Korean Startup Investment Surges 407% in April 2026
South Korean startups attracted a total of KRW 185.1 billion in investment during April 2026 — a dramatic 407.6% jump compared to the same month last year (KRW 36 billion), according to the April 2026 Startup Recipe Investment Report. The...
Upstage Acquires Daum to Build Korea's First AI-Native Portal
Korean AI startup Upstage has finalized its acquisition of Daum, one of Korea’s oldest and most recognized web portals, completing the purchase of AXZ — the portal’s operating company and a former wholly owned subsidiary of Kakao. The deal, which...
Korea's Big Five Financial Groups Pledge 1 trillion to Fuel Startup Growth
Korea’s five major financial groups have committed 1 trillion won in combined investment and loan funding to support the country’s venture and startup ecosystem, joining a landmark government-led initiative. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Ministry of SMEs and...
Korea's National Growth Fund Bets KRW 560 Billion on AI Startup Upstage
South Korea’s AI foundation model startup Upstage has secured a 560 billion won investment commitment from the National Growth Fund, marking the fund’s second direct equity investment and the largest single infusion into a domestic AI model company to date. The funding...
Korean SME Exports Hit All-Time Q1 Record at $29.8 Billion
Korean small and medium-sized enterprise exports reached $29.8 billion in the first quarter of 2026, a 9.1% increase from the same period last year and the highest Q1 figure on record. The result comes despite headwinds from the ongoing Middle...
South Korea Opens Applications for K-Startup Grand Challenge 2026
South Korea is calling on the world’s most innovative entrepreneurs to compete for a spot in one of Asia’s most prestigious foreign startup programs. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Korea Institute of Startup and Entrepreneurship Development (KISED)...
Kurly Raises KRW 33 Billion from Naver, Valuation Hits KRW 2.8 trillion
Korean grocery delivery platform Kurly has raised 33 billion won from Naver through a third-party allotment paid-in capital increase, further cementing the strategic partnership between the two companies. Kurly will issue 498,882 new common shares at 66,148 won per share,...
Korea’s New Industry Sectors Capture 76% of All Venture Investment in 2025
Korea’s twelve designated new industry sectors attracted KRW 5.2 trillion (USD 3.47 billion) in venture capital in 2025 — 76% of the country’s total venture investment of KRW 6.8 trillion (USD 4.53 billion). The figures reflect a sustained investor preference...
K-Startup Centers Open Applications Across 5 Countries
Korea’s overseas startup hubs – known as K-Startup Centers (KSC) – are inviting applications from high-potential ventures seeking a practical route into global markets. Since its first launch in Seattle in 2019, the network has expanded across key innovation corridors, including...
Ex-SK Hynix Executive's AI Chip Startup Xcena Raises KRW 150 Billion in Series B
Xcena, a South Korean AI semiconductor startup formerly operating under the name MetisX, has finalized a KRW 150 billion(approximately $103 million) Series B funding round — surpassing its original 100 billion won target after the raise was oversubscribed by investors...
Upstage Becomes Korea’s First Generative AI Unicorn
Upstage, an artificial intelligence (AI) startup, has officially become the first South Korean generative AI company to achieve unicorn status, with its corporate valuation surpassing KRW 1 trillion. Upstage announced the successful closing of its first Series C funding round,...
Korea's Largest Student Startup Program Opens Applications for 2026
The Ministry of Education and the Korea Young Entrepreneurs Foundation are accepting applications for the 2026 Promising Student Startup Team 300+ program through April 27. The Student Startup Promising Team 300+ is a flagship student entrepreneurship development program that provides...
Korean Medical AI Startup Mediwhale Secures KRW 20 Billion
Mediwhale, a Korean medical artificial intelligence company specializing in retinal-based cardiovascular disease prediction, has closed a KRW 20 billion ($14.5 million USD) SeriesC funding round. The latest raise brings Medweil’s total cumulative funding to KRW 51.2 billion.Premier Partners led the...
South Korea Launches Unified AI Policy Brand AI+ for All
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups has unveiled “AI+ for All”, a unified brand designed to consolidate the ministry’s various AI policies and support programs under a single identity. Alongside the brand launch, the ministry has finalized its Brand Identity...
Rebellions Closes $400 Million Pre-IPO
Rebellions, a global leader in AI inference infrastructure, has raised $400 million in a pre-IPO funding round led by Mirae Asset Financial Group and the Korea National Growth Fund. The round follows the company’s $250 million Series C in September...
K-Beauty Platform Memebox Raises $10M from ASQ Fund
Memebox (MBX), the Korean-founded K-beauty company, has raised $10 million in a growth investment from ASQ Fund, a vehicle co-founded by Saeju Jeong, Chairman of digital health unicorn Noom, and John S. Kim, CEO of Sendbird and Delight AI. ASQ...