MONEY
- Hyundai Card raised funds from institutional investors by issuing 240 billion won ($198.23 million) in green bonds. The funds will be used for financial services related to Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors’ electric, hydrogen and hybrid vehicles.
- Melbourne-based infrastructure investment firm IFM Investors closed two infrastructure debt funds worth a combined $420 million for South Korean investors. Eight Korean insurance firms have committed to the funds, and among them, Hanwha Asset Management and Hyundai Investments will manage funds worth $190 million and $230 million, respectively.
- LG Household & Health Care acquired US beauty and personal care product maker New Avon for $125 million in cash.
- Korean unicorn startup Viva Republica, the creator of mobile financial service platform Toss, secured $64 million at a valuation of $2.2 billion in a fundraising led by Hong Kong-based equity investment firm Aspex Management.
- Lotte Group created a fund worth 62.7 billion won ($52.3 million) to support its startup accelerator arm Lotte Accelerator.
- Rainist, a Korean financial technology startup known for its mobile personal financial management app Banksalad, raised 45 billion won ($37.1 million) from 10 venture investors in its series C funding round.
- Danggeun Market, a Korean online secondhand marketplace, raised 40 billion won ($33.49 million) in a fundraising led by Altos Ventures and Goodwater Capital.
- Code 42, a Korean autonomous car technology startup, raised 30 billion won in its pre-A series funding round from investors including Kia Motors, SK, LG, and CJ.
- Carplat, a Korean startup that provides car rental services, raised 25 billion won from investors including Humax and PEF Stick Investment.
- Tera Funding, a Korean startup that operates a peer-to-peer lending platform for real estate developers, raised 22 billion won ($18.2 million) in its series B funding round from multiple investors.
- Rznomics, a Korean startup that develops RNA-based gene treatments, raised 12 billion won in its series A funding round. Investors include Synergy IB Investment, SBI Investment, LSK Investment and KDB Bank.
- 3 Billion, a Korean startup that provides AI-based gene diagnosis services for rare diseases, raised 11.4 billion won in its series B funding round.
- Wanted, a social recruiting startup in Korea, raised US$9 million, following its US$9.8 million raise in 2017.
- Crowdworks, a Korean AI learning-data platform startup, raised 10 billion won in its series B funding round. Investors include SW Investment, KEB Hana Bank and HB Investment.
- Apartmentary, a Korean startup that provides interior services, raised 10 billion won in its series B funding round. Investors were KTB Network, KB Investment, Samsung Venture Investment and Iloom.
- Ghost Kitchen, an ICT-based smart communal kitchen startup, raised 9.2 billion won from investors including Smilegate Investment, Mega Investment, and IMM Investment.
- Blocko, a Korean blockchain startup, raised 9 billion won in its series B funding round. Investors include LB Investment, Shinhan Bank and KDB Hana Bank.
- Huinno, a Korean healthcare startup, raised 8.3 billion won in its series A funding round. Investors include Synergy IB Investment, Smilegate Investment and Shinhan Capital.
- Qualson, a Korean operator of English-learning apps, raised 7.5 billion won ($6.3 million) in funding from Seoul-based venture capital house Capstone Partners.
- Maxst, a Korean augmented reality technology startup, raised 7 billion won in its series B funding round from investors including Hana Financial Investment and Partners Investment.
- SocialBean, a lifestyle goods manufacturer, raised 5 billion won from Kakao Ventures.
- Hodoo Labs, a Korean education technology startup, raised 5 billion won in its series A investment from Core Asset Management.
- GO Pizza, a Korean startup that sells pizza baked in fire pots, raised 4 billion won in its series A funding round. Investors include DSC Investment, Capstone Partners, Big Basin Capital, etc.
- Taling, a Korean talent-sharing platform startup, raised 4 billion won in its series A funding round. Investors include Hana Ventures, Nvestor, Shinhan Alternative Investment Management, etc.
- Share Treats, a Korean startup that provides mobile gift services for Southeast Asia, raised a total of 4 billion won in its series A funding round. Investors were Partners Investment, ES Investor, HB Investment, and SB Partners.
