Rapper Jay-Z's Investment Firm and Hanwha Asset Management Launch $500 Million 'K-Culture Fund'

Marshpen, Co-Founded by Hip-Hop Legend Jay-Z, Teams Up with Hanwha Asset Management
Establishing Marshpen Asia for Strategic Collaboration
Investing in K-Culture Companies with Strong Global Expansion Potential

Marshpen Capital Partners, a global investment firm co-founded by American hip-hop mogul Jay-Z, who is also the husband of pop star Beyonc?, is joining forces with Hanwha Asset Management to launch a fund that will invest 500 million dollars (approximately 730 billion won) in K-culture. The fund will be managed by Marshpen Asia, a joint venture to be established by Marshpen and Hanwha Asset Management.

According to the asset management industry on December 9, Kim Joungho, CEO of Hanwha Asset Management, met with Robby Robinson, CEO of Marshpen, at the Middle East's largest financial event, Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2025, and signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding the establishment of a joint venture.

Kim Joungho, CEO of Hanwha Asset Management, and Robby Robinson, CEO of Marshpen, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding the establishment of a joint venture at the Middle East's largest financial event, Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2025.

Marshpen, which has expertise in the global consumer goods and brand sectors, strategically invests in culturally influential consumer brands. With its ability to quickly identify consumer and cultural trends and connect them to brands, Marshpen has been expanding its presence in the global investment industry. The company is also known for its capacity to advise on global market entry and brand launch strategies through its global partner network. Jay-Z, one of Marshpen's co-founders, is recognized for his outstanding achievements as an entrepreneur across music, fashion, alcoholic beverages, sports, and investment, and is credited with commercially expanding the 'culture-based business' model beyond the music industry.

Marshpen has decided to partner with Hanwha Asset Management to actively expand into the Asian market, including Korea. The newly established Marshpen Asia will seek partnerships with growth-stage companies that have the potential to form cultural resonance and expand globally. The goal is to launch a variety of funds across Asia. The combination of Marshpen and Hanwha Asset Management's global networks and expertise in building the Asian market is expected to serve as a 'bridge' that will facilitate the global expansion of Korean companies in the future. The fund will seek capital from institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, and high-net-worth individuals. If overseas private capital flows into K-culture sectors such as K-content, K-beauty, and K-fashion, which are gaining global attention, the growth rate is expected to accelerate even further.

Through this agreement, Hanwha Asset Management will jointly develop a strategic growth investment model tailored to the growth trajectory of the Asian lifestyle and consumer goods industries. Leveraging its accumulated expertise in company analysis and investment structure design in the Asian market, Hanwha Asset Management will participate as a key growth capital partner supporting the global expansion of promising companies.

Hanwha Asset Management is focusing on the global influence of Korea's content, beauty, and entertainment sectors within the K-lifestyle field. The company aims to establish a new investment framework that discovers promising companies in the rapidly growing cultural and consumer goods ecosystem and connects them with global capital, thereby helping Korean and Asian companies scale up.

Kim Joungho, CEO of Hanwha Asset Management, said, "We are delighted to form an exciting partnership with Marshpen, a global investment platform," adding, "This unprecedented partnership will leverage Hanwha Asset Management's investment expertise and Marshpen's know-how to build a powerful cultural bridge connecting East and West." He continued, "This also aligns with Hanwha's future growth ambitions to become a global asset management company."

Robby Robinson, CEO of Marshpen, emphasized, "Korea is the cultural hub of Asia, influencing global trends in beauty, content, food, entertainment, and lifestyle," and added, "Marshpen Asia will become a trusted partner for leading brands that set the pace of global trends."