Farquhar VC (FVC) announced today its investment in the South Korean startup Catius Inc., an EdTech AI company and recipient of the CES 2023 Innovation Award. 

Catius is the second Korean startup to join FVC’s portfolio of high-growth companies, following Sicpama (F&B Retail-Tech), in which FVC invested alongside Infobank IAccel and the Daegu Center for Creative Economy & Innovation in February 2024.

In addition to its recent investments, FVC has forged two strategic partnerships aimed at expanding its reach and influence:

• Goyang Investment Authority: This partnership is designed to foster the mutual advancement of startups between South Korea (specifically Goyang Special City) and Southeast Asia, including Singapore.
• Twin Ventures: This partnership aims to facilitate and support cross-border startup collaborations between South Korea and Southeast Asia.

FVC is currently engaged in discussions with various Korean government and industry stakeholders about potential fund collaborations. Moreover, its innovation-advisory subsidiary is set to launch a joint accelerator program to help startups in southern South Korea explore global expansion opportunities.

Jason Su, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at FVC, expressed his enthusiasm for these developments, stating, “We are honored to be trusted with the task of enabling startups to scale beyond domestic borders through investment and acceleration. Our success is built on strong partnerships with academia, industry, and government, including Hanyang University Holdings, Irislab, Infobank, Twin Ventures, and Goyang Special City. The ongoing commercial activities of our portfolio companies, such as Tictag, MyFirst, and Spark Systems, in South Korea, underscore our ability to foster and maintain strong ties between the two regions.”

Since its founding in 2020, FVC has invested in more than 40 global startups, helping them grow through targeted market access via its extensive network of mid-sized and large corporations. 

Recent investments include EMERGE Group, which is co-organizing a key event at the upcoming Korea Blockchain Week, and Aevice Health, another CES 2023 Innovation Award recipient and participant in the K-Startup Grand Challenge. 

Looking ahead, FVC plans to continue its focus on high-growth Korean startups through its Green Future Fund in 2024 and 2025.