Korea Social Investment Receives Minister of SMEs Award for Venture Startup Promotion Merit

Strengths in Climate Tech, Social Services, AgTech, etc.
Conducting Acceleration Projects with Large Corporations and Public Enterprises

Korea Social Investment announced on the 7th that it received the Minister of SMEs and Startups Award at the ‘2024 Venture Startup Promotion Merit Awards’.

Lee Sun-yeol, CEO of Korea Social Investment (left), is receiving a ministerial citation from Lee Byung-kwon, Commissioner of the Seoul Regional Small and Medium Venture Business Administration. Photo by Korea Social Investment

Korea Social Investment is a public interest impact investment firm that has been discovering and nurturing ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and impact startups through investments and accelerating programs based on corporate social contribution budgets (donations). It has strengths in climate tech, social services, agtech, and global sector investments and acceleration. To date, it has executed a total of 69.8 billion KRW in cumulative impact investments (loans, investments, grants, etc.).

Last year, Korea Social Investment invested a total of 2.9 billion KRW in 18 startups. It has maintained an investment focus on ESG startups annually, investing 2.9 billion KRW in 24 companies in 2022 and 2.7 billion KRW in 15 companies in 2023. The cumulative number of invested companies has reached 70.

It has also carried out acceleration projects linking the venture investment ecosystem with social contribution activities in collaboration with numerous large corporations and public enterprises. Representative activities include consulting and mentoring to strengthen management capabilities, open innovation that creates collaboration based on large corporations’ infrastructure and networks, support for publicity and marketing, assistance for global expansion, and hosting demo days to attract follow-up investments.

Even after projects conclude, Korea Social Investment helps startups secure funding through various government policies and supports stable growth by connecting with numerous private acceleration programs. Notable acceleration programs conducted last year include the ‘LG Social Campus Leading Green Acceleration Project’ in partnership with LG Electronics, LG Chem, and The Better World (PPL Corporation), and the ‘Private Excellent Technology Commercialization Support Project AgriFuture’ in collaboration with the Korea Agricultural Technology Promotion Agency.

Lee Soon-yeol, CEO of Korea Social Investment, stated, “In 2025, we will continue to contribute to the sustainable growth of impact startups and the development of the venture ecosystem through investments and acceleration that only Korea Social Investment can provide.”