“You need money to solve social problems, too” ... Nine social ventures vie to attract investment

[Financial News] Social ventures aiming to solve social problems are seeking investment to support sustainable growth. Rather than stopping at the public-interest goal of creating social value, they aim to enter the private investment market with business models that offer profitability and growth potential. KOVA is also supporting efforts to secure follow-on investment by creating opportunities for early-stage startups to meet investors directly.
 KOVA held the ‘2026 Impact Star IR Demo Day’ on the 10th at Sono Felice Convention in Samseong-dong, Seoul. Around 60 people attended, including representatives of nine startups pitching for investment, venture capitalists (VCs), accelerators (ACs) and other visitors.
 The event was organized to expand funding opportunities for social ventures and broaden their connections with the private investment market. Its goal is to help companies build their competitiveness through networking with investors—not simply make one-off business presentations—and support them in securing follow-on impact investment.
 KOVA had previously invited companies to participate from among those selected for the social venture track of the ‘2026 Preliminary Startup Package.’ Following investment-pitch training, expert mentoring and preliminary evaluations, it selected nine companies to advance to the final round.
 At the demo day, startup representatives presented their business models and growth strategies, followed by questions from investors. Investors considered not only the social problems the companies aim to address but also the feasibility of their businesses and their potential to expand in the market.
 Hanibi, which operates a home-visit care platform staffed by Korean medicine doctors, introduced a business model focused on improving access to healthcare. Patients or caregivers can request a home visit through an app, after which a Korean medicine doctor visits them in person and provides care.
 Hanibi noted that demand for home-based medical care is rising as society enters a super-aged phase, while the supply of home-visit care remains insufficient. The company plans to use investment to expand its service nationwide and strengthen its network of Korean medicine doctors. In the long term, it aims to broaden its business into infrastructure that uses data accumulated through home visits.
 An AI-powered dating coaching service also made an appearance. Jang Su-ung, CEO of Shimji, introduced Prome, an AI dating forecast service that offers one-on-one online coaching with experts to help people in their 20s and 30s with a range of concerns, including dating, meeting people, breakups, getting back together and dating violence.
 Jang said he started the business after taking note of the online saju and tarot market, estimated at 980 billion won a year. The strategy is to connect demand for advice on dating and interpersonal relationships with a service combining AI technology and expert coaching.
 KOVA expects the event to give social ventures an opportunity to have both their social value and business viability validated. It sees particular significance in giving early-stage companies a chance to connect with private investors and develop their business models in greater detail.
 A KOVA representative said, “Investors will comprehensively assess the presenting companies’ understanding of the problems, feasibility, growth strategies and social value before deciding whether to invest.”
[email protected] Kim Hyun-cheol Reporter