FutureConnect, a Korean startup building AI-driven urban farm networks, has closed a $6 million USD (8.6 billion KRW) Series A round. The round was co-led by MYSC, with participation from Korea Investment Partners, BNK Venture Investment, Lotte Ventures, Donghun Investment, ROI Investment Partners, and JSG Investment.

FutureConnect is tackling the smart farm industry’s biggest pain points: sky-high upfront costs and ongoing operational expenses. Instead of following the traditional model of massive suburban farms controlled by suppliers, the company places compact smart farms in unused urban spaces using its proprietary modular hardware (NanoFarm™) and AI operating system (livOS™). The AI forecasts demand in real time and adjusts production accordingly, flipping the model from “grow first, sell later” to true demand-driven farming. The result: minimal waste and dramatically shorter supply chains.

After launching at Incheon International Airport, FutureConnect is now pushing into the U.S., partnering with major East Coast supermarket chains. The company has structured these deals cleverly: local partners fund the facilities while FutureConnect runs the operations and shares in the revenue. It’s a model designed to avoid the capital-intensive pitfalls that sank other global vertical farming players.

“FutureConnect has built its own production-to-consumer network in cities, cutting distribution costs while locking in reliable channels,” said a representative from MYSC. “What really stands out is how they’ve cracked the U.S. mainstream market through private partnerships—something no other Korean smart farm company has pulled off. We’re excited to see where they go from here.”

Gilmo Kang, CEO of FutureConnect, said the fresh capital will go toward refining their data analytics and expanding their network both at home and abroad. “We’re using the U.S. as our launchpad to become the most competitive smart farm solution provider in the world,” he said.