# Top 50 Retail Startup Investors in South Korea in May 2026

## Korea Credit Guarantee Fund
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Daegu, Taegu-jikhalsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 6
- Stages: Seed, Series A
- Focus: Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology, Manufacturing

Korea Credit Guarantee Fund operates as a public financial institution.

## MYSC
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seongdong, Kyonggi-do, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 5
- Stages: Seed, Series A, Pre-Seed
- Focus: Food and Beverage, Health Care, E-Commerce

MYSC is an innovative company that helps innovation through consulting, social venture accelerating, and impact investing.

## Hana Ventures
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 4
- Stages: Seed, Series A
- Focus: Software, Retail, Health Care

Hana Ventures is a corporate venture capital of Hana Financial Group.

## Industrial Bank of Korea
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 4
- Stages: Series A, Seed, Series B
- Focus: Software, Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology

Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) is committed to honoring its charter of financing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The Bank has extended the scope of its expertise to provide a comprehensive range of financial services to individual customers in a quest to emerge as a leading financial services group. In pursuit of that goal, IBK is makingevery effort to enhance its competitiveness, achieve balanced growth and strengthen its global presence.The Bank employs around 10,000 staff and operates a distribution network of 612 branches including 12 overseas branches. Providing complementary services, the Bank also operates several subsidiaries: IBK Capital Corporation, IBK-SG Asset Management, IBK System Co., Ltd., and IBK Credit Information Corporation. In 2008, IBK Investment & Securities was launched, focused on meeting the needs of SME customers for services such as IPOs and M&As. Moreover, strategic alliance with Korea Investment Holdings enhances product competitiveness and affiliation with the National Post Office promoting easy customer access to IBK banking services.

## Strong Ventures
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Relevant deals: 4
- Stages: Seed, Series A, Pre-Seed
- Focus: E-Commerce, Health Care, Apps

Strong Ventures is a seed fund, based in California, that finances, supports, and mentors Korean/Asian/Global entrepreneurs, empowering them to build strong ventures and to break successfully into the global market.With proven experience as operators, executives, and entrepreneurs, they provide hands-on assistance and guidance. On topof their financial investment, they aim to provide tangible value to their entrepreneurs, through network reach, strategic thinking, and execution collaboration. And, as they engage together in their venture endeavors, they hope to make the entrepreneurial ecosystem, where they build companies and labor in, a better, stronger, and more fun place for all.

## AI Angel Club
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Mapo, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 4
- Stages: Seed, Series A, Angel
- Focus: Health Care, E-Commerce, Automotive

AI Angel Club is an angel investment club that specializes in seed investment in the medical and bio healthcare field.

## Wadiz
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Bundangdong, Kyonggi-do, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 3
- Stages: Seed, Equity Crowdfunding, Series A
- Focus: E-Commerce, Health Care, Sales

Wadiz is Asia's largest crowdfunding platform company.

## KB Investment
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 3
- Stages: Series A, Series B, Seed
- Focus: Software, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence

Founded in 1990, KB Investment Co., Ltd. (KBIC) is one of Korea’s leading investment firms of venture capital and private equity funds with over USD 1.4 Billion of asset under management as of December 2013. KBIC is a subsidiary of KB Financial Group, Korea’s premier financial group with the largest domestic customer base as well as the widestnetwork of service branches in Korea.KBIC’s team is recognized for industry thought leadership, a broad network of powerful industry relationships, and a unique professional investment approach to investing. KBIC passionately support our portfolio companies with active guidance in all key aspects of team building, strategy, operations and governance

## CJ Investment
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 3
- Stages: Series A, Seed, Series B
- Focus: Software, Apps, Information Technology

CJ Investment operates as an investment firm.

## Stone Bridge Ventures
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Series A, Seed, Series B
- Focus: Software, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence

Stone Bridge Ventures invests in entrepreneurs with bold ideas that improve and expand people's lives, industries, and markets. They provide professional assistance and a network of contacts geared towards businesses in order to help them expand.

