500 Labs

500 Global, formerly known as 500 Startups, is a venture capital firm and incubator based in Mountain View, California, founded in 2010. The firm specializes in seed investments, primarily focusing on early-stage technology and financial services startups across various sectors, including biotech, e-commerce, fintech, and digital healthcare. 500 Global operates a four-month accelerator program, where it typically invests between $0.05 million and $1 million for a 5 to 10 percent equity stake in companies with at least $100,000 in monthly revenue. The firm targets a global market, with particular emphasis on regions such as the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Since its inception, it has invested in over 2,200 startups and supports the growth of innovation ecosystems through educational programs and partnerships. 500 Global also prioritizes investments in companies led by minority founders, reflecting its commitment to diverse entrepreneurial leadership.

Clayton Bryan

Partner, Global Investment

Victoria Kennard

Director of Strategic Operations

Peter Shin

Lead Manager

Bedy Yang

Managing Partner

Past deals in South Korea

Medb Korea

Seed Round in 2023
Medb Korea is a medical consumer, hospital, and pharmacy-focused online medical care and prescription drug delivery platform.. Medb Korea is located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

Sendtime

Pre Seed Round in 2022
Sendtimes is an automated B2B tool that offers a software platform for schedule management.

21market

Series A in 2022
21market is a platform that purchases used electronics, inspects them, and upcycles the products. It repairs secondhand electronics and sells refurbished items. 21market is based in Seoul, South Korea.

Storicity

Seed Round in 2021
Storicity is a storytelling audio guide that provides city stories that created by experienced journalists and storytellers.

PeopleFund

Series C in 2021
PeopleFund is Korea’s leading tech-based financial platform that is opening doors to financial freedom through affordable loans and attractive alternative investment products. It is the fastest growing marketplace lender in Korea and uniquely positioned as the first and only Korean marketplace lending platform to fully integrate with a top-tier commercial bank to process personal and business loans that are government approved. PeopleFund is also the first fintech platform to offer investment products directly on KakaoTalk, Korea’s most popular messaging app, which has allowed the company to grow and scale up its business. PeopleFund was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Seoul, Korea.

Althea

Venture Round in 2021
Althea is Korea's premier beauty e-commerce platform that provides the latest beauty products, trends and lifestyle to consumers in Southeast Asia.

Medb Korea

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Medb Korea is a medical consumer, hospital, and pharmacy-focused online medical care and prescription drug delivery platform.. Medb Korea is located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

PeopleFund

Venture Round in 2021
PeopleFund is Korea’s leading tech-based financial platform that is opening doors to financial freedom through affordable loans and attractive alternative investment products. It is the fastest growing marketplace lender in Korea and uniquely positioned as the first and only Korean marketplace lending platform to fully integrate with a top-tier commercial bank to process personal and business loans that are government approved. PeopleFund is also the first fintech platform to offer investment products directly on KakaoTalk, Korea’s most popular messaging app, which has allowed the company to grow and scale up its business. PeopleFund was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Seoul, Korea.

Comento

Venture Round in 2021
Comento designs and develops an Internet based networking platform for job seekers and consultants. Its platform allows job seekers to ask questions and receive consultation from incumbents. Its platform also helps job seekers in building resume and cover letters. Comento was incorporated in 2015 and is based in Seoul, South Korea.

Sankun

Venture Round in 2021
Sankun offers a digitalized platform that takes a role in establishing the link between buyers and vendors of industrial items.

PeopleFund

Venture Round in 2021
PeopleFund is Korea’s leading tech-based financial platform that is opening doors to financial freedom through affordable loans and attractive alternative investment products. It is the fastest growing marketplace lender in Korea and uniquely positioned as the first and only Korean marketplace lending platform to fully integrate with a top-tier commercial bank to process personal and business loans that are government approved. PeopleFund is also the first fintech platform to offer investment products directly on KakaoTalk, Korea’s most popular messaging app, which has allowed the company to grow and scale up its business. PeopleFund was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Seoul, Korea.

Finda

Venture Round in 2021
Finda, inc. operates an online comparison platform to compare various financial products including mortgage, personal loans, P2P loans, and investments. The company is based in Seoul, South Korea.

