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South Korea's startup scene features a mix of established tech companies and newer businesses in growing fields. Key industries include artificial intelligence, financial technology, and e-commerce.
Electric vehicle battery maker SK on has attracted $5.6 billion in funding. AI chip developer Rebellions, founded in 2020, has also raised over $457 million.
Below is our list of 100 South Korea startups worth keeping an eye on.
Everything you need to raise funding for your startup, including 3,500+ investors, 7 tools, 18 templates and 3 learning resources.
Buy It For $97 $297 →Information about the industries, countries, and cities they generally invest in.
Get the Sheet for $50Information about their valuation, HQ's location, founded year, name of founders, funding amount and number of employees.
Get the Sheet for $50List of startup investors in the BioTech, Health, and Medicine industries, along with their Twitter, LinkedIn, and email addresses.
Get the Sheet for $50List of 250 startup investors in the AI and Machine Learning industries, along with their Twitter, LinkedIn, and email addresses.
Get the Sheet for $50List of 250 startup investors in the FinTech and Finance industries, along with their Twitter, LinkedIn, and email addresses.
Get the Sheet for $50Rebellions develops AI accelerator chips and data center systems for large-scale applications. Their hardware is engineered to run complex AI inference tasks with greater speed and efficiency.
Upstage develops specialized language models and AI-powered document processing tools for enterprise use. The company is known for its flagship model, Solar, a compact yet powerful language model that helps make AI more accessible for businesses.
FuriosaAI builds data center accelerators engineered to run the world's most advanced AI applications. Their custom semiconductor chips are designed to power complex AI models with greater speed and efficiency.
MUSINSA operates a leading fashion e-commerce platform that showcases a wide array of Korean designers and brands. The company combines retail with rich editorial content, offering storytelling that helps customers discover new designers.
SK on develops and manufactures high-energy density batteries for electric vehicles. Their focus on this technology helps automakers improve vehicle performance and extend driving range.
Toss builds a mobile financial super-app that consolidates services like peer-to-peer payments, banking, and investments into a single platform. The company has evolved into one of the world's fastest-growing digital banks, becoming the largest financial app by users in South Korea.
Yanolja operates a major South Korean travel platform for booking accommodations, leisure, and transportation services. The company provides technology solutions that connect travelers with a vast inventory of hotels and activities.
Nota AI develops NetsPresso, a platform that automatically optimizes AI models for specific hardware. Their technology enables companies to build and deploy lighter, faster AI models without extensive manual engineering.
HAEGIN develops and publishes mobile games for a global audience, including the popular social metaverse game Play Together. They specialize in creating casual and sports titles that connect players through shared online experiences.
Bithumb runs a comprehensive digital asset exchange for trading a wide array of cryptocurrencies. As one of South Korea's largest exchanges, they provide a marketplace for both new and experienced crypto traders.
Our top ten picks are just a small part of what’s happening in South Korea. Founders are building all kinds of companies, especially in AI and media, and have raised billions of dollars to grow their ideas.
Some of these startups are brand new, while others are more established. Below is a look at the rest of the companies shaping the South Korean startup ecosystem.
