KoreaTechDesk | Korean Startup and Technology News

Tue, September 02, 2025

Sign in

Virtual Demo Day
Menu
  • Home
  • Startup News
    • AI & Big Data
    • AR & VR
    • Blockchain
    • Clean Technology
    • Content & Games
    • Cybersecurity
    • Enterprise & SaaS
    • FinTech
    • Gadgets & Electronics
    • Health & Bio
    • Manufacturing
    • Press Release
    • IoT
    • Marketplaces & E-commerce
    • Robotics
    • Transportation
    • Investments
    • Ecosystem & Lists
  • Governments
    • Artificial Intelligence Industry Cluster Agency
    • Daegu Technopark
    • GANGNAM-GU
    • Gyeonggido Business & Science Accelerator
    • Hwaseong Industry Promotion Agency
    • Invest Seoul
    • Korea Creative Content Agency
    • Korea Internet & Security Agency
    • Korea Information Security Industry Association
    • Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development
    • Korea Tourism Organization
    • Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency
    • Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
    • Ministry of SMEs & Startups
    • National IT Industry Promotion Agency
    • Pangyo Techno Valley
    • Seoul Business Agency
    • Seoul FinTech Lab
    • South Gyeongsang Province
    • Seoul Metropolitan Government
  • Events
    • COMEUP
    • Korea Fintech Week
    • K-Content Expo
    • NextRise
    • Try Everything
  • Interviews
    • Investors’ interviews
    • Founders’ interviews
  • Programs
    • Asan Voyager
    • CAPA Global Program
    • Campus Town Program
    • SGSC Global Bootcamp
    • Gangnam-gu Global Roadshow
    • Global SaaS Marketplace Support Project
    • LAUNCHPAD
    • COMEUP STARS 120
    • K-Startup Grand Challenge
    • TIPS X beSUCCESS Global Project
    • SFL Global Program
    • KTO Global Showcase
    • Yonsei Univ Global Class
    • KOSME Global Program
  • Partner With Us
    • Press Release
    • Startup Scouting
    • Business Agencies
    • Global Mentorship Program
    • Investment Opportunities
    • K-Scouter Program
  • Lists
  • Virtual Demo Day
  • Home
  • Startup News
    • AI & Big Data
    • AR & VR
    • Blockchain
    • Clean Technology
    • Content & Games
    • Cybersecurity
    • Enterprise & SaaS
    • FinTech
    • Gadgets & Electronics
    • Health & Bio
    • Manufacturing
    • Press Release
    • IoT
    • Marketplaces & E-commerce
    • Robotics
    • Transportation
    • Investments
    • Ecosystem & Lists
  • Governments
    • Artificial Intelligence Industry Cluster Agency
    • Daegu Technopark
    • GANGNAM-GU
    • Gyeonggido Business & Science Accelerator
    • Hwaseong Industry Promotion Agency
    • Invest Seoul
    • Korea Creative Content Agency
    • Korea Internet & Security Agency
    • Korea Information Security Industry Association
    • Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development
    • Korea Tourism Organization
    • Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency
    • Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
    • Ministry of SMEs & Startups
    • National IT Industry Promotion Agency
    • Pangyo Techno Valley
    • Seoul Business Agency
    • Seoul FinTech Lab
    • South Gyeongsang Province
    • Seoul Metropolitan Government
  • Events
    • COMEUP
    • Korea Fintech Week
    • K-Content Expo
    • NextRise
    • Try Everything
  • Interviews
    • Investors’ interviews
    • Founders’ interviews
  • Programs
    • Asan Voyager
    • CAPA Global Program
    • Campus Town Program
    • SGSC Global Bootcamp
    • Gangnam-gu Global Roadshow
    • Global SaaS Marketplace Support Project
    • LAUNCHPAD
    • COMEUP STARS 120
    • K-Startup Grand Challenge
    • TIPS X beSUCCESS Global Project
    • SFL Global Program
    • KTO Global Showcase
    • Yonsei Univ Global Class
    • KOSME Global Program
  • Partner With Us
    • Press Release
    • Startup Scouting
    • Business Agencies
    • Global Mentorship Program
    • Investment Opportunities
    • K-Scouter Program
  • Lists
  • Virtual Demo Day
[the_ad id="24712"]
Home Governments

South Korea Selects 13 Global VCs to Lead ₩2.4 Trillion Startup Investment Drive in 2025

by James Jung
August 5, 2025
in Governments
0

New strategic focus on AI, Climate Tech, and Secondaries expands Korea’s Global Fund initiative.