DIVE Studios

Seed Round in 2020
DIVE STUDIOS operates a podcast network with production studios. It produces podcasts for K-Pop fans, Asian Americans, and other audiences. The company was founded in 2019 and is based in Los Angeles, California with a production studio in Seoul, South Korea.

Storicity

Seed Round in 2020
Storicity is a storytelling audio guide that provides city stories that created by experienced journalists and storytellers.

Veluga

Seed Round in 2020
Veluga is a membership service that provides regular delivery of craft beer and pairing night snack twice a month.

Donggle

Seed Round in 2020
Donggle is a shopping platform that directly connects consumers and wholesalers and allows purchases at wholesale at a low price. It is based in Seoul, South Korea.

PeopleFund

Venture Round in 2020
PeopleFund is Korea’s leading tech-based financial platform that is opening doors to financial freedom through affordable loans and attractive alternative investment products. It is the fastest growing marketplace lender in Korea and uniquely positioned as the first and only Korean marketplace lending platform to fully integrate with a top-tier commercial bank to process personal and business loans that are government approved. PeopleFund is also the first fintech platform to offer investment products directly on KakaoTalk, Korea’s most popular messaging app, which has allowed the company to grow and scale up its business. PeopleFund was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Seoul, Korea.

Quotabook

Series A in 2019
Quotabook is a company that specializes in equity management.

Bellugg

Seed Round in 2019
Bellugg Group Company Limited provides luggage delivery and storage services from airport to hotels. The company provides luggage delivery, deposit, pickup, and tourist commerce services. It provides luggage delivery booking, tracking, and insurance services through an online platform. The company serves clients in Thailand, South Korea, Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore. The company was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand.

Saib

Seed Round in 2019
SAIB & CO INC. designs and manufactures plant based latex condoms for women in South Korea. The company was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.

Playcurio

Seed Round in 2019
Playcurio is an educational content developer.

DIVE Studios

Seed Round in 2019
DIVE STUDIOS operates a podcast network with production studios. It produces podcasts for K-Pop fans, Asian Americans, and other audiences. The company was founded in 2019 and is based in Los Angeles, California with a production studio in Seoul, South Korea.

The Clozet

Series A in 2019
THE CLOZET is a fashion sharing service aiming to be Airbnb for fashion. THE CLOZET makes profit by connecting its individual customers with fashion items which are not used often and allows them to borrow the items from other users at reasonable prices. THE CLOZET also gives the concierge service such as delivery, cleaning, maintenance which can make it the most seamless fashion sharing service.

Jaranda

Series A in 2019
Jaranda Co., Ltd. owns and operates a platform that integrates teachers, parents, and students. The company is based in Seoul, South Korea.

Jaranda

Series A in 2019
Jaranda Co., Ltd. owns and operates a platform that integrates teachers, parents, and students. The company is based in Seoul, South Korea.

Resonado

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Resonado, Inc. specializes in designing and developing audio systems utilizing its patented Flat Core Speaker (FCS) technology. Founded in 2017 and based in South Bend, Indiana, with additional offices in San Francisco, Boston, and Anyang, South Korea, the company serves various industries, including automotive, consumer electronics, home theater, hospitality, and marine. Traditional conical speaker transducer technology has long dominated audio production, but the demand for smaller, more efficient audio components has increased significantly due to trends in product miniaturization and the proliferation of smart IoT devices. Resonado's FCS technology addresses these challenges by optimizing the internal structure of electrodynamic transducers, allowing for innovative design without sacrificing acoustic performance. The company generates revenue primarily through licensing its technology to global manufacturers across multiple sectors.

Catch Fashion

Seed Round in 2019
Catch Fashion is an online fashion portal.

PeopleFund

Series B in 2018
PeopleFund is Korea’s leading tech-based financial platform that is opening doors to financial freedom through affordable loans and attractive alternative investment products. It is the fastest growing marketplace lender in Korea and uniquely positioned as the first and only Korean marketplace lending platform to fully integrate with a top-tier commercial bank to process personal and business loans that are government approved. PeopleFund is also the first fintech platform to offer investment products directly on KakaoTalk, Korea’s most popular messaging app, which has allowed the company to grow and scale up its business. PeopleFund was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Seoul, Korea.

