Dr. Kingsley R. Chin Attends ForbesBLK Summit 2025 as VIP Guest to Hear Robert F. Smith and Stephen A. Smith -- Aligns KIC Ventures' Spine HealthTech Vision with Vista Equity's Value-Building Model

At the ForbesBLK Summit in Atlanta, Dr. Chin and Executive Council member Taylor Headley represented KIC Ventures among top Black leaders driving enterprise value and innovation across industries.

ATLANTA, Oct. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Kingsley R. Chin, orthopedic spinal surgeon, CEO, and Founder of KIC Ventures, attended the ForbesBLK Summit 2025 in Atlanta as a VIP guest, alongside Taylor Headley, Executive Council member and KIC Ventures Project Management Lead. The event featured powerful keynotes from Robert F. Smith, billionaire Founder and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, and Stephen A. Smith, media icon and entrepreneur, both sharing lessons on excellence, discipline, and impact in leadership.

Dr. Chin, who shares deep educational and professional roots with Robert F. Smith, reflected on the moment as one of alignment and affirmation. "Robert Smith graduated from Columbia Business School and began his career as an intern at AT&T Bell Labs. I attended Columbia Engineering and also began at Bell Labs—so seeing his journey to building the largest Black-owned private equity firm in the world reinforced my conviction that we're on the right path at KIC Ventures," said Dr. Chin.

At Vista Equity Partners, Smith built a disciplined full buyout model for scaling enterprise software companies through operational excellence and value creation. KIC Ventures applies similar principles in healthcare—focusing on healthtech and spine surgery innovation—but differs in philosophy and structure.

"Where Vista Equity creates value in enterprise software, KIC Ventures builds sustainable enterprise value in spine healthtech," Dr. Chin said. "Our portfolio companies are not transactional assets; they're complementary, best-in-class technologies built around a unified philosophy—LESS (Less Exposure Spine Surgery) and REP (Restore Function, Early Treatment, Preserve Anatomy). Together, they define Interventional Spine Surgery as the next major specialty in outpatient spine care, designed to 10x advance beyond traditional spine surgery."

With $1–3 billion in assets under management, KIC Ventures oversees the world's largest portfolio of differentiated spine technology companies, including AxioMed, NANISX, and NanoFuse Biologics. Each company contributes to a cohesive ecosystem aimed at transforming patient outcomes and redefining how spine care is delivered.

"Robert Smith's message of disciplined execution and Stephen A. Smith's message of relentless excellence both hit home for us," said Taylor Headley, Executive Council member at KIC Ventures. "As part of our leadership team, I see firsthand how Dr. Chin's vision translates those same principles into action—building, not just investing, in technologies that create lasting impact."

Dr. Chin added, "Seeing both Robert and Stephen A. Smith in person was powerful. I didn't just want to read about them—I needed to be there, to feel the energy and excellence firsthand. It was a reminder that leadership is about presence, purpose, and the courage to keep building."

The ForbesBLK Summit served as both inspiration and affirmation for KIC Ventures' mission: to continue creating lasting enterprise value through purpose-driven innovation and disciplined leadership in spine health technology.

Visit www.KICVentures.com to learn more.

About KIC Ventures

KIC Ventures is a Boston-based private equity firm founded by Dr. Kingsley R. Chin, orthopedic spinal surgeon and entrepreneur. With $1–3 billion in assets under management, KIC Ventures leads a global portfolio of companies developing next-generation spine technologies under its LESS and REP philosophies. Through its portfolio—including AxioMed, NANISX, and NanoFuse Biologics—KIC Ventures is redefining outpatient spine care and advancing the emerging field of Interventional Spine Surgery.

SOURCE KIC Ventures