South Korea’s Ministry of SMEs and Startups has announced the selection of 13 global venture capital (VC) firms to manage the 2025 Korea Global Fund, a landmark government-backed initiative aimed at strengthening Korean startups’ access to global capital, networks, and scaling expertise.

The selected VC firms will establish funds totaling ₩2.4 trillion KRW (approx. USD 1.84 billion), with ₩170 billion KRW (approx. USD 130 million) coming from the South Korean government’s “Mother Fund,” managed by the Korea Venture Investment Corp. (KVIC). A minimum of ₩270 billion KRW (approx. USD 207 million) from these funds must be directly invested into Korean startups.

About the Korea Global Fund

Launched in 2013, the Korea Global Fund is a government initiative that partners with foreign VCs to co-invest in Korean startups. The program’s unique structure allows international fund managers to receive government anchor investment, provided they match or exceed that amount through reinvestment into Korean companies.

So far, the program has supported:

  • 652 Korean startups
  • Over ₩13 trillion KRW (approx. USD 9.3 billion) in total investment since inception

New Strategic Directions for 2025

For the 2025 cohort, the Global Fund introduces three new priority sectors:

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Climate Tech
  • Secondary Investments (supporting liquidity for late-stage startups)

These additions reflect South Korea’s ambition to align its innovation capital with emerging global technology trends, and to address challenges such as the Series B+ funding gap for Korean companies.


2025 Selected Global Fund Managers

2025 Selected Global Fund Managers

Highlight: Jolt Capital (France) leads the AI mandate with a ₩949.2 billion fund—the largest AI-focused VC fund ever linked to Korea’s ecosystem.

Fund Formation Timeline

  • Fund formation deadline: Within 6 months of official contract signing on September 5, 2025
  • Extension: A one-time extension of up to 6 additional months may be granted after formal review

Government Statement

“The Global Fund is not just financial support—it’s a bridge connecting Korean startups with global venture ecosystems,” said Han Seong-sook, Minister of SMEs and Startups. “We will continue to expand this program to position South Korea among the world’s top four VC hubs, and to accelerate Korean startups’ access to global capital and markets.”

Summary Highlights

  • Total fund formation: ₩2.4 trillion KRW (~$1.84B USD)
  • Mandatory investment in Korean startups: ₩270 billion KRW (~$207M USD)
  • Global VCs selected: 13 firms from 6 countries
  • Strategic sectors: AI, Climate Tech, Secondary Investment
  • Largest individual fund: Jolt Capital (AI), ₩949.2 billion

– Stay Ahead in Korea’s Startup Scene –
Get real-time insights, funding updates, and policy shifts shaping Korea’s innovation ecosystem.
➡️ Follow KoreaTechDesk on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Threads, Bluesky, Telegram, Facebook, and WhatsApp Channel.

Tags: Global ExpansionGlobal FundInvestmentKorean StartupKorean StartupsStartupStartupsVCVC firmsVC investmentVCs
Previous Post

Global Fund 2025: Korea Taps Foreign VCs with Record ₩2.4 Trillion ($1.84B USD) Startup Investment Drive

Next Post

Announcing Global Content Insight 2025 South Korea: A Premier Event for Global IP, AI, and Immersive Media Innovators

Next Post

Announcing Global Content Insight 2025 South Korea: A Premier Event for Global IP, AI, and Immersive Media Innovators

POPULAR POSTS

10 Korean AI Startups Head to New York as Government Ex...
Ten Korean AI and digital companies are…
by Chloe kim . 25 Aug 2025

Korea’s TOBESOFT and FPT Vietnam Forge Alliance to Le...
Low-code platform development is evolving from a niche tool into a backbone of global digital transformation, and Korean firms are…
by Zee Cindy . 26 Aug 2025

Law&Company’s SuperLawyer Brings AI-Driven Legal ...
As legal systems grow increasingly complex and AI capabilities rapidly advance, South Korea’s Law&Company Co., Ltd. is charting a new…
by Chloe kim . 27 Aug 2025

