The Ministry of SMEs and Startups has announced the selection of 34 venture funds totaling KRW 753.8 billion under its 2025 Fund of Funds program. Out of this total, the ministry has committed KRW 374.7 billion in capital, with most of the funds expected to complete fundraising by July.
The initiative aims to revitalize venture investment activity in the second half of the year by channeling public capital into targeted sectors.
The largest allocation—KRW 177.1 billion across 10 funds—was directed towards the Rookie League, a category designed to support emerging and small-scale venture capital firms. The Early-Stage Startup category followed closely, with 11 funds securing KRW 169.9 billion to back nascent startups.
In pursuit of stimulating investment, the government has introduced policy enhancements. For instance, it has reinforced incentives for regional and early-stage investments by awarding additional evaluation criteria points to fund managers. These points are contingent upon fund managers committing to invest over 30% of their resources in non-metropolitan SMEs and startups or in early-stage ventures. The objective is to promote equitable regional growth and provide robust support for emerging enterprises..
| Category | Government Contribution (KRW 100M) | Expected Fund Size (KRW 100M) | No. of Funds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rookie League | 1,000 | 1,771 | 10 |
| Early-Stage – General | 850 | 1,419 | 6 |
| Early-Stage – Small | 145 | 280 | 5 |
| Bio | 300 | 500 | 1 |
| Licon | 102 | 171 | 3 |
| Business Succession M&A | 300 | 1,000 | 1 |
| Scale-up & Mid-Sized Growth | 250 | 1,000 | 1 |
| Youth Startup | 400 | 668 | 3 |
| Women Entrepreneurs | 100 | 200 | 1 |
| Re-challenge | 300 | 529 | 3 |
| Total | 3,747 | 7,538 | 34 |
