Smilegate Investment

SmileGate Investment, established in 1999 and based in Seongnam, South Korea, is a venture capital and private equity firm that specializes in investing in small and mid-sized companies. Initially founded as MVP Capital, the firm has successfully organized and managed over 30 investment funds, focusing on diverse sectors such as information technology, healthcare, energy, and financial technology. Since its inception, SmileGate Investment has invested in more than 200 companies with significant growth potential, demonstrating a commitment to supporting innovative businesses in the South Korean market. The firm operates several venture capital funds, including the Smilegate Culture Industry Investment Fund, Smilegate Pioneer Venture Fund, and Smilegate Orange Fund, which further solidify its role in fostering entrepreneurship and economic development in the region.

Byung-Hwi Ahn

Senior Vice President

Heung-Sun Chang

Senior Vice President

Lee Hyeon-Woo

Associate

Kyoung-Hwan Kim

Senior Vice President

Young-Kwon Ku

President

Jong-Ho Lee

Senior Vice President

Ki-Mun Nam

CEO

Hoon-gon Nam

Senior Vice President

Jung-In Park

Senior Vice President

Seo Kyung-Woo

Senior Vice President

Past deals in South Korea

Pion

Series A in 2023
Pion Corporation is an Martech focused video intelligence company. We provide “Vispot”, a video creation and ad-automation platform powered by AI.

Travel Wallet

Series C in 2023
Developer of a mobile-based foreign currency platform designed to provide digital travel wallet services. The company's platform includes a currency exchange service, real-time exchange rates, an exchange rate calculator, local cash pick-up, physical card issuance, and an exchange rate graph, enabling tourists and business travelers to get fast and easy money exchange service at a competitive rate compared to retail banks.

ConnectionH

Seed Round in 2022
ConnectionH provides big data-based artificial intelligence services.

Shiftup

Venture Round in 2022
Shift Up Corp is a game design and development studio that covers a wide range of areas from game production to promotional videos and music production, based on illustrations and solid planning and programming capabilities.

RCE

Series A in 2022
Retailer of heavy construction equipment intended for construction companies. The company offers a variety of heavy equipment like caterpillar excavators, tire excavators, wheel loaders, concrete pump cars, cranes, dozers, mixer trucks, road equipment, and forklift among many others to Vietnamese construction companies online, providing construction companies equipment at reasonable price.

OHouse

Series D in 2022
O-House is a home furnishing and interior platform. The company believes that beautiful homes can change peoples' lives for the better. Its mission is to help users decorate homes with fun, ease, and confidence. O-House revolutionizes the home furnishing and remodeling market in Korea with its user-generated style gallery, which helps users discover their preferred styles before purchasing products. On top of the marketplace for home furnishing products, it provides home remodeling services. O-House won the Best App Award by Google Play in 2018, and its app is downloaded by more than 10 million users.

Biorchestra

Series C in 2022
Developer of ribonucleic acid-based therapeutics intended to treat neurodegenerative diseases. The company's therapeutics include candidates for Alzheimer's disease, m-ribonucleic acid vaccine and drug delivery systems for ribonucleic acid candidates, enabling doctors to improve the health of humankind.

MedInTech

Series A in 2022
Mediintech develops smart endoscopes for the digestive system.

SPARTA

Series A in 2022
Developer of a coding education platform designed to provide coding education services for beginners and non-developers. The company's platform offers various coding education programs with chat GPT and machine learning courses, enabling users to learn coding easily and have updated information.

SWING

Series B in 2022
The Swing Co., Ltd. engages in the rental of electric kickboards. The company was incorporated in 2018 and is based in Seoul, South Korea.

Law&Company

Series C in 2022
Law&Company is representative legal tech company in Republic of Korea. The company provides a service called 'LawTalk(www.lawtalk.co.kr)', which is the largest online legal market place in Korea(5 times bigger then the 2nd player). Since 2016, the company invested on research about Artificial Intelligence especially on Text Mining and Machine Learning technology to analyze lawyers and client's activities in the service which helps to lawyers and clients find the right person based on their experience. Also, the company will launch document automation based service to generate legal documents starting from complaint and contract soon. The company has received more than 3 million dollars from 5 venture capital companies and many angel investors due to previous performance and upside potential in the Korean legal market.