Jaranda

Seed Round in 2018
Jaranda Co., Ltd. owns and operates a platform that integrates teachers, parents, and students. The company is based in Seoul, South Korea.

Spoon

Series B in 2018
Spoon is a personal audio broadcasting platform based in Seoul, South Korea, that enables users to share stories, ideas, and music through voice. The platform allows individuals to create personal broadcasts, conduct voice blogs, and share user-generated content, fostering a community where users can connect and engage with one another about real-life issues. By focusing on voice as the primary medium, Spoon offers a comfortable and accessible way for users to communicate and express themselves creatively.

Day2Life

Seed Round in 2018
Day2Life Inc. develops a mobile planner application. The application helps users manage events, to-dos, projects, including short and long term plans. It also helps users synchronize their current schedule and planned events in one place, enabling them to work between platforms for more efficient concert planning, hotel reservations, and project management. The company was founded in 2013 and is based in Seongnam-si, South Korea.

Bloome

Seed Round in 2018
Bloome provides service to receive flowers by subscription.

Silbuzz

Seed Round in 2018
Community

Bellugg

Seed Round in 2018
Bellugg Group Company Limited provides luggage delivery and storage services from airport to hotels. The company provides luggage delivery, deposit, pickup, and tourist commerce services. It provides luggage delivery booking, tracking, and insurance services through an online platform. The company serves clients in Thailand, South Korea, Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore. The company was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand.

BUTTON SOUP

Seed Round in 2018
BUTTON SOUP is a specialized creator group for each field, creating a new culture icon based on experience from domestic and overseas, networking from content planning and marketing to domestic and overseas casting. Various specialists such as advertising, marketing, planning, design, and performances are gathering together to create a delicious culture soup that can be enjoyed by all the members.

Comento

Seed Round in 2018
Comento designs and develops an Internet based networking platform for job seekers and consultants. Its platform allows job seekers to ask questions and receive consultation from incumbents. Its platform also helps job seekers in building resume and cover letters. Comento was incorporated in 2015 and is based in Seoul, South Korea.

OP.GG

Venture Round in 2017
OP.GG is an e-gaming data analytics company that specializes in creating detailed profiles for gamers by analyzing their gameplay data. This platform enables users to enhance their gaming skills by providing insights into their own performance as well as that of their opponents and friends. OP.GG currently offers services for popular games such as League of Legends, Overwatch, and PUBG, attracting over 28 million monthly users globally. Through its analytics, OP.GG aims to foster a better gaming ecosystem by equipping players with the necessary tools and information to improve their overall gaming experience.

OP.GG

Series A in 2017
OP.GG is an e-gaming data analytics company that specializes in creating detailed profiles for gamers by analyzing their gameplay data. This platform enables users to enhance their gaming skills by providing insights into their own performance as well as that of their opponents and friends. OP.GG currently offers services for popular games such as League of Legends, Overwatch, and PUBG, attracting over 28 million monthly users globally. Through its analytics, OP.GG aims to foster a better gaming ecosystem by equipping players with the necessary tools and information to improve their overall gaming experience.

PeopleFund

Series A in 2017
PeopleFund is Korea’s leading tech-based financial platform that is opening doors to financial freedom through affordable loans and attractive alternative investment products. It is the fastest growing marketplace lender in Korea and uniquely positioned as the first and only Korean marketplace lending platform to fully integrate with a top-tier commercial bank to process personal and business loans that are government approved. PeopleFund is also the first fintech platform to offer investment products directly on KakaoTalk, Korea’s most popular messaging app, which has allowed the company to grow and scale up its business. PeopleFund was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Seoul, Korea.

Finda

Series A in 2016
Finda, inc. operates an online comparison platform to compare various financial products including mortgage, personal loans, P2P loans, and investments. The company is based in Seoul, South Korea.