| Startup | Industry | Year Founded | Amount Raised | Last Funding Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI | 2021 | ₩3B | Series A | |
| Media | 2011 | $110.8M | Series A | |
| AI | 2018 | ₩134.5B | Series C | |
| Marketing | 2021 | ₩32.5B | Series A | |
| Biotech | 2011 | $180M | Grant | |
| Media | 2020 | $33.7M | Series B | |
| AI | 2017 | ₩23B | Series B | |
| AI | 2023 | ₩21B | Seed | |
| Media | 2010 | ₩43.5B | Series B | |
| AI | 2014 | $170.7M | Corporate Round | |
| AI | 2021 | ₩152.3B | Series B | |
| Analytics | 2018 | $9.7M | Series A | |
| Mobility | 2018 | ₩52.1B | Series B | |
| Manufacturing | 2020 | $20.3M | Series B | |
| Hardware | 2022 | $50.9M | Series A | |
| Healthcare | 2015 | $42M | Series C | |
| AI | 2019 | ₩1456B | Corporate Round | |
| AI | 2016 | $27.5M | Series A | |
| Biotech | 2012 | ₩748.6B | Venture Round | |
| Robotics | 1976 | ₩579.2B | Grant | |
| AI | 2020 | ₩4.1B | Series A | |
| Crypto | 2011 | $150M | Private Equity | |
| Mobility | 1997 | ₩29.2B | Seed | |
| Fintech | 1929 | — | — | |
| Fintech | 2015 | $163.4M | Series C | |
| Mobility | 2016 | ₩56.3B | Venture Round | |
| AI | 2016 | ₩48B | Corporate Round | |
| Data | 2020 | ₩6B | Venture Round | |
| Mobility | 2018 | $50.2M | Debt Financing | |
| Media | 2021 | ₩1325B | Private Equity | |
| Media | 2015 | $139.4M | Venture Round | |
| Mobility | 2017 | $1B | Corporate Round | |
| Crypto | 2014 | $73.5M | Corporate Round | |
| AI | 2015 | $29.2M | Venture Round | |
| Mobility | 2017 | ₩57.7B | Secondary Market | |
| Biotech | 2016 | ₩22.5B | Series B | |
| Media | 2021 | ₩37.8B | Venture Round | |
| Media | 2023 | ₩500M | Grant | |
| Media | 2021 | ₩12.5B | Series B | |
| Media | 2013 | ₩39.5B | Series B | |
| Healthcare | 2017 | ₩152B | Series C | |
| Education | 2008 | ₩92.8B | Series D | |
| AI | 2017 | ₩19.8B | Series B | |
| SaaS | 2014 | $25.8M | Series C | |
| Mobility | 2020 | ₩673.3B | Private Equity | |
| Biotech | 2021 | ₩22.8B | Series B | |
| Media | 2019 | $32.9M | Series B | |
| Enterprise | 2023 | ₩13B | Seed | |
| Biotech | 2015 | ₩19B | Series C | |
| Healthcare | 1941 | ₩100B | Convertible Note | |
| AI | 2020 | ₩800M | Grant | |
| Food | 2016 | ₩307B | Series D | |
| Sports | 1980 | ₩22B | Venture Round | |
| Media | 2017 | ₩104B | Venture Round | |
| Logistics | 2015 | ₩21.5B | Series B | |
| Retail | 2015 | ₩12.1B | Series A | |
| Media | 2004 | ₩100B | Seed | |
| Fintech | 2016 | $20.4M | Series C | |
| Media | 2017 | ₩20B | Series B | |
| Logistics | 2013 | ₩28.1B | Series B | |
| Retail | 2018 | ₩28B | Corporate Round | |
| Media | 2018 | ₩35B | Venture Round | |
| Fashion | 2018 | ₩32.5B | Series B | |
| Enterprise | 2018 | ₩114B | Corporate Round | |
| AI | 2017 | $2.5M | Series A | |
| Healthcare | 2000 | ₩11.8B | Series A | |
| Biotech | 2014 | $35M | Series C | |
| Fintech | 2015 | ₩39.4B | Series C | |
| Automation | 2013 | ₩31.1B | Series B | |
| AI | 2016 | ₩37B | Series B | |
| AI | 2024 | ₩2B | Seed | |
| Hardware | 1990 | ₩60B | Private Equity | |
| Sports | 2017 | $22.6M | Series C | |
| Biotech | 2016 | ₩80B | Venture Round | |
| Mobility | 1989 | ₩13B | Venture Round | |
| Media | 2018 | ₩13.1B | Series B | |
| AI | 2019 | ₩2.8B | Series A | |
| Fashion | 2015 | $10.9M | Venture Round | |
| AI | 2021 | ₩16.2B | Venture Round | |
| AI | 2022 | ₩6.5B | Seed | |
| Infrastructure | 2015 | $16M | Series B | |
| Marketing | 2020 | ₩8.2B | Series A | |
| Robotics | 2017 | ₩33B | Venture Round | |
| Healthcare | 2016 | ₩25B | Venture Round | |
| AI | 2010 | ₩30B | Venture Round | |
| Media | 2019 | ₩26B | Series C | |
| Media | 2019 | $2.4M | Seed | |
| Biotech | 2017 | ₩52.5B | Venture Round | |
| Media | 2019 | ₩3B | Venture Round | |
| Education | 2010 | ₩152.9B | Series C |