SSEM

Series A in 2022
Developer of a tax filing application designed to help sole proprietors. The company provides services to help clients to calculate and report global income tax and value-added tax easily and conveniently, enabling users to focus on their business without worrying about taxes.

Archipin

Series A in 2021
Archipin is an edtech company with online and e-learning provisions for children.

Press.A

Series A in 2021
Press.A is a game and software development company.

RECO

Series B in 2021
Developer of an integrated waste management platform designed for environmental restoration, recovery, and recycling. The company's platform offers waste collection, and sustainable resource recycling as well as manages and reports all waste-related data through a single platform, along with providing information related to remaining available resources before they become waste to the necessary places, enabling businesses to efficiently manage and share waste and leftover resources.

Plask

Seed Round in 2021
Developer of an artificial intelligence imaging platform designed to help creators to create interesting imaginations without content. The company's platform captures, edits, playbacks, and shares the animations and easily extracts motion from video without expensive bodysuits or motion work, enabling creators to express creativity.

Fount

Series C in 2021
Fount Inc., founded in 2015 and headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, operates as an asset management Robo-Advisor company. The firm offers Bluewhale, a Robo-Advisor engine that utilizes financial engineering technology and asset allocation theories to determine the optimal combination of assets for investors. Fount employs a proprietary investing algorithm based on Big Data technology, which assists clients in planning for various life events. The company emphasizes a passive investing strategy, aligning risk levels with clients' specific time horizons and allowing advanced algorithms to manage investments efficiently.

Bigpicture

Series B in 2021
Developer of an e-sports educational software designed to teach gamers who want to become pro gamers. The company produces videos such as game stories and documentaries to provide more informative information and knowledge to gamers and possesses specialized skills and specialized know-how necessary for the operation as well as manages e-sports teams and hosts online tournaments in collaboration with game giants, enabling gamers and players with space where they can gather both online and offline.

Sir.Loin

Series B in 2021
Operator of an online meat-selling platform intended to offer quality meat-based products. The company manages the overall process from feeding, breeding, aging, and processing of the meat, enabling customers to receive quality meat directly without any hassle.

Mathpresso

Series C in 2021
Mathpresso, Inc. is an educational technology company based in Seoul, South Korea, established in 2015. It operates Qanda, a data-driven platform that leverages artificial intelligence and optical character recognition (OCR) technology to assist students with their studies. Users can take a photo of a question or problem, which the platform then analyzes to provide solutions and explanations. Qanda covers a wide range of subjects, including mathematics, Korean history, social studies, and science. The platform is designed to facilitate learning by allowing students to engage with tutors and access answers in real time. As of this year, Qanda has attracted over one million users in South Korea, making it a significant resource for students seeking help with homework and exam preparation.

Classum

Series A in 2021
CLASSUM is an interactive learning platform for higher education. CLASSUM aims to make communication easy, simple and smart for better education. With its unique UI/UX, which is based on chatting UI and SNS features, it lowers the communication barrier between the users(students and instructors). Also with their A.I./Big-data analysis technique, CLASSUM provides users an in-depth class report which can be applied to improve their class and gain overall information about their students and the course.

Qraft

Series C in 2021
Qraft Technologies Inc., founded in 2016 and based in Seoul, South Korea, specializes in designing and developing artificial intelligence-based solutions tailored for the asset management, trading, and insurance sectors. The company focuses on maximizing productivity and enhancing marketability by leveraging data-driven insights. Initially targeting investment professionals, Qraft Technologies provides tools to identify optimal trading strategies. Its offerings are customizable and extend beyond finance to include applications in autonomous driving, insurance underwriting, and purchasing management, reflecting the company's commitment to utilizing AI across diverse business needs.

WELT

Series B in 2021
WELT is a company that specializes in smart fashion technology, specifically through its innovative smart belt designed for health management. This wearable device allows users to monitor their wellness by tracking key metrics such as waist size, physical activity, sitting time, and eating habits. The belt operates with a Bluetooth-enabled biomarker sensor that connects to a mobile application, providing personalized feedback and custom messages aimed at reducing metabolic risks. Its elegant design ensures that it resembles a traditional leather belt while housing advanced health-tracking capabilities. The rechargeable battery lasts over seven days, making it a convenient accessory for users looking to maintain a healthier lifestyle while staying stylish.

