Korea's venture investments touch new high in H1: data
Korea's investments into startups for the first half of 2026 marked a record high for the six-month period, amid active investments into cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, government data showed Wednesday. A total of 8.87 trillion won ($6.34 billion) was invested into promising venture firms and startups in the January-June period, up 54.3 percent from…
South Korea's venture investments in startups reached an all-time high during the first half of 2026, according to government data released on Wednesday. The total amount invested in promising venture firms and startups rose by 54.3 percent compared to the same period in 2022, totaling 8.87 trillion won, equivalent to $6.34 billion.
This marked the highest figure for the first half since 2022, when 7.64 trillion won was invested. The surge in investments was primarily driven by significant concentrations in the AI, semiconductor, and robotics sectors. Among other sectors, investments in ICT production surged by 143.3 percent year-on-year, while funding for electronics, machinery, and equipment increased by 90.4 percent.
However, investments in the gaming sector saw a significant drop of 76.3 percent year-on-year, reflecting a sharp decline in the number of startups operating in that space.
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- Korea's venture investments touch new high in H1: data koreatimes.co.kr