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Catch up on last week’s top stories from the startup ecosystem in the Korean Startup Weekly News.

Headline

South Korea Launches Ambitious Plans to Foster AI Adoption Among SMEs and Develop Global Unicorns by 2027
South Korea plans a major AI expansion, allocating significant funding towards startups and setting ambitious goals for global competitiveness in AI technologies.

Korean Government News

Korea-Japan Bio Ecosystem Roundtable Advances Regional Collaboration in Biotech
At the Korea-Japan Bio Ecosystem Roundtable, bio ventures explored advanced collaborations in gene therapy and cell therapy, aiming to enhance biotech innovation and global market entry. 

South Korea Expands Startup-BuS Program to Foster Regional Deep-Tech Ventures
With successful initial outcomes, Korea’s Startup-BuS program to include new regions, focusing on rapid funding and growth support for startups in deep-tech sectors from seed to scale.

Latest Funding News

Check out the latest funding news for Korean startups

Gangnamunni Secures $32M to Scale Its Global Aesthetic Medical Platform
Healing Paper, a Korean startup, raised $32M in a Series C round to expand Gangnamunni globally, enhance B2B solutions for aesthetic clinics, and strengthen its presence in Japan and Thailand. 

Connecteve Lands $10.5M Series A to Scale AI-Powered Orthopedic Tech
Connecteve raised $10.5M to expand its AI-powered orthopedic solutions. The company plans global commercialization, securing key hospitals and pursuing certifications in Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan, and the U.S. 

RIDE Lands $3M Series A to Grow Mobility Platform and Disrupt Auto Retail
RIDE, a Korean mobility startup, secured a $3M Series A to expand its AI-powered mobility platform, enhance RideNow, and grow B2B services. It plans an IPO by 2027 while scaling nationwide operations. 

Purple AI Raises $1.9M to Advance Brain Disease AI and Enter U.S. Market
Purple AI CEO Park Byung-joon stated, “This investment validates our AI technology capabilities, medical expertise, and market entry achievements. We will focus on building a comprehensive AI platform for brain diseases and achieving global success.” 

CRIT Ventures Invests $1.1M in ‘Petpharm’ to Expand Pet Pharmaceutical Business
CRIT Ventures invested $1.1M in Petpharm, a pet pharmaceutical distributor. Petpharm is expanding its network, securing veterinary pharmacy licenses, and strengthening in-house manufacturing with a KVGMP-certified facility. 

AI-Powered Autonomous Driving Startup whereable.ai Lands Seed Funding
Whereable.ai, a South Korean startup focusing on AI-driven autonomous driving, has secured seed funding led by Quad Ventures, with contributions from Naver D2SF and POSTECH Holdings. 

TWINWIZ Secures Investment from IBK Changgong Bisang 2 Fund for Antimicrobial Material Innovation
TWINWIZ secured investment to advance its liquid antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal materials. The company plans to expand globally and strengthen its position as a leader in innovative material solutions.

Korean Startup Interview

Meet startups that are striving for global expansion through exclusive interviews

[Korean Startup Interview] SpeedFloor, ‘Transforming Logistics Operation with Smart Conveyor Technology’
Startup SpeedFloor automates loading/unloading with AI-driven optimization, cutting costs and inefficiencies for SMEs. Their dual business model and innovative solutions drive global expansion and industry innovation.

[Korean Startup Interview] Crest: Revolutionizing Battery Systems with Intelligent BMS Technology
Crest is a Korean secondary battery system manufacturing company that has successfully developed an intelligent battery management system. With these achievements, Crest is now seeking investment.

[Korean Startup Interview] Fighting Counterfeits: QUAZAR’s Data-Driven Authentication Tech
As counterfeit concerns grow, demand for luxury authentication rises. QUAZAR uses vision AI and extensive data to verify authenticity, enhancing credibility, driving revenue growth, and attracting investor interest.

Korean Venture Capital News

Others

Velymonkeys’ Maccaron Enters Middle East, Strengthening Global K-Beauty Presence
Velymonkeys’ Maccaron is expanding to six Middle Eastern countries, leveraging its Indian market expertise. It offers 2,000+ K-beauty products and enhances shopping with AI, localized payments, and logistics.

Global eSIM Data Roaming Service “USIMSA” Surpasses 3 Million Users
Gadget Korea’s USIMSA surpasses 3M users. eSIM roaming in 200+ countries, activated by QR code. 150% yearly growth, app-based activation planned.

Floatic’s Floware Gains KC & FCC Approval, Paving Way for U.S. Expansion
Floatic secured KC and FCC certifications for its AMR solution, Floware, enabling expansion into the U.S. market. With modularized logistics algorithms, it plans a full-scale North American launch by 2026.