## Hana Financial Investment
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Series A, Series B, Seed
- Focus: Information Technology, Biotechnology, Health Care

Hana Financial Investment Company Limited offers brokerage, securities dealing, underwriting, mutual funds, and online trading services

## Tekton Ventures
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: San Francisco, California, United States
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
- Focus: E-Commerce, FinTech, Financial Services

TEKTON VENTURES is an international seed investment firm that partners at inception with forward looking company builders in leading technology hubs worldwide. The firm’s principals have over three decades of experience as early stage investors. Leveraging an extensive global network of entrepreneurs and investors, Tekton makes early stageinvestments in category defining companies in several strategic geographies around the world.Passionate entrepreneurs exist in many parts of the world. Tekton Ventures focuses its investments in two different places: Silicon Valley and selected technology centers ( London and Israel); and the fast growing mobile/digitally connected markets in Asia (China, Korea and India).Our approach to global investing rests on partnerships with local venture ecosystems: we have built long standing relationships with some of the best local seed and venture investors in our geographies of focus.We see our unique global perspective as important to build transformational companies and make that knowledge available across our entire community of entrepreneurs.

## InfoBank
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Gyeongju, Kyongsang-bukto, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
- Focus: Artificial Intelligence, Apps, Software

InfoBank develops and provides mobile messaging solutions and other related services.The company offers business messaging services such as SMS, LMS, and multimedia message services; interactive media services; smart car solutions; and integrated online and offline payment services.InfoBank was founded in 1995 and is based in Gyeongju, SouthKorea.

## HITEJINRO CO
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
- Focus: Agriculture, E-Commerce, Farming

Going global beyond number one in KOREA, HITEJINRO is grateful for your support.

## CRIT Ventures
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Series B
- Focus: Information Technology, Blockchain, Software

The Road Not Taken

## HB Investment
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Series B, Series A, Pre-Seed
- Focus: Software, Artificial Intelligence, Financial Services

HB Investment Inc. was founded on November 11, 1999 starting with paid-in Capital of KRW 10 billion.Since its foundation, HB Investment Inc. has been investing small and medium businesses that have the potential for steady growth and profitability and helping the invested companies to grow well by giving various consulting services. As a result,HB Investment Inc.constructed comprehensive portfolio out of various industrial areas, such as game, entertainment, as well as representative high-tech industries related to semiconductor, Internet, LCD, and a smart phone, bio, health care. In addition, HB Investment Inc. has experiences in implementing business Success-fully by organizing several partnership funds for recent years.

## Shinhan Capital
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Series A, Series B, Seed
- Focus: Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Software

Shinhan Capital is a credit-specialized company offering corporate finance services for its clients. It provides financial services, lease, corporate loans, investment financing, housing loans, installment financing, etc.
Shinhan Capital was established in 1991. The company is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.

## AIM Investment
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Series A
- Focus: Retail, Food Delivery, Food and Beverage

AIM Investment is a private equity fund manager specializing in equity investment, mergers, and acquisitions.

## Altos Ventures
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Menlo Park, California, United States
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Series A, Series B, Series C
- Focus: Software, E-Commerce, Internet

Altos Ventures was founded in 1996 to invest in early stage technology companies. After starting with $30 million in committed capital, we currently manage more than $8 billion in regulatory assets under management, supporting the full lifecycle of companies from inception to global growth and profitability. We have been the first and leadinstitutional investor in 100+ companies around the world. We invest in both consumer and enterprise tech companies, with particular interest in enterprise SaaS, FinTech, e-commerce, and consumer brands and services. We look to invest in high-growth, capital-efficient, founder-led companies. Initial investments can start as small as $500,000 while our follow-on investments can exceed $100 million in a single round, purchasing both primary and secondary shares.

## Fast Ventures
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Series A, Pre-Seed
- Focus: Health Care, Apps, E-Commerce

Fast Ventures is a venture capital investment firm.

## IMM Investment
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Kangnam, Cholla-namdo, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Series B, Series A
- Focus: Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, Health Care

Korean alternative asset investment firm

## F&F Partners
- Type: VC Fund
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Series A
- Focus: Apps, EdTech, Software

F&F Partners is Venture Capital Firm based in Seoul, South Korea.

## Translink Investment
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Pre-Seed
- Focus: Software, E-Commerce, Information Technology

Translink Investment is a startup investment company.

## DS Asset Management
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Series B, Series A, Series C
- Focus: E-Commerce, Software, Artificial Intelligence

Investing in listed companies and venture firms

## KOSME
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Jinju, Kyongsang-namdo, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 2
- Stages: Seed, Series A
- Focus: Manufacturing, E-Commerce, Health Care

KOSME specializes in providing youth entrepreneurship services. It offers support for all the stages of the startup lifecycle. it has contents that major programs, entrepreneurship education, practical education for startups, multiple coaching systems focusing on practical business. additional, follow-up supports for graduate companies forovercoming the Death Vally and innovation growth.

