[StartupRecipe] Korea’s top 3 investment sectors in 2025

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#Weekly Funding Overview

#FUNDING

#TREND ANALYSIS

Korea’s top 3 investment sectors in 2025

South Korea’s startup investment landscape in 2025 tells a clear story. When uncertainty strikes, capital flows to what’s already working. An analysis of the year’s top 15 funding rounds through December 28 shows that three sectors absorbed a staggering 80% of total investment capital. AI and semiconductors, bio and healthcare, and climate tech dominated the country’s top funding rounds, capturing the lion’s share as investors bet on proven deep tech.

If there’s one category that defined Korean venture capital this year, it’s AI chips. The sector’s two brightest stars, Rebellions and FuriosaAI, pulled in a combined KRW 510 billion. Rebellions raised KRW 340 billion while FuriosaAI secured KRW 170 billion. Both companies are already unicorns and have positioned themselves as Korea’s national champions in the global AI semiconductor race.

The AI dominance extends beyond chips. More than half of the top 15 companies are building AI hardware or software, and together they represent 60% of total funding by value. Wrtn and Upstage raised KRW 83 billion and KRW 62 billion respectively and are emerging as next generation unicorns with their Korean language LLMs and platforms. MarQVision, an AI powered IP integration service, secured KRW 70 billion, while Indian fintech platform Affinit raised KRW 110 billion in venture debt. Both are proving their mettle in international markets.

Galaxy Corporation joined the unicorn club after closing a KRW 100 billion round. The AI entertainment tech company is betting big on the convergence of AI with media, IP, commerce, and tech. Behind AI’s headline grabbing rounds, biotech had a strong year, with several companies raising substantial capital while demonstrating real technological progress.

Medinno led the pack with KRW 100 billion for its cell and gene therapy development. PineTree Therapeutics, working on next generation targeted protein degradation, raised KRW 67 billion. Immuno oncology player NexI secured KRW 61 billion, and Illimis Therapeutics added KRW 58 billion to its war chest. What’s particularly interesting is that all these companies are prepping for public listings within the next one to two years, suggesting investors see near term liquidity events on the horizon.

Climate tech is no longer just a nice to have. It’s becoming essential infrastructure. Amogy, which is developing ammonia based hydrogen fuel cell systems, raised $100 million, approximately KRW 130 billion, from global sovereign wealth funds and other investors. RECO, operator of waste collection and transportation platform UPBOX, closed a KRW 58.5 billion round.

Outside deep tech, established platforms also attracted significant capital. PropTech unicorn Zigbang raised KRW 60 billion to expand from real estate into smart home technologies. Fashion e-commerce company MediQuiters is pursuing international expansion, including Japan, through strategic investments. This year’s funding pattern is unmistakable. AI dominated, biotech advanced, climate tech matured, and proven platforms continued to attract capital. The flight to quality, investing in validated technologies and category leaders, isn’t just a 2025 phenomenon. Expect this trend to persist well into next year as investors remain cautious but hungry for companies that can demonstrate real traction.

#MORE NEWS

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