NVIDIA moves to invest in four Korean AI startups, expands tech ties

[Financial News] NVIDIA is moving to invest in four South Korean artificial intelligence (AI) startups. The move appears to be part of an effort to deepen ties with the country’s AI ecosystem by broadening its investment focus from AI infrastructure to large language models (LLMs) and robotics.
NVIDIA said it held the “MSIT–NVIDIA AI Startup Partnership Forum” at COEX in Seoul on the 9th with the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT). Key officials from MSIT and NVIDIA attended the event and discussed ways to collaborate with around 20 Korean startups in fields including foundation models, physical AI, AI infrastructure and AI semiconductors.
NVIDIA announced that day an investment in Point2 Technology, a Korean AI interconnect company. It is also planning additional investments in three companies: Motif Technologies, RLWRLD and Upstage Co., Ltd. The specific investment amounts and timing were not disclosed.
Point2 Technology develops radio-frequency (RF)-based connectivity technology to transmit data between semiconductors and server racks in AI data centers. As an alternative to existing connections using copper wires or fiber-optic cables, the technology it has developed improves data-transfer efficiency in large-scale AI computing systems.
Motif Technologies is developing foundation models needed to build AI agents. Its flagship model, Motif 3, is an open-weight LLM that makes its model weights public and can be used to develop AI agents capable of carrying out complex tasks.
RLWRLD is a physical AI company developing robotics foundation models for humanoid and industrial robots. It is developing technology that enables robots to perform dexterous tasks similar to those done by human hands, such as precisely inserting parts and fastening bolts and nuts. It has operations in Seoul, San Francisco in the United States, and Tokyo in Japan.
Upstage Co., Ltd. is developing its own language model, Solar, as well as document AI technology. It is focused on helping businesses apply AI to their operations, including by extracting needed information from complex documents and automating tasks.
The investment plan is part of NVIDIA’s efforts to broaden its collaboration with Korean AI startups. A notable feature is that the target companies span diverse fields, from AI semiconductor interconnect technology to foundation models and robotics applications.
NVIDIA supports at least 1,000 member companies in South Korea through its startup development program, NVIDIA Inception. Companies participating in the program can receive technical support, preferential terms and opportunities to connect with investors.
NVIDIA plans to continue exploring opportunities for technology partnerships and investment with Korean startups following the forum. Korean AI companies are also expected to be able to strengthen their foundations for technology development and global expansion through cooperation with NVIDIA.

[email protected] Yoon Hong-jip Reporter