Q1 Startup Investment Reaches KRW3.14tn

Investment in startups reached 3.14 trillion won in the first quarter of this year.

A total of 10 startups attracted an investment of at least 100 billion won each in the first quarter of this year. The annual investment is expected to reach a new high this year, given that the number was 19 in 2021.

The total startup investment was 3.1424 trillion won in the first quarter of this year whereas it was 1.311 trillion won in the first quarter of last year. The number of investment cases increased from 231 to 355 in that period. The actual investment is likely to be larger in that the figures do not include undisclosed investments.

The 10 startups are Qraft Technologies (170 billion won), Green Labs (170 billion won), Dunamu (150 billion won), SemiFive (130 billion won), Ridi (120 billion won), Haegin (100 billion won), Parking Cloud (100 billion won), KlickBrands (120 billion won), Bear Robotics (100 billion won) and VA Corp. (100 billion won). In the first quarter of last year, only Ticketmonster (305 billion won) and Musinsa (130 billion won) topped 100 billion won.

SoftBank Group invested in Qraft Technologies, which provides AI-based asset management solutions. The investors in Green Labs, which provides data-based farming solutions, are BRV Capital Management, SK Square and Skylake.

Hong Kong-based private equity firm Anchor Equity Partners and the sovereign wealth fund of Singapore are investing in Dunamu and Ridi, respectively. Bear Robotics, which develops autonomous mobile robots, attracted an investment from Cleveland Avenue.

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