[2025 Alternative Investment Forum] "AI Investment Boom... Korea Must Compete in Materials, Components, and Equipment"

Kiho Park, CEO of LB Investment
Investment Will Flow to Startups Capable of Global Competition
The Rise of "Ultra-Lean Unicorns" with 50 to 100 Employees Leveraging AI

Kiho Park, CEO of LB Investment, emphasized on the 16th that "amid the current boom in artificial intelligence (AI) investment, globalization is the key challenge ahead of us."

Speaking at the 3rd Asia Economy Alternative Investment Forum held at Conrad Hotel in Yeouido, Seoul on the 16th, CEO Park delivered a lecture on "The Past, Present, and Desirable Future of Venture Investment," where he made these remarks.

Kiho Park, CEO of LB Investment, is attending the "3rd Asia Economy Alternative Investment Forum" held at Conrad Hotel in Yeouido, Seoul on the 16th, giving a lecture on the topic "The Past, Present, and Desirable Future of Venture Investment." 2025.9.16 Photo by Jinhyung Kang

CEO Park analyzed that AI is currently driving all investments. He said, "AI is progressing at a speed three to five times faster than during the internet and mobile eras," adding, "In the first half of 2025, out of a total of $205 billion, $104.3 billion will be invested in AI, showing the sheer scale of the sector." He continued, "The United States accounts for 90% of all AI investments, and in an extreme situation, the top five U.S. companies, including OpenAI, which has raised $40 billion, are leading 60% of all AI investments. South Korea now faces the challenge of determining which direction to take for its AI investments."

As investment capital is increasingly concentrated in AI, the landscape of the investment market, traditionally led by venture capital, is also changing. CEO Park explained, "AI is driving all investments, and now large-scale funds beyond the venture capital stage are being injected. While venture capital has handled early-stage investments, once companies move beyond the C round, powerful investors are joining in, leading to a scaling up of investment. South Korea should pay close attention to this trend."

CEO Park predicted that the emergence of ultra-lightweight AI unicorns will become a trend in the future. He said, "There are increasing cases of companies rapidly growing into trillion-won enterprises with fewer than 50 employees, using AI as their core weapon. The most notable example is the American company Anthropic, the fastest-growing startup in history." He added that, even in South Korea, making early investments to enhance corporate value will become increasingly important.

CEO Park also forecasted a shift in investment sectors within the domestic market. "Until now, South Korea's investment sectors have focused on ICT services, bio/medical, and distribution/services, all of which have been domestically oriented. However, these sectors are expected to shift," he said. "Just as the United States and China are increasing their investments in global deep tech, South Korea will also see more active investment in AI startups capable of competing globally."

Finally, CEO Park stressed that South Korean companies should not simply follow the United States to remain competitive. "In the early stages of a megatrend, we inevitably follow the U.S. lead, but as the value chain expands, we have seen companies succeed by discovering and focusing on areas where we excel," he said. "South Korean companies need to compete in application fields, materials, components, and equipment-areas where they have a competitive edge."