Sir.Loin

Series A in 2020
Operator of an online meat-selling platform intended to offer quality meat-based products. The company manages the overall process from feeding, breeding, aging, and processing of the meat, enabling customers to receive quality meat directly without any hassle.

MyRealTrip

Venture Round in 2020
MyRealTrip is leading tours&activities marketplace in South Korea. MyRealTrip is the best free travel platform in Korea where you can book flights, accommodations, tours & tickets, and special offers. Starting with guided tour service in 2012, it has been growing rapidly since it successfully launched air service in 2018. MyRealTrip is constantly striving to provide travelers with a personalized experience and provide them with a more valuable experience.

SN BioScience

Series B in 2020
SN BioScience provide nano-formulation screening services for small molecule, oligonucleotide (siRNA, DNA), peptide and protein to deliver in the form of nano-micelle, nanoparticle or liposome. Their proprietary “double core-shell technology” and pool of acceptable lipids and polymers could help your research that having difficulties in solubility or delivery.

Cochl

Series A in 2020
Cochl is a research-oriented company based in Seoul, South Korea, specializing in Machine Listening technology. Founded in 2017, the company aims to enhance audio signal processing beyond traditional speech recognition, enabling AI systems to comprehend a wide range of non-verbal sounds, such as animal noises, laughter, and alarms. This technology has applications across various sectors, including smart home devices, robotics, automotive industries, and search engines. Cochl's contributions to the field have garnered recognition, including being named a top AI startup in autonomous systems by NVIDIA and achieving accolades in the prestigious IEEE DCASE competition. The co-founders of Cochl include Donmoon Lee, Hyungui Lim, Il-young Jeong, Jeongsoo Park, Subin Lee, and Yoonchang Han.

OnePredict

Series B in 2019
Established in 2016, OnePredict is a prominent provider of industrial AI technology, recognized for its innovative solutions in machine digitalization and intelligence. The company has won the Global PHM Data Challenge nine times, highlighting its expertise in this field. OnePredict's product line, including the GuardiOne® Series, Cells, Edge, and Cloud solutions, focuses on delivering advanced AI applications for various industrial components such as bearings, turbines, wind farms, transformers, robots, and motors. Its software is designed to transform data into actionable insights through predictive analytics, helping businesses assess the risk of failure and determine the remaining lifespan of critical equipment. By enabling accurate and timely decision-making, OnePredict supports companies across diverse industries in enhancing operational efficiency and reliability.

Classum

Venture Round in 2019
CLASSUM is an interactive learning platform for higher education. CLASSUM aims to make communication easy, simple and smart for better education. With its unique UI/UX, which is based on chatting UI and SNS features, it lowers the communication barrier between the users(students and instructors). Also with their A.I./Big-data analysis technique, CLASSUM provides users an in-depth class report which can be applied to improve their class and gain overall information about their students and the course.

Bigpicture

Series B in 2019
Developer of an e-sports educational software designed to teach gamers who want to become pro gamers. The company produces videos such as game stories and documentaries to provide more informative information and knowledge to gamers and possesses specialized skills and specialized know-how necessary for the operation as well as manages e-sports teams and hosts online tournaments in collaboration with game giants, enabling gamers and players with space where they can gather both online and offline.

Coinplug

Series B in 2019
Coinplug, Inc., founded in 2013 and based in Seongnam-si, South Korea, is a blockchain development company that specializes in a range of solutions and services leveraging blockchain technology. The company operates a cryptocurrency exchange platform known as CPDAX, along with an electronic wallet service and an online point-of-sale system. Additionally, Coinplug offers Metadium, a verification platform based on blockchain, and CP Cube, a business-to-business platform that integrates blockchain and public key infrastructure technologies. Its services include SBI Cosmoney, an international remittance solution, and CP Solution, which utilizes a blockchain platform called fidoledger. With a focus on innovation, Coinplug holds over 300 blockchain patents and is actively involved in developing solutions for identity and authentication, payment processing, and asset management.