- Onul-Hoi, a Korean same-day seafood delivery service app secured 4 billion won ($3.3 million) in series A funding from multiple investors to expand its delivery service and carry out marketing.
- Quantec, a Korean hybrid asset management startup, raised 3 billion won in its series A funding round. Investors include IBK Bank, Shinhan Capital, and Age Investment.
- Common Computer, a Korean blockchain cloud startup, raised 3 billion won in its series A funding round. Investors include KB Investment, HB Investment and Hana Ventures.
- Samsung Next invested $2.7 million in a quantum computing startup called Aliro Technologies with a group of investors including Flybridge Capital Partners.
- Allstay, a Korean startup that provides a platform for accommodation fee comparison, raised an additional 2.7 billion won from Tide Square.
- STORE Camera, a Korean startup that provides apps for e-commerce vendors, raised 2.5 billion won in its series A funding round from investors such as Lotte Accelerator and SEMA Translink Investment.
- Nanuda Kitchen, a Korean communal kitchen platform startup, raised 2.3 billion won in its series A funding round. Investors include IBK bank, The Wealth Investment and Intervalue Partners.
- Ziptoss, a Korean platform that provides apartments, flats and rooms without brokerage commission, raised an additional 2 billion won from Shinhan Alternative Investment Management, totaling 4.3 billion won for its series A funding round.
- Hello Factory, a Korean IoT-based communication platform startup, raised 2 billion won from DEV Sisters Ventures and Korea Credit Guarantee Fund.
- Ringle, a Korean startup that provides an online platform for one-to-one English conversations, raised 1.9 billion won from investors including Must Investment.
- Nota, a Korean startup that had developed an AI model compressing technology, raised 1.5 billion won in its pre-series A funding round from Stone Bridge Ventures.
- ArtistsCard (Classic Manager), a Korean startup that provides B2C and B2B music services based on analyses of music data, raised 1 billion won in its series A funding round from Korea Credit Guarantee Fund.
- Hyundai Motor will invest 1.16 million euros in French startup Aryballe Technologies to jointly develop digital olfactory sensor technology.
- Bbodek, a Korean tableware rental/washing service startup, raised 1 billion won from Hana Ventures.
- H201, a Korean startup that sells lifestyle appliances, raised 1 billion won from Coolidge Corner Investment.
- Dansaek, a Korean startup that provides functional clothing for women, raised 900 million won in its pre-series A funding round. Investors were IBK bank and SBA.
- Medihere, a Korean medical data O2O startup, raised 840 million won through its pre-series A funding round and financial support from the TIPs program.
- Dr. Diary, a Korean diabetes management platform startup, raised 800 million won from New Flight and Alpen Route Asset Management.
- ItsFactory raised 600 million won from Big Basin Capital. ItsFactory operates Zigdomae, a Korean startup that connects clothing factories and retail stores.
- Simply O, a Korean online commerce startup, raised 600 million won from Bon Angels Venture Partners.
- Minds Lab, an AI technology company, invested 500 million won in RedTie, a Korean hotel concierge chatbot startup.
- Kakao Ventures and MYSC invested 300 million won ($24,800) in Namezip, a networking platform for people who want to share their hobbies and their living rooms.
- Zakdang, a Korean billiard hall startup, raised 230 million won from Zentium Partners.
- Learning Spoons, a Korean startup that provides adults with on-the-job education, raised 200 million won in private investment from startup investors and CFOs.
- Korean micromobility startup MaaS Asia raised an undisclosed amount of funding from three venture investors, including Naver-backed TBT, the existing investor. It also merged with Alpaca, a micromobility market competitor, to expand its market presence among college students.
- Xensor, a blockchain-based IoT platform startup, raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Block Inside, a major Chinese blockchain fund.
- Kakao Ventures invested an undisclosed amount in Heo Dak, a Korean startup that sells chicken breasts.
- MoSQ, a Korean medical AI startup that provides solutions for ineffective clinical practices, raised an undisclosed amount from SpringCamp, a venture capital firm.
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