Innerside, a Korea-based gut-health FoodTech startup, has raised approximately USD 520,000(KRW 700 million) in its seed round. This marks the company’s first external investment, with participation from the Cheonan Institute of Science & Technology Platform, Gravity Ventures, Chungnam National University Technology Holdings, and Rowe Partners.

Based on this investment, Innerside plans to accelerate new product R&D, expand domestic distribution (through its own e-commerce platform, online, and offline channels), and prepare for international distribution in the APAC and North American markets.

Innerside’s first product, ‘Yourgut’ Greek Yogurt, officially launched in 2023, recorded USD 1.02 million(KRW 1.37 billion) in 2024 annual revenue—an eightfold increase year-over-year. For 2025, the company projects USD 3.7 million(KRW 5 billion) in annual revenue, with USD 1.2 million(KRW 1.6 billion) already achieved in the first half of the year.

“Yourgut” was developed by a founder with a bachelor’s degree and integrated master’s/doctoral program in biotechnology from Korea University, based on research into the gut microbiome. With a high-protein, low-sugar, and additive-free clean recipe, it delivers both functionality and taste. Since its official launch, the product has achieved an eightfold increase in annual sales through word-of-mouth alone, without paid advertising.

Ho-joong Lee, CEO of Innerside, stated, “This investment will enable further research into products that combine great taste with gut health benefits, while introducing a differentiated lineup to captivate domestic and international customers. Having grown through a bootstrapped approach without dedicated sales or marketing resources thus far, we now aim to expand our market presence into APAC and North America.”