South Korean beauty tech startup LIVEX has secured USD 2.9 million(KRW 4 billion) in its Series A bridge round. Existing investors SmartStudy Ventures, BNK Securities, and Series Ventures participated as follow-on investors.

With this new capital, LIVEX plans to accelerate the global expansion of its salon brands WENEED and SALON A, expand the product lineup and international distribution of its premium vegan haircare brand TAMZ, and strengthen its digital marketing capabilities.

The domestic beauty and salon market has long struggled with chronic issues, including unfair treatment of hair designers, high startup costs and frequent closures, and undifferentiated saturated competition. These structural problems have made it difficult for hair designers to build stable careers and prevented customers from receiving consistent service experiences. As a result, demand has grown for sustainable operating models that satisfy and build trust with both designers and clients.

Since its 2021 launch of WENEED, LIVEX has introduced a hair-designer-centric operating model that addresses these challenges. The company also operates SALON A, creating a portfolio that appeals to diverse customer segments, while supporting professional talent development and long-term growth through BOB Academy and Hair Camp.

LIVEX has also proven its overseas scalability by opening its first international salon in Nagoya, Japan, demonstrating that its business model and brand competitiveness—validated in Korea—can succeed globally. Backed by this new investment, the company plans to expand further into major Japanese cities and Southeast Asian markets.

Series Ventures Co-CEOs Kwak Sung-wook and Park Jun-sang commented “LIVEX is one of the rare teams offering a practical alternative in a structurally challenged domestic beauty market. Its organically connected business structure—from salon operations to products and educational platforms—provides both global scalability and sustainability, which led us to reinvest.”

LIVEX CEO Song Jung-woong stated “This investment not only reflects our achievements in the domestic market but also validates LIVEX’s growth potential on the global stage. With our salon operating models WENEED and SALON A, the product business TAMZ, and our education platforms BOB Academy and Hair Camp, we aim to set a new standard in the global beauty industry, extending beyond Asia.”