Raonsecure

Venture Round in 2019
Raonsecure Co., Ltd. is an ICT security software company based in Seoul, South Korea, specializing in security solutions for financial institutions, government entities, and enterprises. Founded in 1998 and originally named Lumensoft Ltd., the company changed its name in 2012. Raonsecure primarily offers TouchEn OnePass, a biometric authentication solution designed for various applications, including payments, mobile banking, and fintech services. The company is also engaged in ICT security consulting and holds multiple patents in integrated security technologies, focusing on human/device authentication and FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) protocols based on Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology. Through its innovative products and services, Raonsecure aims to enhance security measures in the digital landscape.

D&D Pharmatech

Series B in 2019
D&D Pharmatech Co., Ltd. is a clinical-stage biotech company based in Seongnam, South Korea, established in 2014. The company focuses on developing innovative medicines across various therapeutic areas, including neurodegenerative, fibrotic, and metabolic diseases. It operates through disease-specific subsidiary companies that are guided by leading medical research faculty, facilitating the translation of advanced research into viable therapeutic products. D&D Pharmatech's expertise encompasses drug research and development, manufacturing quality control, and clinical development. Additionally, the company is involved in the development of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging biomarkers and single-cell sequencing technologies related to degenerative brain diseases. By leveraging advanced drug delivery technologies, such as PEGylation, D&D Pharmatech aims to enhance the effectiveness and outcomes of its therapeutic offerings.

Law&Company

Series B in 2019
Law&Company is representative legal tech company in Republic of Korea. The company provides a service called 'LawTalk(www.lawtalk.co.kr)', which is the largest online legal market place in Korea(5 times bigger then the 2nd player). Since 2016, the company invested on research about Artificial Intelligence especially on Text Mining and Machine Learning technology to analyze lawyers and client's activities in the service which helps to lawyers and clients find the right person based on their experience. Also, the company will launch document automation based service to generate legal documents starting from complaint and contract soon. The company has received more than 3 million dollars from 5 venture capital companies and many angel investors due to previous performance and upside potential in the Korean legal market.

Orum Therapeutics

Series B in 2019
ORUM THERAPEUTICS, INC. engages in the research and development of therapeutic antibodies using cell penetrating antibody platform. Its platform targets specific cell types and adapts to different cell types and different intracellular proteins without chemical modifications. The company develops products for treatment of genetic diseases and cancer. ORUM THERAPEUTICS, INC. was founded in 2016 and is based in Daejeon, South Korea.

Wadiz

Series C in 2019
Wadiz Corp. is a leading crowdfunding platform based in Seongnam, South Korea, and was founded in 2012. It serves as Asia's largest crowdfunding platform, facilitating both product and equity-based crowdfunding for startups and entrepreneurs. The platform enables creative projects to secure funding while allowing investors to access innovative companies at their early stages. By connecting businesses in need of financial support with potential investors, Wadiz plays a significant role in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation in the region.

SN BioScience

Series A in 2019
SN BioScience provide nano-formulation screening services for small molecule, oligonucleotide (siRNA, DNA), peptide and protein to deliver in the form of nano-micelle, nanoparticle or liposome. Their proprietary “double core-shell technology” and pool of acceptable lipids and polymers could help your research that having difficulties in solubility or delivery.

MyRealTrip

Venture Round in 2019
MyRealTrip is leading tours&activities marketplace in South Korea. MyRealTrip is the best free travel platform in Korea where you can book flights, accommodations, tours & tickets, and special offers. Starting with guided tour service in 2012, it has been growing rapidly since it successfully launched air service in 2018. MyRealTrip is constantly striving to provide travelers with a personalized experience and provide them with a more valuable experience.

Mathpresso

Series A in 2018
Mathpresso, Inc. is an educational technology company based in Seoul, South Korea, established in 2015. It operates Qanda, a data-driven platform that leverages artificial intelligence and optical character recognition (OCR) technology to assist students with their studies. Users can take a photo of a question or problem, which the platform then analyzes to provide solutions and explanations. Qanda covers a wide range of subjects, including mathematics, Korean history, social studies, and science. The platform is designed to facilitate learning by allowing students to engage with tutors and access answers in real time. As of this year, Qanda has attracted over one million users in South Korea, making it a significant resource for students seeking help with homework and exam preparation.

