Invested in 115 Early-Stage Tech Startups Over 10 Years... 96% Survival Rate
Synergy with Naver as Well... "Seeking to Support Global Expansion"
Naver's corporate venture capital (CVC) arm, D2SF, announced on the 13th that it has invested in a total of 115 tech startups over the past 10 years, with their combined cumulative corporate value now reaching approximately 5.2 trillion KRW.
Yang Sanghwan, Head of the D2SF Center, stated at the 10th anniversary roundtable held at 'D2SF Gangnam' in Seocho-gu, Seoul, "Ninety-six percent of our portfolio companies have survived, and we are recognized for presenting a successful model for early-stage startup investment." He added, "Based on the experience and achievements of the past 10 years, we aim to serve as a bridge for startups to achieve even greater growth in the global market."
D2SF has focused on 'pioneer' startups that are making new attempts in various technologies and industries, including AI, virtual, and robotics. Representative examples include FuriosaAI, which designed Korea's first AI semiconductor chip; Clobot, the first listed company in the robot software sector; and Crowdworks, the first listed AI data platform.
Yang emphasized, "D2SF's unique strategy is to invest in early-stage startups with outstanding technology, even if there is no immediate point of collaboration." In fact, 99% of the startups in which D2SF has invested were at the seed or Series A stage at the time of investment.
There has also been synergy with Naver. Currently, 64% of all portfolio startups are collaborating with Naver. Yang Sooyoung, CEO of Techtaka, which has secured two rounds of investment from D2SF, explained, "By working closely with Naver Shopping, we operate the 'Naver Delivery' service seven days a week and have achieved a same-day shipping rate of 99.9%," adding, "We have been able to handle rapidly increasing logistics volumes stably and grow quickly."
D2SF continues to support startup growth even after investment by providing community programs such as office space and cloud infrastructure. According to D2SF, startups that actively utilized these programs achieved a growth rate about nine times higher than those that did not.
D2SF is now seeking to expand beyond Korea into the global market. Currently, 81% of its portfolio startups are actively pursuing overseas expansion, and D2SF itself established a base in Silicon Valley, United States, in October last year. Choi Sooyoun, CEO of Naver, conveyed a message stating, "Naver started with technology, grew with technology, and has technology in its DNA," emphasizing, "Going forward, Naver will continue to support outstanding domestic startups so that they can achieve even greater growth through global expansion."
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