South Korea's startup scene is full of energy, with founders building exciting new companies across many industries. Finding the right financial partner is a crucial step for any new venture in this growing ecosystem.
Firms like Korea Investment Partners have backed over 470 companies, while others like IMM Investment and Kakao Ventures have each made more than 350 investments. This activity shows a healthy appetite for new ideas and a strong support system for entrepreneurs.
Below is our list of the best 26 VC firms in South Korea.
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Buy It For $97 $297 →Originally the early-stage venture arm of SoftBank Group, SBVA now operates as an independent firm backing entrepreneurs at all stages of growth, from seed to private equity. In partnership with the global startup ecosystem builder The Edgeof, they are committed to fostering innovation and technological advancement.
| Headquarters | Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea |
| Year Founded | 2000 |
| Founders | JIN Yun-jeong |
| Investment Stage | Debt, Early Stage, Late Stage, Private Equity, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 272 (111 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 31 (5 IPO'd) |
| Contact | b_plan@sbvacorp.com |
Functioning as an independent arm of Kakao Corp, Kakao Ventures is the most active early-stage venture capital firm in Korea. They provide seed and early-stage funding with a reputation for being exceptionally startup-friendly.
| Headquarters | Seongnam, Kyonggi-do, South Korea |
| Year Founded | 2012 |
| Founders | Bum-soo Kim, Jihoon Rim |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 353 (116 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 20 (4 IPO'd) |
| Contact | hello@kakao.vc |
As one of South Korea's leading investment firms, IMM Investment provides growth capital to companies in sectors like technology, healthcare, and manufacturing. They have a track record of backing major successes, including Krafton, the creator of the popular game PUBG, and e-commerce giant Coupang.
| Headquarters | Kangnam, Cholla-namdo, South Korea |
| Year Founded | 1999 |
| Founders | — |
| Industries | Biotech, Healthcare, E-Commerce, Education, Gaming, Manufacturing, SaaS |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Late Stage, Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth |
| Nº of Investments | 354 (40 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 46 (33 IPO'd) |
| Contact | +82-2-2112-1777 |
Backing founders from the very beginning, BonAngels Venture Partners provides initial investment and operational support to early-stage startups from seed to pre-series A. They have helped build successful companies like Woowa Bros and Delivery Hero by investing across a wide range of sectors, from gaming and AI to healthcare and SaaS.
| Headquarters | Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea |
| Year Founded | 2007 |
| Founders | — |
| Total Funding | $197.4M |
| Industries | Gaming, Education, AI & ML, Proptech & Real Estate, Crypto & Blockchain, Healthcare, Health & Wellness, SaaS |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Late Stage, Post-Ipo, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 247 (88 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 16 (1 IPO'd) |
| Top Portfolio Startups | Woowa Bros, Delivery Hero, Dailyhotel |
| Contact | bonangels@bonangels.net |
Capstone Partners provides early-stage funding to startups in South Korea and China, primarily within the internet, mobile, gaming, and healthcare sectors. The firm supports founders with new ideas from inception, guiding them toward growth with a preference for exiting through a trade sale.
| Headquarters | Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea |
| Year Founded | 2008 |
| Founders | Eunkang Song, Taecheol Hwang |
| Total Funding | $226M |
| Industries | Internet & Mobile, Healthcare, Gaming, SaaS |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage |
| Nº of Investments | 302 (69 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 25 (7 IPO'd) |
| Top Portfolio Startups | Cocoon Games, Drama & Company, Ifunfactory |
| Contact | contact@cspartners.co.kr / 82 2 575 1210 |
TheVentures invests in seed-stage startups, providing them with a dedicated team of experts for recruiting, marketing, and strategy. Going beyond just capital, they actively co-build products with founders and help secure difficult-to-hire early engineering talent.
| Headquarters | Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea |
| Year Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | Changseong Ho, Jiwon Moon |
| Investment Stage | Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 130 (59 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 3 |
| Contact | info@theventures.co |
Magellan Technology Investment funds early-stage and seed technology startups, helping them navigate initial growth phases. The firm's support extends past capital to include direct involvement in startup planning and management, equipping founders with strategic guidance.
| Headquarters | Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea |
| Year Founded | 2011 |
| Founders | — |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 36 (6 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | — |
| Contact | magellan@mtivc.com / +82 2 6013 0114 |
For more than 30 years, Korea Investment Partners has provided venture capital and private equity to entrepreneurs building companies in industries ranging from biotech and healthcare to media and fintech. They support companies from early stages to private equity, with a portfolio that includes giants like Kakao, Naver, and YG Entertainment.
| Headquarters | Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea |
| Year Founded | 1986 |
| Founders | — |
| Industries | Biotech, Healthcare, Entertainment, Media, Gaming, Consumer, Internet & Mobile, Fintech, Marketplace, IoT, AI & ML, Automation, Industrial, Hardware |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Private Equity, Series A, Series B, Series C |
| Nº of Investments | 471 (121 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 55 (27 IPO'd) |
Korea Development Bank drives South Korea's economic growth by providing long-term financing to private enterprises undertaking major industrial projects. Beyond capital, their support includes loan guarantees, industrial research, and direct managerial assistance to help these projects succeed.
| Headquarters | Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea |
| Year Founded | 1954 |
| Founders | Dong-gull Lee |
| Investment Stage | — |
| Nº of Investments | 303 (42 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 23 (16 IPO'd) |
Operating as both a venture capital and private equity firm since 1999, Smilegate Investment backs promising companies across their entire lifecycle, from seed funding to later stages. The firm's strategy centers on growing alongside its portfolio companies, having managed over 30 funds and invested in more than 200 businesses since its inception.
| Headquarters | Seongnam, Kyonggi-do, South Korea |
| Year Founded | 1999 |
| Founders | — |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Late Stage, Private Equity, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 244 (52 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 17 (10 IPO'd) |
| Contact | 031-622-4770 |
16 Additional South Korea VC Firms Worth Pitching
Our top picks are just the beginning of the story for South Korea's startup scene. The firms below have collectively backed over 2,000 startups and guided more than 130 of them to successful exits.
There are many other active investors helping build the next generation of companies. Here’s a look at more venture capital firms funding what's next in South Korea.
