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Jan 13, 2025 | 
kedglobal.com | Eun-Yi Ko
South Korea's online giant Naver Corp.'s startup nurturing organization D2SF (D2 Startup Factory) invested in North American AI ad tech startup Rembrand. Founded in 2022, Rembrand is a startup focused on AI activation for video advertising. It developed In-Scene Media and Virtual Product Placement platform, using AI to seamlessly integrate brands into video content.
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Dec 27, 2024 | 
kedglobal.com | Eun-Yi Ko
Wad Corp., the developer and operator of South Korea’s most popular restaurant reservation app Catchtable, launched the beta service for offering restaur
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Dec 5, 2024 | 
kedglobal.com | Eun-Yi Ko
The Asan Nanum Foundation, a South Korean startup accelerating program operator, said on Thursday it will open a residency space for Korean venture firms in San Francisco in 2025 to help them study the US market and network with foreign venture capitalists. The foundation will offer the space, Maru SF, for one to two-month stay to Korean startups in their early stage of entering the US market. It can accommodate several dozens of people and enable them to network and exchange information.
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Dec 1, 2024 | 
kedglobal.com | Eun-Yi Ko
Rebellions Inc., a South Korean artificial intelligence chip design startup, officially merged with Sapeon Korea to form the first domestic AI chip unicorn under the unified name Rebellions. The merger between Rebellions and Sapeon Korea, an AI chip firm backed by telecom giant SK Telecom Co., was finalized six months following its June announcement. The new CEO is Sunghyun Park, an expert in AI and system semiconductors with a Ph.D. from MIT's Computer Science and AI Lab (CSAIL).
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Nov 28, 2024 | 
kedglobal.com | Eun-Yi Ko
South Korean accelerators (ACs) are turning to Southeast Asia and the Middle East market to support startups and expand their reach. ACs, companies that invest in and nurture early-stage startups, are exploring new opportunities abroad. The Korea Startup Accelerators and Early Stage Investors Association (KAIA) recently opened a shared office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, reflecting the growing interest in Southeast Asia. Prominent ACs are also expanding into the Middle East.
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Nov 18, 2024 | 
kedglobal.com | Eun-Yi Ko
South Korean drone maker Alux Co. said on Monday its cumulative export contracts with the US and Japan have surpassed 7 billion won ($5 million). The company’s total overseas drone sales have reached 150,000 units. "With the ongoing US-China conflict, there is growing interest in Alux as an alternative supplier to Chinese-made drones in the US," a company source said.
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Nov 11, 2024 | 
kedglobal.com | Eun-Yi Ko
Kakao Mobility Corp., South Korea’s most popular ride-hailing app operator, said on Monday that it partnered with logistics firm Samyang Logistics to bolster its fulfillment services and expand same-day delivery capabilities. Fulfillment services cover the entire logistics process, including inventory storage, packaging, delivery, and inventory management, offering sellers a one-stop solution.
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Nov 5, 2024 | 
kedglobal.com | Joo-wan Kim |Eun-Yi Ko
South Korean dance moves copyrights will be protected through an agreement between Naver Z Corp., the operator of Asia’s largest metaverse platform Zepeto, and MVNT Inc., a startup co-founded by a choreographer for BTS, to allow creators to collect rewards for their works. The metaverse arm of South Korea’s online giant Naver Corp. and the choreographic intellectual property (IP) startup signed a deal to develop and sell dance products, industry sources said on Monday.
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Oct 21, 2024 | 
kedglobal.com | Eun-Yi Ko
South Korean generative artificial intelligence (AI) startup Scatter Lab said on Monday its interactive AI content platform Zeta has surpassed 1 million cumulative users six months after its launch. Zeta, launched in April, allows users to create personalized AI characters and engage with highly customized, immersive story content. The platform, available to users aged 14 and older, is popular among teens and twenties.
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Oct 4, 2024 | 
kedglobal.com | Eun-Yi Ko
Nearly half of South Korean startups hold negative views on the country’s startup ecosystem, citing the prolonged startup funding winter and the economic slowdown, according to Google Korea’s survey of the country’s 100 startup chief executives participating in Google Play ChangGoo. Of the 100 respondents, 42.7% answered they are negative about Korea’s current startup ecosystem – very negative with 8.7% and negative with 34%.
