Korea’s Twelve New Industry Sectors Drew 76% of Total Venture Investment in 2025

Korea’s twelve designated new industry sectors attracted USD 3.52 billion (KRW 5.2 trillion) in venture investment in 2025, accounting for 76% of the country’s total venture capital deployment of USD 4.6 billion (KRW 6.8 trillion). The figures underscore a sustained investor preference for high-growth emerging sectors, which have consistently absorbed roughly 80% of all venture capital over the past five years.

The twelve sectors are: AI models and infrastructure, semiconductors, mobility, security and networking and quantum, robotics, healthcare, life sciences and pharmaceuticals, content, defense and aerospace and maritime, eco-friendly industries, energy and nuclear and fusion power, and advanced manufacturing.

Companies operating in new industry sectors also commanded significantly higher per-company investment — averaging USD 2.29 million (KRW 3.39 billion), nearly 1.7 times the USD 1.29 million (KRW 1.91 billion) average recorded across other sectors.

AI models and infrastructure claimed the largest share of new industry investment at USD 879.6 million (KRW 1.3 trillion), representing 19.6% of the total. Content (USD 798.4 million / KRW 1.18 trillion), healthcare (USD 764.5 million / KRW 1.13 trillion), and advanced manufacturing (USD 656.3 million / KRW 970 billion) also crossed the trillion-won threshold.

The sharpest year-on-year growth was recorded in life sciences and pharmaceuticals (+35.4%), defense, aerospace and maritime (+19.2%), and mobility (+16.5%). On the other end, energy, nuclear and fusion power saw the steepest decline (-55.2%), followed by advanced manufacturing (-22%) and semiconductors (-20.8%).

Of the USD 3.52 billion (KRW 5.2 trillion) invested in new industry sectors, 87.7% went to follow-on rounds, reflecting investor preference for backing companies already in existing portfolios over first-time bets. New investments accounted for the remaining 12.3%.

At the large-deal end of the market, 131 of 158 companies that raised USD 6.77 million (KRW 10 billion) or more were in new industry sectors — roughly 83%. All six companies that raised USD 33.8 million (KRW 50 billion) or more were in new industries, with two of those in AI.

Capital remained heavily concentrated in the capital region. Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon together accounted for USD 2.77 billion (KRW 4.1 trillion), or 79.1% of new industry venture investment. Seoul alone drew USD 1.76 billion (KRW 2.6 trillion), led by the content sector. Outside the capital region, Daejeon attracted USD 264.7 million (KRW 391.3 billion) — driven largely by life sciences investment, with ADC platform developer TRIOAR among its standout recipients — while South Gyeongnam drew USD 72.5 million (KRW 107.1 billion), concentrated in defense and aerospace.

“We will continue to analyze the venture investment market from multiple angles and translate those insights into policies that support the real growth of startups and venture companies,” said Minister Seong-sook Han. “Through initiatives like the Next-Generation Unicorn Development Project and the Regional Growth Fund — co-established with local governments — we will ensure that new industry companies have a stable foundation to grow from.”