The KSIF is a student investment fund of Korea Graduate School of Finance (KGSF) and the first student managed fund in Korea. It was first initiated in February, 2008 and was allocated a billion won by KAIST President Nam Pyo Suh. Within five months from the investment period of April 17 to August 29, the fund recorded returns of -6.72%. Compared to the rates of KOSPI and KOSDAQ indexes of -16.65% and -26.70% during the same period, the KAIST Student Investment Fund outperformed the Korean market indexes.

Ha Yoon Lee, leader of the Alternative Strategy Team, explained that “if you could raise even as little as 1~3% above the general market returns, you are an excellent fund manager” and “by anticipating the risks of Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers with the subprime mortgage crisis and by closely observing Lehman’s stock price, these have helped us to reduce our loss rate.” The various student teams in the KSIF invested the billion won evenly among stocks, bonds, derivatives, and others. At the end of August, KSIF held stocks of POSCO, Woori Financial Group, Sungkwang Co., Ltd., Taewoong, LG Micron Ltd., and Hanatour