Korea Investment Accelerator teams up with Japanese VC to support Korean and Japanese startups’ overseas expansion

[Financial News] Korea Investment Accelerator is joining forces with a Japanese venture capital (VC) firm to help Korean and Japanese startups enter global markets.
The plan is to expand its partnership network to Japan, following the United States, and broaden overseas business opportunities for promising domestic startups.
Korea Investment Accelerator, a subsidiary of Korea Investment Holdings, announced on the 22nd that it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Japanese VC firm Asu Capital Partners to support Korean and Japanese startups’ entry into each other’s markets and their global growth.
The two firms agreed to jointly identify promising companies in both countries with a competitive edge in technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and software as a service (SaaS), and to recommend them to each other.
They also plan to share market information and local partner networks in both countries, and connect potential customers, partners, mentors and investors. They will also explore collaborations that could lead to real business opportunities, including product validation and proof-of-concept (PoC) projects.
Asu Capital Partners is an independent VC headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Guided by the motto “Japan to Global,” it supports Japanese startups’ overseas expansion, helps portfolio companies develop global business models from the seed stage, and operates hands-on local business development programs.
The two firms previously co-hosted a Seoul session in August for AG1, Asu Capital Partners’ startup development program. This laid the groundwork for exchanges between founders in the two countries. Building on the MOU, they plan to make their collaboration a regular fixture and strengthen support for domestic startups seeking to enter the Japanese market.
Korea Investment Accelerator is expanding its global support network to Japan, following the United States. It signed an agreement with Oregon UAS Accelerator in the U.S. in July, and in August established and began operating the Oregon Defense Tech Base Camp in Portland, Oregon, to support overseas expansion by domestic defense and drone startups.
Baek Yeo-hyeon, CEO of Korea Investment Accelerator, said, “Asu Capital Partners’ focus on the global expansion of early-stage startups and its direct operation of local business development support programs align with Korea Investment Accelerator’s business priorities. Through this collaboration, we will provide comprehensive support to help our portfolio companies overcome the various barriers they face when expanding overseas and achieve tangible business results.”

[email protected] Kang Jung-mo Reporter