H2O Hospitality

Seed Round in 2016
H2O Hospitality, Ltd. is a leading provider of hospitality management services in the Korean and Japanese markets, specializing in vacation rental management. Founded in 2015 and based in Seoul, South Korea, the company offers a range of services including profit management, housekeeping and facility management, customer call response, online sales and marketing, reservation and inventory management, and review management. H2O Hospitality stands out in the industry by employing a proprietary property management system that automates operational processes, allowing for the efficient management of accommodation facilities without the need for on-site staff. This automation not only streamlines operations but also significantly reduces fixed operational costs, thereby enhancing the overall yield of the managed facilities.

beSUCCESS

Seed Round in 2016
beSUCCESS is a media platform based in Seoul, South Korea, focused on startups, technology, and entrepreneurship. Established in 2010, it provides insights into the startup ecosystem by sharing interviews, success stories, and a range of funding news from across the globe. The platform aims to support and inspire its audience by highlighting innovative business ideas and emerging trends in the industry. Originally known as OnSuccess, beSUCCESS serves as a valuable resource for those interested in the dynamics of the startup world, particularly within the Korean context.

Althea

Series A in 2016
Althea is Korea's premier beauty e-commerce platform that provides the latest beauty products, trends and lifestyle to consumers in Southeast Asia.

PeopleFund

Funding Round in 2016
PeopleFund is Korea’s leading tech-based financial platform that is opening doors to financial freedom through affordable loans and attractive alternative investment products. It is the fastest growing marketplace lender in Korea and uniquely positioned as the first and only Korean marketplace lending platform to fully integrate with a top-tier commercial bank to process personal and business loans that are government approved. PeopleFund is also the first fintech platform to offer investment products directly on KakaoTalk, Korea’s most popular messaging app, which has allowed the company to grow and scale up its business. PeopleFund was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Seoul, Korea.

Animoca Brands

Post in 2016
Animoca Brands is a digital entertainment company that specializes in developing and publishing mobile products utilizing gamification, blockchain, and artificial intelligence technologies. The company offers a diverse portfolio of games, including titles like The Sandbox, Crazy Kings, and products based on popular intellectual properties such as Formula 1, Marvel, and Doraemon. Additionally, Animoca Brands supports intellectual property holders by providing a Web3 platform that enables the creation and monetization of non-fungible tokens and fungible tokens, enhancing fan engagement and community building. With operations spanning multiple countries, including Australia, Hong Kong, South Korea, Finland, and Argentina, Animoca Brands is actively involved in shaping the future of digital entertainment and blockchain applications.

Day2Life

Seed Round in 2016
Day2Life Inc. develops a mobile planner application. The application helps users manage events, to-dos, projects, including short and long term plans. It also helps users synchronize their current schedule and planned events in one place, enabling them to work between platforms for more efficient concert planning, hotel reservations, and project management. The company was founded in 2013 and is based in Seongnam-si, South Korea.

Althea

Seed Round in 2015
Althea is Korea's premier beauty e-commerce platform that provides the latest beauty products, trends and lifestyle to consumers in Southeast Asia.

Vital Hint Korea

Seed Round in 2015
VitalHint is a food & video contents-oriented platform in a combination of optimized data search and preference match based on individual user’s profiling. It launched mobile service approx. 2 years ago in Korea; keeps running one of top-notch applications leading Korea app market, especially in foodtech field; named best application of the year, 2015 in Android Google Play Store and No.1 app in iOS App Store. The number of regular subscribers has reached 1.5mil since service launched in 2014, and MAU increased up to 0.6mil this year. They started their mobile services in Korea, but now they are preparing to expand their biz path to SE Asia and China, and also looking for other business opportunities like personal recommendation service of food and cooking ingredients. The basic concept they are pursuing is to offer people a happy eating life as a gift. People eat at least 2 or 3 times a day, which means they have to make such a happy but hard decision at the same time: what shall we eat today? They just started focusing on such a primitive but essential question trying to figure out a solution; however their ideas and challenges are not limited to just ‘eating’ and ‘cooking’. They boost their creativities and explore new business possibilities, thinking YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT. They ultimately seeking to offer seamless food curating services for people who want awesome dishes suiting their personal preferences. Eating itself is a very personal experience. They are keen to look deep into their personal dietary preferences and lifestyle, and offer them the best-optimized food contents using eye-catching visual formats like vivid gifs and videos – whet their appetite and make them slave over a stove spending hours cooking for their loving people.

