Venture capital (VC) firms Woori Venture Partners, SL Investment, and BA Partners won the Minister's Award for VC of the year at the "Korea VC Awards."
On the 27th, Korea Venture Investment Corporation said it held the Korea VC Awards 2025 at Signiel Seoul in Songpa-gu, Seoul, and selected Woori Venture Partners, SL Investment, and BA Partners as VC of the year in the large, medium, and small institutional sectors, respectively.
The Korea VC Awards is an event where Korea Venture Investment Corporation, the manager of the Mother Fund, shares performance and recognizes contributors who helped develop the innovative venture ecosystem. VC of the year is chosen by evaluating fund formation, investment execution, and exit performance.
First, Woori Venture Partners was selected as VC of the year in the large institutional sector and received the Minister's Award from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS). Strong exit results from d'Alba Global, a K-beauty brand operator, and the entertainment tech company Knowmerce led to the VC of the year selection.
SL Investment and BA Partners received the Minister's Award from the MSS in the medium and small institutional sectors, respectively. SL Investment was highly rated for diverse investments spanning bio-healthcare and ICT (information and communications technology), while BA Partners earned high marks for solid growth.
Also, Mirae Asset Venture Investment was selected for the Korea Venture Investment Corporation CEO's commendation for VC of the year, with major portfolio IPOs such as Semifive ahead. With the large institutional sector award, Kakao Ventures and Devsisters Ventures received commendations in the medium and small categories, respectively.
Woori Venture Partners also received the Minister's Award in the best investment professional institutional sector. Kim Jae-han, executive director at Woori Venture Partners, received the MSS Minister's Award in the SME promotion institutional sector. Exit performance at d'Alba Global, a K-beauty brand operator, was also highly rated.
For best fund, CKD Start-Up No. 1 Venture Investment Partnership of CKD Venture Capital was selected for strong exit results from investments in major new drug developers such as KoBioLabs and Cellivery. For investment corporations of the year, Clobot, an Autonomous Driving solution corporation, was chosen.
Lee Dae-hee, CEO of Korea Venture Investment Corporation, said, "I extend my gratitude to venture investors who have pursued innovation amid uncertain domestic and external conditions," and added, "As the foundation of the venture investment ecosystem, the Mother Fund will play a role in brightening the future of the venture market."