/10. Korean-American. Ex-Microsoft. AI tax research platform. Bessemer Venture Partners led $6.8M seed (Jul 2025). Zero podcasts despite tier-1 VC backing.

The positioning gap is the way in: Jamie's Unstuck Growth Intensive is built for exactly this kind of founder - someone with strong credentials and real traction but a gap between their story and their visibility. A personalized Loom audit, sent through multiple channels, will be impossible to ignore because it's about Kik's business, not about Jamie.

8.0/10
VIP Score
Tier Zero VIP
Lead Tier
3
Pain Signals
3
Loom Ideas