First Foreign Unicorn in Sight: Expanded Startup Korea ...
A year after launching the Global Startup Center, South Korea is doubling down on inbound startup growth with expanded policies…
by Dae-jung Park . 27 Aug 2025

Korea Doubles 2026 Mother Fund to Record $1.5B, Launche...
South Korea is significantly scaling up its startup and innovation financing, doubling the size of its 2026 Mother Fund to…
by Zee Cindy . 30 Aug 2025

Register for Event

[the_ad id=”18508″]

MOST READ ARTICLE OF THE WEEK

1.
South Korea’s Ministry of SMEs and Startups Unveils $2.23 Billion Support Plan for Startups in 2025
3 Jan 2025
2.
South Korea Shines at CES 2025: Global Innovation Champion, Record-Breaking K-Startup Pavilion, Award-Winning Innovations
10 Jan 2025
3.
South Korea Opens Applications for the 10th K-Startup Grand Challenge 2025 – Korea’s Flagship Market-Entry Program Offering ₩950M (US$633K) in Government Support 
7 May 2025
4.
K-Startup Grand Challenge : Empowering Global Startups and Driving Innovation in South Korea
28 Apr 2025
5.
AI in South Korea: Startups Leading the Generative AI Revolution
1 Apr 2025

List Article

1.
6 Reasons Why Seoul Is Poised to Become a Top 5 Global Economic Hub by 2030
20 Aug 2024
2.
Top Co-working Spaces for Startups & Companies to Explore in South Korea
3 Apr 2024
3.
Top Accelerators in South Korea Shaping Startup Success
29 Nov 2023
4.
Top Korean Venture Capital Firms Backing Startup Success
26 Oct 2023
5.
Top Apps for Seamless Korean to English Translation
14 Aug 2023
[the_ad id='24726']

Similar Articles

Governments

Startup Korea Fund 2025 Launches at ₩640B ($475M): First Global Participation Across Deep-Tech and Open Innovation

More
Governments

Korea–Peru APEC Talks Highlight SME Cooperation and Latin America Expansion Opportunities

More
Governments

How Korea’s Unicorn Support Framework Drives Startup Scale-Up and Global Reach

More

Topics

Menu
  • AI & Big Data
  • AR & VR
  • Blockchain
  • Clean Technology
  • Content & Games
  • Cybersecurity
  • Enterprise & SaaS
  • FinTech
  • Gadgets & Electronics
  • Health & Bio
  • IoT

Program

Menu
  • Asan Voyager
  • CAPA Global Program
  • SGSC Global Bootcamp
  • LAUNCHPAD
  • COMEUP STARS 120
  • K-Startup Grand Challenge
  • TIPS X beSUCCESS Global Project
  • SFL Global Program
  • KTO Global Showcase
  • Yonsei Univ Global Class
  • KOSME Global Program

About

Menu
  • About Us
  • all articles
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • Cookie-policy
  • twitter

Subscribe and be informed first hand about actual Korean startup news.

All the day’s headlines and highlights, direct to you every morning.

Contact us : [email protected]

Topics

Menu
  • AI & Big Data
  • AR & VR
  • Blockchain
  • Clean Technology
  • Content & Games
  • Cybersecurity
  • Enterprise & SaaS
  • FinTech
  • Gadgets & Electronics
  • Health & Bio
  • IoT

Program

Menu
  • Asan Voyager
  • CAPA Global Program
  • SGSC Global Bootcamp
  • LAUNCHPAD
  • COMEUP STARS 120
  • K-Startup Grand Challenge
  • TIPS X beSUCCESS Global Project
  • SFL Global Program
  • KTO Global Showcase
  • Yonsei Univ Global Class
  • KOSME Global Program

About

Menu
  • About Us
  • all articles
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • Cookie-policy
  • twitter

Subscribe and be informed first hand about actual Korean startup news.

All the day’s headlines and highlights, direct to you every morning.

© 2023 Koreantech News & Media Korea Zrt. All rights reserved.

Our Spring Sale Has Started

You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/

Our Spring Sale Has Started

You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/

We hope you enjoy our content, May you please give us Feedback regarding our website!

Single Post Feedback

dgdfgfdgdf

What you think about Koreatechdesk, Share your idea with us!

feedback popup

Invitation submission has been closed

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

    No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.