On the 4th, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced that it has selected 13 fund managers for the 2025 Global Fund and plans to establish a new fund worth 2.4 trillion won.
The Global Fund is a project in which the government fund invests in funds managed by outstanding overseas venture capital firms, mandating that the investment amount exceeds the government's contribution to Korean companies. So far, it has operated a total of 74 funds worldwide, amounting to 12.3 trillion won.
Since 2013, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups has been operating the Global Fund, which has provided 1.3 trillion won in investments to 652 Korean ventures and startups, contributing to the emergence of global unicorns such as Toss, Carrot Market, and Rebellions.
This year, the Global Fund expanded its investment scale and diversified its investment areas by increasing the budget to a record high of 170 billion won and establishing new fields in AI, climate tech, and secondary investment.
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups received applications after announcing the contribution program through Korea Venture Investment Corporation and ultimately selected 13 global venture capitals as fund managers after undergoing document review, on-site inspections, and contribution deliberation meetings. Korea Venture Investment Corporation evaluated the potential for fund formation, investment expertise, and contributions to the domestic venture investment ecosystem, including Korean investments.
The selected fund managers include 10 general funds, 1 in AI, 1 in climate tech, and 1 in secondary investment, with venture capitals from six countries worldwide selected, including the United States, France, Japan, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Taiwan, such as TTCP in the U.S., Jolt Capital in France, and DCI Partners in Japan.
This year, the Global Fund will contribute 170 billion won from the government fund, with the fund formation scale expected to reach a record high of 2.4 trillion won, including approximately 1 trillion won in the AI fund. The mandatory investment amount for Korean companies is also projected to exceed 270 billion won, the largest ever.
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups plans to announce the results of the Global Fund selection on the 5th on the Korea Venture Investment Corporation website. The selected fund managers must establish their funds within six months of the announcement, and if they fail to do so, they may extend the formation period for a maximum of six months after review.
Minister Han Seong-suk stated, 'The Global Fund provides not only the effect of attracting investment from the perspective of startups but also significant opportunities for Korean startups to connect with global investors' networks. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups will actively support attracting foreign investments and global expansion for our ventures and startups by continuously expanding the Global Fund to leap to one of the four global venture powerhouses.'