Korean startup Market Stadium, which offers an analytical platform for U.S. real estate investments, has successfully secured 1.5 billion KRW (approximately $1.2 million USD) in pre-Series A funding. This round of investment saw participation from Laguna Investment, Seoul Techno Holdings, and Lotte Ventures.

Market Stadium provides real estate information and analytical tools to U.S. investment firms, enhancing their operational efficiency and profitability. The platform distinguishes itself by integrating urban engineering data, such as location analytics, gentrification scores, and climate change risk assessments, along with a variety of other analytical tools, setting it apart from competitors that offer merely basic property information.

The platform is currently utilized by a diverse range of real estate investment companies throughout the U.S. Market Stadium has also signed an MOU with the Real Estate Department at New York University and has become a portfolio company within Berkadia’s accelerator, BeEngaged. Berkadia is among the top five real estate firms in the U.S. and a subsidiary of Warren Buffett’s conglomerate. Through these affiliations, Market Stadium plans to rapidly expand its customer base leveraging an extensive real estate network.

The platform was founded by CEO Lee Ki-hoon, who drew on his prior experience with the real estate acquisition and development team at Lionstone Investments in Houston. His vision was to simplify the process for U.S. investment firms to identify and swiftly screen a multitude of potential deals. Currently, there are at least 350,000 real estate investment firms operating within the U.S.

Additionally, Market Stadium was recently selected for the TIPS program by Korea’s Ministry of SMEs and Startups, which is dedicated to supporting technology startups. The company is in the process of developing a more precise and rapid valuation model for single-family homes.

Mok Seung-hwan, CEO of Seoul Techno Holdings, shared his enthusiasm for the investment, noting, “The traditional real estate industry is being revolutionized through technological and data innovations, and Seoul Techno Holdings is keenly focused on these developments. We believe that Market Stadium’s innovative analysis platform will significantly enhance the real estate investment market.”

Lee Ki-hoon outlined his strategic focus post-investment, aiming to concentrate on customer retention, the development of an intuitive AI platform, and the optimization of sales channels. He committed to fulfilling customer demands with the best possible platform, while operating with a minimal yet effective team.