Hyosung's corporate venture capital (CVC) arm, Hyosung Ventures, has made its first investment through the 'Startup Korea Fund (SKOFUN)'.
On July 11, Hyosung Ventures announced that it has invested in several companies, including: the AI-based drug discovery company 'iZen Science'; the e-commerce platform 'Wired Company'; the smart logistics solutions provider 'Near Solution'; and the converged security firm 'Koontech'.
This investment was made through the 'Startup Korea Fund', a 100 billion won fund established in December last year in partnership with Korea Venture Investment. The fund targets deep-tech startups in the 'Top 10 Super Gap Technologies' sectors, which include: bio and health; eco-friendly and energy; robotics; system semiconductors; AI; aerospace and marine; next-generation nuclear power; and quantum technology.
iZen Science is a company specializing in AI-based drug development platforms, capable of identifying new drug candidates within approximately six months through big data analysis. The company has been recognized for its differentiated technologies, such as generative AI and reinforcement learning, and was selected last year as the lead institution for the 'Drug Development Acceleration Project' jointly run by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Science and ICT.
Wired Company operates 'WIREDY', a platform for social commerce sellers (social sellers). The platform provides integrated support for the entire process, from product sourcing to settlement, delivery, and customer response, and also offers sales volume forecasting services powered by AI. As the social commerce market expands, Wired Company is gaining significant attention for its convenience and efficiency.
Near Solution provides a solution that integrates all aspects of logistics and production operations based on AI. The company offers advanced features such as work sequence optimization, route control, and robot integration, and can customize its solutions to fit existing facility environments. Recognized for its technological capabilities, Near Solution received the top technology credit rating, TI-1, last year.
Koontech is a converged security specialist focused on operational technology (OT) security and software supply chain security. The company has established stable references across various industries, including finance, manufacturing, and the public sector. Recently, Koontech has been noted for its high growth potential amid the industry-wide trend toward stronger security and digital transformation.
A Hyosung Ventures representative stated, "This investment marks our first step in supporting technology-driven startups," adding, "We will continue to discover and support promising companies, contributing to the activation of the domestic deep-tech startup ecosystem."
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