PeopleFund

Seed Round in 2015
PeopleFund is Korea’s leading tech-based financial platform that is opening doors to financial freedom through affordable loans and attractive alternative investment products. It is the fastest growing marketplace lender in Korea and uniquely positioned as the first and only Korean marketplace lending platform to fully integrate with a top-tier commercial bank to process personal and business loans that are government approved. PeopleFund is also the first fintech platform to offer investment products directly on KakaoTalk, Korea’s most popular messaging app, which has allowed the company to grow and scale up its business. PeopleFund was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Seoul, Korea.

Reality Reflection

Seed Round in 2015
Reality Reflection Inc. develops virtual reality games. The company provides various virtual reality games and services, which includes music inside, a rhythm game; speedball arena, a sports game; gangsta underground, the poker game; vmoji, augmented reality chatting; dancing zena, 3D character research and development scanning; and miniature td, a tower defense game. Reality Reflection Inc. also developed a 3D video production system that creates 3D human avatars using facial scans, full body scans, and 3D video capture. The company was founded in 2015 and is based in Seoul, South Korea.

Mykoon co.,ltd.

Seed Round in 2014
Plugger solves the dead phone problem. Plugger offers battery swapping & portable chargers at local convenience stores. For only $3, costumers can have their dead battery swapped for a newly charged one. For Apple devices (non-removable batteries), we provide a portable-battery sharing membership. Costumers join our service by purchasing our branded portable batteries, which can be swapped out for $3. Plugger currently has over 100 service locations in Seoul, Korea. By the end of 2015, Plugger will be in over 600 locations in Korea. Our partner stores continue to request the expansion of our service to their storefronts. Our goal for 2016 is to expand into new Asian markets, which will help us reach $10M in sales. We will continue to develop and roll-out new services, including Plugger branded smartphone accessories. We will use our established partner-store relationships as our distribution channel for new product launches. We're fundraising! Please contact us to meet.

Shakr

Venture Round in 2014
Shakr.com is an online video making platform developed by Shakr Media Co., Ltd., which was founded in 2010 and is based in Seoul, South Korea. The platform allows users to seamlessly transform their multimedia content from the cloud and social media into professional-quality videos. Shakr has established itself as a leader in creative technology for video marketing, supporting hundreds of thousands of marketers globally in adapting to the video-centric landscape of social media. By leveraging top creative talent, Shakr enhances users' creative capabilities while maintaining high-quality standards. The company is also recognized as a Facebook Marketing Partner, underscoring its commitment to effective video marketing solutions.

Between

Series C in 2014
Between is a mobile application developed by VCNC, designed specifically for couples to enhance their communication and relationship. The app provides a secure platform where users can chat, share photos and videos, track anniversaries, and collaboratively manage their schedules. By creating a private space for couples, Between aims to help users cherish and remember special moments together, thereby fostering deeper connections. The application is accessible on both the iTunes Store and Google Play, making it widely available for users seeking to enrich their relationships.

Shakr

Series A in 2014
Shakr.com is an online video making platform developed by Shakr Media Co., Ltd., which was founded in 2010 and is based in Seoul, South Korea. The platform allows users to seamlessly transform their multimedia content from the cloud and social media into professional-quality videos. Shakr has established itself as a leader in creative technology for video marketing, supporting hundreds of thousands of marketers globally in adapting to the video-centric landscape of social media. By leveraging top creative talent, Shakr enhances users' creative capabilities while maintaining high-quality standards. The company is also recognized as a Facebook Marketing Partner, underscoring its commitment to effective video marketing solutions.

Helloworld

Seed Round in 2011
Helloworld is a Korean software company that provides online delivery solutions.
Spot something off? Help us improve by flagging any incorrect or outdated information. Just email us at support@teaserclub.com. Your feedback is most welcome.