## POSCO CAPITAL
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Yeoksamdong, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series A, Seed, Series B
- Focus: Software, Online Portals, Information Technology

POSCO Capital offers financial services.

## Colopl Next
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Series A
- Focus: Software, Virtual Reality, E-Commerce

Colopl Next is the corporate venture capital of is Colopl, Inc, which is a leading Japanese gaming company. Colopl, Inc. is founded with the mission of “Entertainment in Real Life”, and constantly put its customer as first priority.Colopl Next is headquartered in Japan, but invests globally in a variety of internet businesses, with the commitmentto support innovative entrepreneurs.

## IBK Capital
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series A, Series B, Series C
- Focus: Apps, Health Care, Mobile Apps

IBK Capital is the venture capital arm of the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK).

## KDB Capital
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series A, Series B, Seed
- Focus: Software, Biotechnology, Information Technology

KDB Capital Corp. operates as a credit specialized and corporate restructuring company in South Korea.It provides equipment leasing services for various properties, including machineries, ships, IT equipments, medical equipments, automation equipments, transportation machineries, educational research equipments, construction machineries, heavy,and other equipments for social services.The company provides venture capital for companies operating in various areas, including computer and related components, semiconductors and equipment, telecommunication and accessories, software, multimedia, precision chemistry, environment, biotechnology, content/fashion, mechatronics, and entertainment.In addition, the company offers services to help distressed companies, including merger and acquisition, business consulting, merger and acquisition loan, rescheduling, acquisition of stocks, operating loan fund for restructuring, and consulting for corporate reinforcement; funding services, such as working capital, project financing, and equipment funding; financing via acquiring account receivables from corporations; and credit card services.The company was established in 1972 and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. KDB Capital Corp. is subsidiary of The Korea Development Bank.

## Korea Angel Investment Association
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: Solar, Energy, Manufacturing

Korea Angel Investment Association is a small and medium-sized enterprise that supports startups and angel investors.

## Softbank Ventures Asia
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series B, Series A, Series C
- Focus: Artificial Intelligence, Software, Information Technology

SoftBank Ventures Asia is the corporate venture capital arm of SoftBank Group. The firm prefers to invest in the information technology, smart robotics industry artificial intelligence, internet of things and information, communication, and technology sectors. It is based in Seoul, Korea, and was founded in 2000.

## Joshua Partners
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Newtown, Pennsylvania, United States
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: Retail, Cosmetics, E-Commerce

Joshua Partners, LLC is a private equity firm specializing in the lower middle market including public and private businesses, subsidiaries or divisions of larger enterprises. The firm prefers to lead in strategic add-on acquisitions, potential joint ventures, and follow-on acquisitions. The firm prefers to invest in niche businesses withdefensible market positions. The firm seeks to make investments in companies with yearly cash earnings between $2 million and $20 million. It seeks to stay invested in its portfolio companies for duration of seven to 10 years. Joshua Partners, LLC was founded in 2007 and is based in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

## Danal
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: San Jose, California, United States
- Relevant deals: 1

Welcome to Boku Inc. (LON:BOKU). Merchants and carriers all over the world trust us to deliver innovative and effective solutions to support their business.

## Partners Investment
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series B, Series A, Series C
- Focus: Biotechnology, Health Care, Education

As a responsible and long-term partner, they aim to make various constructive contributions to portfolio companies.

## Sean Hyunil sohn
- Type: Angel
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
- Focus: Gaming, E-Commerce, Art

Sean hyunil sohn
is CEO of KRAFTON since 2020.

## Maverick Ventures
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: San Francisco, California, United States
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series A, Series C, Series B
- Focus: Health Care, Medical, Biotechnology

Maverick Ventures invests in early-stage healthcare and technology-driven businesses through an evergreen fund structure. The firm was forged in 2015 as the private investment arm of the multi-billion dollar hedge fund, Maverick Capital. The Maverick Ventures team operates in deep collaboration with the Maverick Capital public investment team andbenefits from the resources, reputation, and relationships of fund. The highly-experienced team of operating executives and investors at Maverick Ventures generally lead rounds, take board seats and work with management to build successful enterprises. The evergreen structure of the fund provides a perpetual cycle of opportunities and alignment with entrepreneurs and partners.

