Korea’s AI chip ambitions gained global validation as Rebellions closed a KRW 340 billion (~ USD 246 million) Series C funding round, led by UK semiconductor giant, Arm. This is Arm’s first-ever investment in an Asia-Pacific startup, pushing Rebellions’ valuation near KRW 2 trillion and cementing its position as a core player in next-generation AI infrastructure. The round also drew strategic investors across industries, signaling Korea’s rising place in the global semiconductor race.

Rebellions Raises ₩340B in Series C Funding with Arm Participation

Rebellions, a Seoul-based AI semiconductor startup specializing in neural processing units (NPUs), announced on September 30 that it raised KRW 340 billion in its Series C round. The deal pushed its valuation to KRW 1.9 trillion (approx. USD 1.38 billion), more than double the KRW 880 billion valuation set during its Series B in January 2024.

The latest round brings Rebellions’ cumulative fundraising since its founding in 2020 to KRW 640 billion, highlighting the rapid growth of Korea’s deep-tech ecosystem.

Arm’s First Asia-Pacific Startup Investment

One of the most significant signals in this round is the participation of Arm, the UK-based leader in semiconductor intellectual property used across smartphones, data centers, and IoT devices.

This marks Arm’s first-ever investment in an Asia-Pacific startup, and their choice of Rebellions reflects growing confidence in Korea’s AI chip capabilities.

The two companies plan to work together on building high-performance, low-power AI infrastructure, establishing Rebellions as a strategic partner within the global semiconductor ecosystem.

Strategic Investors Across Industries and Regions

Beyond Arm, the round attracted a broad mix of corporate venture capital (CVC) and global players:

• Korea: Samsung Venture Investment, Samsung Securities, HL D&I Halla (HL Group), POSCO Technology Investment, Jusung Engineering, KDB Capital, Medici Investment, BonAngels Venture Partners, InterVest, Vision Equity Partners.
• Global: Pegatron Venture Capital (Taiwan), LionX Ventures (Singapore, OCBC Bank affiliate), Korelya Capital (France).

Several existing investors, including Korea Development Bank, Mirae Asset Venture Investment and Capital, KB Investment, Kakao Ventures, IMM Investment, and Seoul National University Holdings, also reinvested.

The participation of Pegatron and Jusung Engineering points to technical partnerships for Rebellions’ upcoming products, while HL Group’s involvement hints at applications beyond data centers into mobility and construction — areas described as “Physical AI.”

Rebellions and Korea’s Global AI Ambitions

Shin Sung-kyu, Chief Financial Officer of Rebellions, emphasized the milestone for both the company and Korea’s venture ecosystem,

“This round proves that Korean venture capital has the capacity to nurture world-class AI semiconductor companies. We will use this funding as a springboard for growth, contributing to Korea’s rise as one of the top three AI nations and delivering results on the global stage.”

How One Deal Signals a Shift in Korea’s Deep Tech

Rebellions’ latest funding is one of the most significant deep-tech deals in Korea this year, and its impact extends well beyond the company itself.

Arm’s entry as an investor signals that Korea is now capable of producing AI hardware startups with global relevance. The diverse mix of participants — spanning chip designers, semiconductor equipment makers, mobility and construction firms, and major electronics players — shows how cross-industry alliances are beginning to form around AI infrastructure.

The scale of the deal also demonstrates resilience in Korea’s venture market. Securing KRW 640 billion in just five years proves that domestic capital can support deep-tech companies across multiple growth stages.

Looking ahead, Rebellions’ roadmap includes mass production of its flagship REBEL-Quad chip in 2026, the rollout of next-generation products such as REBEL-IO, and expansion into markets across Japan, Malaysia, the United States, and Europe, backed by new global talent.

And so, this development showcases that South Korea is no longer a semiconductor manufacturing base only but also a hub for AI infrastructure and innovation with international reach.

Korea’s AI Chips Successfully Enter Global Competition

Rebellions’ rise reflects Korea’s broader ambition to transform into an AI superpower. With global capital and strategic partnerships now in place, the company is preparing to scale REBEL-Quad and advance REBEL-IO, technologies aimed at eliminating bottlenecks in data-heavy AI workloads.

As venture capital flows increasingly into deep tech, Rebellions serves as a litmus test for Korea’s ability to convert domestic innovation into globally competitive companies. If successful, this trajectory could help Korea secure a firm position in the next wave of AI hardware leadership.

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