FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                   
Feb. 24, 2025                                   
                                        
MSS Hosts Korea-Japan Startup Investment Summit 2025

SEJONG – On February 21, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups of the Republic of Korea (MSS) hosted the ‘Korea-Japan Startup Investment Summit 2025’ in Tokyo, Japan. The event, chaired by Minister Oh Youngju, included a meeting with Korean startups entering the Japanese market, a signing ceremony for a Korea-Japan Cooperation Global Fund, and an investor relations (IR) pitching session aimed at attracting investment into Korean startups. Over 90 participants attended, including Minister Oh, officials from the Korean Embassy in Japan, and representatives from the Korea-Japan venture capital and startup sectors.

Key highlights of the event include:

[Meeting with Korean Startups Entering the Japanese Market]

Nine Korean startups that have entered the Japanese market attended the meeting, where they discussed challenges in their business activities in Japan and the government’s policy directions.

CEO Park Chan Sun of TXINNO Bioscience, who attended the meeting, stated, “Japan has favorable geographical accessibility, a solid domestic market, and a high level of global recognition. Success in Japan provides a strong foundation for global expansion. In particular, collaboration with major global pharmaceutical companies in the bio sector could present significant opportunities for K-startups.” TXINNO Bioscience is a specialized cancer drug development startup that has gained recognition for its technology both in Korea and abroad, notably receiving orphan drug designation (ODD) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its immuno-oncology candidate TXN10128 in January 2025.

Minister OH Youngju remarked, “Recently, Korea-Japan relations have seen active exchanges and collaborations across various fields, including tourism, culture, and industry, and Korea's standing in Japan has risen, making this the optimal time for Korean startups to enter the Japanese market.” She added, “MSS will actively support the global expansion of domestic startups, including those targeting Japan, through our local offices.”

[Signing Ceremony for the Korea-Japan Cooperation Global Fund MOU]

The signing ceremony for the global fund took place prior to the IR pitching session aimed at attracting investment into Korean startups. In the presence of Minister Oh, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed among three institutions: CEO Park Seon Bae of Shinhan Venture Investment, CEO Yasuhiko Yurimoto of Global Brain, and Vice President Shin Sang-han of Korea Venture Investment, the managing agency of the Fund of Funds.

The Korea-Japan Cooperation Global Fund is set to be established with a scale of KRW 29 billion, with participation from investors in both Korea and Japan, including MSS' Fund of Funds. This initiative is part of MSS's plan, announced during a briefing in early 2025, to rapidly establish global funds totaling over KRW 1 trillion annually. Notably, the fund will be jointly managed by leading venture capitals from both countries: Shinhan Venture Investment (Korea) and Global Brain (Japan). The newly established venture fund is expected to play a significant role in not only investing in Korea-Japan startups but also fostering exchanges and cooperation between the venture investment ecosystems of both nations.

[IR pitching Session for Attracting Investment into Korean Startups]

During the IR pitching session aimed at attracting investment into Korean startups, 10 companies from the fields of AI, IT, bio, and cosmetics showcased their technological capabilities and engaged in investment activities in front of investors from both Korea and Japan.

In selecting companies for the IR pitching session, MSS focused not only on the potential for future investment and demand in the Japanese market but also prioritized startups that have already entered or wish to enter the Japan market, even at early stages. The companies that participated in the session are as follows:

<10 Participating Companies in the IR Pitching Session>
 

	Company Name	Industry		Company Name	Industry
1	EverEx	Bio	6	Soteria8	AI
2	TCUBEit	Bio	7	Alicorn	AI
3	Bionoxx	Bio	8	switchwon	IT
4	TXINNO Bioscience	Bio	9	Shopl & Company	IT
5	Scalar	AI	10	Purplus	Cosmetics

 
Among the participating companies, CEO Chan Yoon of EverEx, an orthopedic specialist, received an Innovation Award at CES 2024 for ‘MORA Care,’ a self-management solution for musculoskeletal disorders aimed at office workers. EverEx, a startup that has secured investments from both Korean and international companies, including LG Electronics and Samsung NEXT, is planning to expand its sales market in Japan.

Alicorn, a startup developing an all-in-one unmanned operation system for business sites based on AI and IoT technologies, is expected to grow in Japan through a business partnership with Rakuten, providing localized services.

Additionally, Purplus is entering the Japanese market with its kids’ cosmetic brand ‘cocoheali,’ leveraging its strengths in safety and design.

The 10 Korean startups that participated in the IR pitching session are now poised to move forward with their full-scale entry into the Japanese market through this event.

In her opening remarks, Minister Oh Youngju stated, “Recent shifts in the global corporate landscape signal a transformation from a Big Tech-centric system, reliant on large-scale infrastructure investments, to one centered around startups equipped with advanced technologies, such as the emergence of DeepSeek.” Minister Oh urged investors to take a keen interest in Korean venture capital and startups, affirming that “Korean startups’ technological capabilities and creativity have gained global recognition, as demonstrated by 152 companies winning a total of 210 innovation awards at CES 2025.” She added, “MSS will provide comprehensive support to help K-startups become global leaders by establishing global funds totaling over KRW 1 trillion annually and actively supporting the attraction of international investment, thus realizing Startup Korea.”