Global Startup Ecosystem Report
Scope
Date
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Chemical Industry
Kolon expands hydrocarbon resins production, becomes global No.2 maker
South Korea’s chemicals and industrial materials maker Kolon Industries Inc. have added another 15,000 tons of annual capacity in its hydrocar...
Jun 21, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Automobiles
Hyundai NEXO, Toyota Mirai to compete in fuel cell cars as Honda exits
Japan’s Honda Motor Co. has announced it is exiting the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle market, leaving Toyota Motor Corp. and South Korea’s ...
Jun 18, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Electric vehicles
Seoul to host EV-only Formula E World Championship in 2022
South Korea’s capital Seoul will be finally hosting the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in August 2022, with BTS as the global ambassador...
Jun 18, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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E-commerce
Coupang changes leadership roles to expand global business
Coupang Corp. has executed changes in leadership roles to focus more on overseas ventures. The company has entered Japan and Singapore this year. So...
Jun 17, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean startups
Mirae, Naver set for hefty profit from Didi Chuxing IPO
The prospective initial public offering of DiDi Chuxing Technology Co., China's largest ride-hailing app, is expected to generate as much as 200 bil...
Jun 15, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean startups
Service marketplace Soomgo raises nearly $30 mn in Series C round
South Korea-based Brave Mobile Inc., the operator of service matching platform Soomgo, has secured 32 billion won ($28.6 million) in a Series C fund...
Jun 14, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Webtoons
Naver vs. Kakao: Global webtoon duel extends into Southeast Asia
The global webtoon battleground between South Korea's leading platforms Naver Corp. and Kakao Corp. has expanded into Southeast Asia with each compa...
Jun 14, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Pension funds
Govt pension fund to ease due diligence to revive global deals
South Korea's Government Employees Pension Service (GEPS) has abandoned its onsite only due diligence requirements on alternative deals in an effort...
Jun 14, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Hydrogen economy
Hyundai, SK, POSCO, Hyosung agree to launch Korea’s hydrogen council
Hyundai Motor Group and three other South Korean conglomerates have agreed to launch an industry-wide consultative body on hydrogen, underscoring an...
Jun 10, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Batteries
Samsung SDI mulls EV battery JV in US; partnership with global automaker
Samsung SDI Co., one of South Korea’s top three electric vehicle battery makers, is considering launching a battery production joint venture i...
Jun 09, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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IPOs
AI edtech startup Buzzvil readies for 2022 listing; hires IPO manager
South Korea-based artificial intelligence startup Buzzvil is preparing to make a trading debut on the country’s junior bourse Kosdaq in the th...
Jun 09, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean startups
Naver-invested startups' combined valuation increases sixfold; tops $1 bn
The combined valuation of some 70 tech startups that received funding from the platform giant Naver Corp. has reached around 1.3 trillion won ...
Jun 09, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Entertainment
HYBE raises $400 mn in a move to diversify BTS-dependent portfolio
HYBE Co., the global entertainment powerhouse behind BTS, has successfully closed its previously announced rights offering to raise 445.5 billion wo...
Jun 03, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Interview
How India is becoming 'heaven' for Korean startups
India is becoming an attractive destination for South Korean startups that are eyeing overseas expansion, given the country's vast population and di...
Jun 02, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Pre-IPO funding
Market Kurly raises another $200 mn at a $2 bn valuation
The valuation of Kurly Inc. has now surpassed 2 trillion won ($1.8 billion). The operator of South Korea’s online grocery and gourmet fo...
Jun 01, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean startups
AI chip startup FuriosaAI wraps up $70 mn Series B round
South Korea-based artificial intelligence startup FuriosaAI has recently wrapped up an 80 billion won ($72.1 million) Series B round, attracting inv...
May 31, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Healthcare
National health insurance to cover dental startup AIOBIO’s QLF device
AIOBIO’s dental diagnostic devices will be covered by South Korea’s national health insurance from June 1. AIOBIO is the country’s...
May 31, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean chipmakers
Global automakers accelerate EV push as chip shortage eases
Global auto companies are moving forward with their electric vehicle (EV) and other future mobility initiatives as the global semiconductor shortage...
May 28, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Cross-industry collaboration
HYBE x McDonald’s: The BTS Meal launches globally
McDonald’s has launched The BTS Meal on May 26 in the first selected group of 12 markets including Brazil, Canada and the US. The BTS meal is ...
May 27, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Hydrogen economy
Hyundai Motor’s new XCIENT truck raises hydrogen game in Europe
South Korea’s top automaker Hyundai Motor Co. has unveiled an upgraded version of its fuel cell truck XCIENT, turning up the heat on rivals in...
May 26, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean startups
Cloud firms rush to secure footing in pet data market
The pet care market is set to ride a "cloud wave" as companies make use of pet data on cloud storage spaces to tap into the growing pet care market,...
May 25, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean startups
AI-based startup Riiid raises $175 mn from SoftBank
Artificial intelligence-based learning platform Riiid Inc. has raised $175 million from SoftBank Vision Fund 2, the South Korean company said on May...
May 25, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Webtoons
Concurrent deal closings by Kakao, Naver: Mere coincidence?
Early this month, when Anchor Equity Partners was in intense negotiations with Kakao Corp. over the terms of its 600 billion won ($530 million) inve...
May 24, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean startups
STIC Ventures invests $2 mn in Vietnamese logistics startup EcoTruck
South Korea-based venture capital firm STIC Ventures has recently invested $2 million in a Vietnamese logistics startup EcoTruck, a move aimed at bo...
May 24, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Tech, Media & Telecom
Chat fiction app operator eyes global expansion, webtoon market
As smartphones have become essential to everyday life, chat fiction -- storytelling in the form of fictional text messaging -- has become popular am...
May 18, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean startups
E-sports startup Bigpicture Interactive in talks to raise over $9 mn
South Korea-based e-sports startup Bigpicture Interactive Corp. is currently in talks with various venture capital firms to raise over 10 billi...
May 16, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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ASK 2021
Korean pension funds eye non-core global real estate
South Korea's Government Employees Pension Service (GEPS), Public Officials Benefit Association (POBA) and Military Mutual Aid Association (MMAA) ar...
May 14, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean chipmakers
Samsung to invest $151 bn in foundry by 2030, up 28.5% from initial plan
Samsung Electronics Co. will invest 171 trillion won ($151 billion) by 2030 to take over the global foundry leadership from its archrival TSMC. The ...
May 13, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean startups
Character IP startup Studio Origin wraps up $4 mn Series A round
South Korea-based character entertainment startup Studio Origin Corp. has successfully concluded a 5 billion won ($4.4 million) Series A round, the ...
May 12, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Monthly trade infographics
S.Korea: 11th in global export market for top-ranked items
South Korea ranks 11th in global export market shares with 69 top-ranked items -- reaching an all-time high In 2019, South Korean products ranked 1...
May 10, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
Latest News
- 1 Hyundai, Kia’s H1 vehicle sales in Singapore double, aided by HMGICS
- 2 Korea’s reshoring companies pale amid lack of support, incentives, tax breaks
- 3 Hyundai, Waymo forge multi-year, strategic partnership for self-driving vehicles
- 4 AI startup MarqVision raises $16.5 mn to close Series A
- 5 Taihan Cable wins $630 mn power grid project in Singapore