## KT investment
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series A, Series B, Seed
- Focus: Artificial Intelligence, Software, Information Technology

kt investment is a new technology business finance company established in 2015. It is an investment company that represents KT Group .kt investment seeks to contribute to social contribution and maximize investment return through win-win cooperation with promising SMEs and venture companies .kt investment seeks to achieve long-term returns bylooking at the market from a global perspective and looking for value investment opportunities in the long term.

## The Yeollim Company
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 1

The Yeollim Company is a technology company that develops voice amplifiers and smart hearing aids.

## Spigen Korea Company
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series A
- Focus: Fashion, E-Commerce

Schpigen observes the lifestyles of those closest to technology trends, tech early adopters and creeders, constantly discovering and researching the roles they need and something that is unfilled.

## Open Partners
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series A
- Focus: Retail, Internet, Logistics

Open Partners is an advertising agency firm that provides digital strategy, public relations, SEO, and social media management services.

## ID Ventures
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Detroit, Michigan, United States
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: Cyber Security, Software, Risk Management

ID Ventures grows promising early-stage ventures into successful businesses that contribute to the state's economy.

## KB Securities
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series A, Series B
- Focus: Health Care, Big Data, Biotechnology

KB Securities is a Financial Services company.

## Goodwater Capital
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Burlingame, California, United States
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
- Focus: FinTech, Financial Services, E-Commerce

Goodwater empowers exceptional entrepreneurs everywhere to change the world for the better. They believe consumer technology is a force on earth, shaping culture and transforming the global economy at unprecedented speed and scale. They invest in promising entrepreneurs to solve pressing problems. As a combined force, Goodwater companies are aglobal force for change, poised to measurably improve billions of lives.

## Seung Yoon Lee
- Type: Angel
- Location: London, England, United Kingdom
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Pre-Seed, Series A
- Focus: B2B, B2C, Apps

Seung Yoon Lee

## Mirae Asset Daewoo
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series A, Series B
- Focus: Video, Internet, Software

South Korea’s top securities firm.

## Ryan Asset Management
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Yongdungpo, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Seed
- Focus: Retail, Furniture, E-Commerce

Ryan Asset Management is reborn as a small and medium-sized management company.

## SBI Investment Korea
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series B, Series A, Series C
- Focus: Apps, Software, Food and Beverage

SBI Investment Co., Ltd. has established itself as a true partner of the Republic of Korea venture business development in the past 28 years as a venture capital concept introduced first in Korea in 1986 was even unfamiliar concept of 'venture'. SBI Investment Co., Ltd. is a direct excavation domestic / other promising venturesinvestment as well as domestic / external funding attracted through cooperation with institutional investors and technology, marketing, public offering (IPO), the law, adhere to the role which has been providing comprehensive services such as Value-up tax.

## Korea Investment Partners
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series B, Series A, Seed
- Focus: Biotechnology, Health Care, Information Technology

Korea Investment Partners (KIP) is a leading venture capital & private equity firm that has over 30 years of experience in providing venture capital to bold and innovative entrepreneurs who want to change the world. Korea Investment Partners invests in leading pioneers like Kakao(KOSDAQ:035720), Naver(KRX:035420), YGEntertainment(KOSDAQ:122870), Bodyfriend, Osstem Implant(KOSDAQ:048260), Doubleu Games(KOSDAQ:192080) and Didi Chuxing. KIP manages over 20 venture and private equity funds with US$1.8 billion in total assets under management. The company operates globally from its Seoul headquarters office with other locations in Shanghai, Beijing, and Sunnyvale.

## SL Investment
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series B, Series A
- Focus: Manufacturing, Software, Real Estate

SL investment (SLi) aims at a company with global standards through management by principle and transparency.SLi is a venture capital firm founded in February 2000 and has widely invested in the companies from early to mezzanine stage, in the field of semiconductors, display (AMOLED, LED, LCD), renewable energy, and health care industry.Since its incorporation, SLi has recorded black-ink balances for 12 consecutive years with zero debt and also has successfully dissolved all the five funds with outstanding earning rates.SLi tries to raise the value of venture companies not only by offering funds but by supporting the management omnidirectionally after its investment. Consequently, 31 companies have been successfully listed in KOSDAQ market for 12 years and all the companies have positioned as leading firms in their specific fields.

## ID ventures
- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Yeoksamdong, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
- Relevant deals: 1
- Stages: Series A, Seed, Series B
- Focus: Fashion, Media and Entertainment, Health Care

ID ventures is an IP based venture capital firm.

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