South Korea has emerged as a dynamic hub for innovation and technology, attracting significant venture capital (VC) interest. Over the past decade, the country's venture capital ecosystem has experienced rapid growth, driven by a surge in startups across industries such as fintech, biotechnology, e-commerce, and AI. This thriving landscape has given rise to a host of active VC firms that play a crucial role in fueling innovation and fostering the growth of both early-stage and growth-stage companies. In this article, we highlight the most active VC firms based in South Korea, delving into their leadership, investment activities, and notable portfolio companies that are shaping the country's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Altinum Investment

• 🏦 HQ: Seoul, South Korea

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Ki Chun Shin, SeungYong Lee

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 100-200

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Celltrion, Kakao, Ridi, FastFive

BonAngels Venture Partners

• 🏦 HQ: Seoul, South Korea

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Simon Seokheun Kang, Song In Ae

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 200-300

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 10-50

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Spoon, Woowa Brothers, Plugo, Apeiro

Capstone Partners

• 🏦 HQ: Seoul, South Korea

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Eunkang Song, Taecheol Hwang

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 200-300

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 10-50

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Spoon, DeepX, Bapul, Senbird

Company K Partners

• 🏦 HQ: Seoul, South Korea

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Hak Beom Kim

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 200-300

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 10-50

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Chai, Oasis Market, Fadu, ZigBang

DSC Investment

• 🏦 HQ: Seoul, South Korea

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Gunsoo Yoon

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 200-300

• 💲 AUM: $933 Million

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Market Kurly, Riid, Enuma, Neofect

HB Investment

• 🏦 HQ: Seoul, South Korea

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Hwang Yu Sun

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 100-200

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 10-50

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Crowdworks, Millie, Krafton, Vacxell

IMM Investment

• 🏦 HQ: Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, South Korea

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Jaechul Byun, Timothy Dong-Woo Chang, Sung-Bae Ji

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 300-400

• 💵 Ticket Size: $1 Million-$50 Million

• 💲 AUM: $6.4 Billion

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 10-50

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Farm8, CrowdWorks, Mit, Na, Swit

Kakao Ventures

• 🏦 HQ: Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Kim Ki-jun

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 300-400

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 10-50

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: LifeLabs, Dunamu, Lunit, Coinone

KB Investment

• 🏦 HQ: Seoul, South Korea

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Young Seok Song

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 300-400

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 10-50

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Spoon, Triple, Millie, Noom

Korea Investment Partners

• 🏦 HQ: Seoul, South Korea

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Mahn Soon Hwang, Dong Yeob Kim

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 400-500

• 💲 AUM: 4.1T KRW

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 50-100

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Medytox, Kakao, Naver, Swiggy

Premier Partners

• 🏦 HQ: Seoul, South Korea

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Jay Song, Seong Kim

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 100-200

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 10-50

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Kakao, Krafton, IgaWorks, Cafe24

SBVA

• 🏦 HQ: Seoul, South Korea

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: JP Lee

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 300-400

• 💲 AUM: $2.0 Billion

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 10-50

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Hyperconnect, Goto, Korbit, Lyuno

Shinhan Venture Investment

• 🏦 HQ: Seoul, South Korea

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Dong Hyun Lee

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 300-400

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 10-50

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: Noom, EFishery, Wadiz, Danal

Smilegate Investment

• 🏦 HQ: Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: Nam Ki-Moon

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 100-200

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: YBiologics, Triple, Wadiz, Idus, Moloco

Spring Camp

• 🏦 HQ: Seoul, South Korea

• 👨‍💻👩‍💻 Leadership: inQ Choi

• 🔢 Number of Investments: 200-300

• 💰️ Number of Exits: 1-10

• 👜 Notable Portfolio companies: SuaLab, Liner, Plask, Indinity

South Korea’s venture capital scene is marked by a diverse array of firms, each contributing to the advancement of cutting-edge technologies and breakthrough innovations. From supporting groundbreaking startups like Kakao and Naver to nurturing emerging unicorns in the biotech, AI, and digital sectors, these VC firms are critical in shaping the country's economic future. Their ability to foster entrepreneurship, provide significant funding, and support long-term growth has positioned South Korea as a global leader in the startup ecosystem. As the nation continues to push the boundaries of technological progress, these firms will remain at the forefront, helping drive the next wave of innovation across South Korea and beyond.