Vuno

Series B in 2018
Vuno Inc. is a South Korean company specializing in the development of artificial intelligence solutions for the healthcare sector. Founded in 2014, Vuno focuses on analyzing medical data to assist in disease diagnosis and treatment. The company's product lineup includes BoneAge, an AI diagnostic tool for assessing bone age; DeepBrain, which aids in the quantitative analysis of neurodegenerative diseases; and a chest X-ray diagnostic support system that identifies abnormalities. Additionally, Vuno offers fundus AI for screening eye conditions and LungCT AI for detecting pulmonary nodules. The company also provides VunoMed, a platform that analyzes various medical data forms, including videos, ECGs, and electronic medical records. Vuno serves notable clients such as Asan Medical Center and Hyundai, establishing itself as a key player in the medical AI landscape.

WELT

Series A in 2018
WELT is a company that specializes in smart fashion technology, specifically through its innovative smart belt designed for health management. This wearable device allows users to monitor their wellness by tracking key metrics such as waist size, physical activity, sitting time, and eating habits. The belt operates with a Bluetooth-enabled biomarker sensor that connects to a mobile application, providing personalized feedback and custom messages aimed at reducing metabolic risks. Its elegant design ensures that it resembles a traditional leather belt while housing advanced health-tracking capabilities. The rechargeable battery lasts over seven days, making it a convenient accessory for users looking to maintain a healthier lifestyle while staying stylish.

Inventage Lab

Seed Round in 2018
Inventage Lab Inc. focuses on the advancement of medical technology, particularly through the development of an innovative Drug Delivery System (DDS). The company has created Laminar FluiDigm, a microfluidics-based platform technology that underpins its specific technologies, IVL-DrugFluidic and IVL-GeneFluidic, which are designed for the development and manufacture of long-acting injectables and gene-delivery therapeutics. In addition to its medical initiatives, Inventage Lab is committed to creating consumer-oriented pipelines aimed at enhancing human well-being and fostering technological innovation. Through these efforts, the company seeks to improve treatment options for refractory and chronic diseases while contributing to advancements in healthcare.

Grampus

Private Equity Round in 2018
GRAMPUS Incorporated develops online simulation games. GRAMPUS Incorporated is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.

D&D Pharmatech

Series A in 2018
D&D Pharmatech Co., Ltd. is a clinical-stage biotech company based in Seongnam, South Korea, established in 2014. The company focuses on developing innovative medicines across various therapeutic areas, including neurodegenerative, fibrotic, and metabolic diseases. It operates through disease-specific subsidiary companies that are guided by leading medical research faculty, facilitating the translation of advanced research into viable therapeutic products. D&D Pharmatech's expertise encompasses drug research and development, manufacturing quality control, and clinical development. Additionally, the company is involved in the development of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging biomarkers and single-cell sequencing technologies related to degenerative brain diseases. By leveraging advanced drug delivery technologies, such as PEGylation, D&D Pharmatech aims to enhance the effectiveness and outcomes of its therapeutic offerings.

MyRealTrip

Series C in 2017
MyRealTrip is leading tours&activities marketplace in South Korea. MyRealTrip is the best free travel platform in Korea where you can book flights, accommodations, tours & tickets, and special offers. Starting with guided tour service in 2012, it has been growing rapidly since it successfully launched air service in 2018. MyRealTrip is constantly striving to provide travelers with a personalized experience and provide them with a more valuable experience.

Wadiz

Venture Round in 2017
Wadiz Corp. is a leading crowdfunding platform based in Seongnam, South Korea, and was founded in 2012. It serves as Asia's largest crowdfunding platform, facilitating both product and equity-based crowdfunding for startups and entrepreneurs. The platform enables creative projects to secure funding while allowing investors to access innovative companies at their early stages. By connecting businesses in need of financial support with potential investors, Wadiz plays a significant role in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation in the region.

