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[StartupRecipe] Investors Prioritize 3D and Metaverse in Content Startup Investment

#Weekly Funding Overview

[April. 3 ~ April. 7]

The total funds raised by Korean startups of this week is KRW 66.35 billion.

CompanyInudustryAmountRoundInvestors
EromnetPayment-IBK Industrial Bank of Korea, Kiwoom Securities
Bottle-GrantTIPS
BROAD C&SAICC Platform2 billionSeries AS 14th New Deal Innovative Growth investment partnership
BodycherishSports Nutrition Tech-Pre-Series ANew Paradigm Investment
Marpple CorpGoods platform-Nexon
SpacewavyModule house1 billionHyundai livart
we make priceEcommerce-M&AQoo10
MealzipFood500 millionSeedImpact partners, Ecrux Venture Partners
LogpressoSecurity6 billionSeries AKB Investment, K2 Investment Partners, CJ Investment
SpeserDocument data curation-SeedAI Angel-CNT Tech angel partnership 2
MedihubHealthcare-Medihub Investment partnership
WiseaiAI Platform-KIBO
Sensual momentAudio platform2 billionSeries A bridgeSui Generis Partners
Nau RoboticsRobotics4 billionSeries AG&Tek Venture Investment, Dev Sisters Ventures, Hana Securities
Korea Precision Materials IndustryMaterials-SeedLotte Ventures, D-Camp, Series Ventures, Sunbo Angel Partners, KODIT
Pierrot companyRefurbish device rental Platform-SeedPrimer, D.CAMP
AdddAI Ad tech-Future Play
RemakedigitalDigital Marketing-M&ANeptune
TwigfarmTranslation service1 billionPre-Series A BridgeICH
RightrouteRecycling2.25 billionPre-Series ASmilegate Investment, UTC Investment, The Invention Lab
MusmaSafety solution-Series A bridgeShinhan Venture Investment, Quad Ventures
YessOS for freelencers2.6 billionSeedTranspose Platform, Smilegate Investment, Sendbird CEO Kim, dongshin
BPMGBlockchain7 billionSeries AIticen, Megazone cloud, VP
PionVisual creative automation tool10.5 billionSeries APremier Partners, Smilegate Investment, KT Investment, KB Investment, KODIT
BirdviewBeauty platform20 billionPre-IPOPS Aliacne
Narnia LabsAI-powered Product Design3.5 billionPre-Series A
DobedubVoice bank2.5 billionSeedG-am, Storymaker Company
PackativeCustom packaging-Pre-Series AStrong Ventures
BigvalueProptech-Pre-Series BKoDATA
LexynapticsLegal tech-SeedRising S Ventures, The Ventures, Sopoong Ventures, Rowe partners
UnsoftMobile O2O platform-GrantTIPS
CellquaCultured seafood-SeedSopoong Ventures
SilentistBlockchain1.5 billionSeedBass Investment, Mashup Angels

Major Funding

  • Birdview, a company that operates a mobile platform called Hwahae, has secured KRW 20 billion in pre-IPO funding. Hwahae, which was introduced in 2013, offers personalized services to users, such as the ability to browse information based on their skin type and receive product recommendations. The platform boasts an extensive database of 270,000 product information, including ingredients, as well as 7.5 million review data. The funding raised will be utilized to enhance the quality of services offered by Hwahae and prepare the platform for listing on KOSDAQ.
  • Pion Corporation, the company behind VKAT, an AI-powered platform that generates advertising videos and images, has secured KRW 10.5 billion in investment. VKAT offers users the ability to swiftly create numerous advertising videos and banner images by simply entering a product URL. With this recent investment, Pion Corporation aims to expand its reach internationally and enhance its technology.
  • BPMG, a web3 blockchain company that offers an array of blockchain services, including blockchain wallets, smart contracts, DApp platforms, and NFTs, has received KRW 7 billion in strategic investment. The company plans to collaborate with its strategic partners to further its business endeavors

#Trend Analysis

Investors Prioritize 3D and Metaverse in Content Startup Investment

South Korea’s media and content sector has been experiencing an unprecedented boom in recent years, fueled by the Korean Wave and K-content. The government has been actively supporting the industry, with a record-breaking pledge of KRW 790 billion in investments for small, medium, and startup companies. The Industrial Bank of Korea has also announced plans to utilize its overseas network to help content startups go global, creating even more opportunities for budding entrepreneurs.

Amidst the prolonged deterioration of the startup investment environment, venture capitalists have shown great interest in the media and content sector. Startups that are challenging the global market using intellectual property (IP), such as webtoons and web novels, have been particularly successful in attracting large-scale investments. Despite the overall downturn in startup investments, the media and content sector has maintained its position at the top of the investment preference list in the first quarter of this year.

The most coveted companies are those with 3D content technologies that can be used in metaverse spaces, such as avatars. Recent investment rounds have highlighted the importance of keywords such as 3D and metaverse. This field holds tremendous potential for various industries such as entertainment, education, games, healthcare, fashion, and CS, with opportunities for global expansion.

Content technology companies are also providing solutions for enterprises in the form of software as a service (SaaS), leading to strategic investments from corporations. NAVER, a leading search engine company, has been focusing on 3D data and making follow-up investments in related companies like NdotLight. Meanwhile, companies with content production capabilities, such as dramas, animations, and webtoons, continue to receive investments. However, the most popular webtoons and web novels did not receive much investment news in the first quarter.

Investors are keenly attuned to growth potential, with 100% of early-stage startups below Series A receiving investor attention in the first quarter of this year.

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