Seoul National University Technology Holdings, the commercialisation arm of Seoul National University, has raised ₩5.1 billion for a new deep tech-focused fund, according to local paper Venture Square.
The Seoul National University Technology Holdings-SFi Private Investment Fund No. 1 will be co-managed by SNU Technology Holdings and Seoul Frontier Investment, an accelerator that taps into SNU’s alumni network.
SNU Technology Holdings will be responsible for the fund management, while Seoul Frontier Investment will be responsible for sourcing dealflow.
The fund serves as a successor to the SNU Engineering Technology Unicorn Discovery Investment Fund No. 1, which focused on spinouts emerging from SNU’s College of Engineering.
It will make early-stage investments in sectors including AI, robotics, aerospace, and energy. It will also support portfolio companies in accessing government R&D grant funding.
An advisory board, composed of industry and startup leaders, will provide mentorship to portfolio companies.
Cha In-hwan, acting CEO of SNU Technology Holdings, says: “This fund is a model that combines the information advantage of Seoul National University’s startup ecosystem with proven investment partnerships.
“We will strengthen our role as an investment platform that supports the entire cycle from the discovery of early-stage deep tech companies to growth, follow-up investment, and exit.”
SNU Technology Holdings changed leadership after its previous chief executive officer, Mok Seung-hwan, joined the Ministry of SMEs and Startups last month.
Established in 2008, it raised its first investment fund in 2017 and now has more than ₩125 billion under management. Its portfolio spans more than 230 spinouts.