Vuno

Series A in 2016
Vuno Inc. is a South Korean company specializing in the development of artificial intelligence solutions for the healthcare sector. Founded in 2014, Vuno focuses on analyzing medical data to assist in disease diagnosis and treatment. The company's product lineup includes BoneAge, an AI diagnostic tool for assessing bone age; DeepBrain, which aids in the quantitative analysis of neurodegenerative diseases; and a chest X-ray diagnostic support system that identifies abnormalities. Additionally, Vuno offers fundus AI for screening eye conditions and LungCT AI for detecting pulmonary nodules. The company also provides VunoMed, a platform that analyzes various medical data forms, including videos, ECGs, and electronic medical records. Vuno serves notable clients such as Asan Medical Center and Hyundai, establishing itself as a key player in the medical AI landscape.

Fount

Series A in 2016
Fount Inc., founded in 2015 and headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, operates as an asset management Robo-Advisor company. The firm offers Bluewhale, a Robo-Advisor engine that utilizes financial engineering technology and asset allocation theories to determine the optimal combination of assets for investors. Fount employs a proprietary investing algorithm based on Big Data technology, which assists clients in planning for various life events. The company emphasizes a passive investing strategy, aligning risk levels with clients' specific time horizons and allowing advanced algorithms to manage investments efficiently.

Stripes

Series B in 2015
Stripes is a Korea-based apparel company that designs and manufactures men’s clothing products. Stripes’ clothing collection carries directional designs, as well as every day favorites including, t-shirts, shirts, and suits. The company also provides personalized styling services, enabling customers to personalize their clothes and have them designed to a perfect fit. Stripes markets its product through the web and mobile medium, giving consumers the facility of buying clothes at the comfort of their homes. Stripes was established in January 2013.

Wishket

Series A in 2015
Wishket Co., Ltd. is an IT outsourcing platform based in Seoul, South Korea, established in 2012. The platform facilitates connections between companies and freelancers, allowing users to post projects, outsource work, and search for job opportunities online. Wishket provides a secure and cost-effective environment for businesses to find qualified freelancers for development tasks. Companies can easily sign up, post their projects, and receive responses from freelancers, while freelancers benefit from access to diverse projects and job opportunities. This streamlined approach aims to enhance collaboration and efficiency in the outsourcing process.

MyRealTrip

Series B in 2015
MyRealTrip is leading tours&activities marketplace in South Korea. MyRealTrip is the best free travel platform in Korea where you can book flights, accommodations, tours & tickets, and special offers. Starting with guided tour service in 2012, it has been growing rapidly since it successfully launched air service in 2018. MyRealTrip is constantly striving to provide travelers with a personalized experience and provide them with a more valuable experience.

YAP

Venture Round in 2015
YAP is a Korean startup that operates an online-to-offline (O2O) commerce platform utilizing an independent hybrid beacon technology. This innovative approach enables enhanced user experiences by integrating digital and physical interactions. YAP's focus is on providing a unique blend of technology and consumer engagement, aiming to deliver remarkable moments for its users. Additionally, YAP KOREA, associated with the company, functions as a venture capital firm based in Seoul, concentrating on investments in information technology and location-based technologies. This dual emphasis on technology and investment reflects YAP's commitment to advancing the landscape of digital commerce in South Korea.

Parking Square

Series A in 2015
Parking Square Inc provides smart mobile solutions and services for parking services in Korea. It provides solutions for real time parking services involving booking and discounts. Parking Square Inc provides an application known as Park Here, which allows users to find, locate, and book parking spaces at discounted rates. Parking Square is available as an iOS and Android app. It also enables garage owners and operators to promote and rent out their idle parking space. The company was established on May 7, 2013, based in Seoul, Korea.

Stripes

Series A in 2014
Stripes is a Korea-based apparel company that designs and manufactures men’s clothing products. Stripes’ clothing collection carries directional designs, as well as every day favorites including, t-shirts, shirts, and suits. The company also provides personalized styling services, enabling customers to personalize their clothes and have them designed to a perfect fit. Stripes markets its product through the web and mobile medium, giving consumers the facility of buying clothes at the comfort of their homes. Stripes was established in January 2013.

MyRealTrip

Series A in 2014
MyRealTrip is leading tours&activities marketplace in South Korea. MyRealTrip is the best free travel platform in Korea where you can book flights, accommodations, tours & tickets, and special offers. Starting with guided tour service in 2012, it has been growing rapidly since it successfully launched air service in 2018. MyRealTrip is constantly striving to provide travelers with a personalized experience and provide them with a more valuable experience.
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