What Woori Venture Partners does

Woori Venture Partners is a South Korean venture capital firm founded in 1981 as Korea Technology Development Company, making it Korea's first-generation VC. Following multiple corporate transitions — including listings on KOSPI (1996) and KOSDAQ (2021 as KTB Network, ticker 334690) — the firm was acquired by Woori Financial Group in July 2023 via a comprehensive stock exchange, rebranded to Woori Venture Partners, and now operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of one of Korea's largest financial conglomerates.

The firm manages venture capital funds investing across all growth stages (Early, Growth, Late, Pre-IPO, and PIPE) and seven primary sectors: Entertainment & Contents, Mobility, Chemical & Manufacturing & Semiconductor, Bio & Healthcare, Consumer Service, ICT Platform, and Metaverse & Software. As of end-2022, Woori VP had 19 active funds totaling KRW 1,459B (~USD 1.1B), 354 active portfolio companies, and 60 exited funds generating KRW 2,148B in LP distributions and a weighted-average 19.54% IRR. Over its 40+ year history, the firm has invested in more than 2,000 companies and achieved over 300 successful IPO exits on KOSPI and KOSDAQ. It maintains international offices in Shanghai, Palo Alto, and Singapore alongside its Seoul headquarters (relocated to Gangnam in March 2024).

Woori VP generates revenue through three streams: recurring management fees (typically 1–2% of committed/invested capital), transaction-based capital gains on portfolio exits (IPOs, M&A, secondary sales), and performance-based carried interest (typically ~20% above hurdle rates). LP capital is raised primarily through direct institutional relationships with pension funds, government-backed investors (KOSME), and the parent Woori Financial Group ecosystem. In 2024, the firm ranked #1 among Korean VCs by operating profit with approximately KRW 265 billion, reflecting a strong exit year. The firm's competitive position rests on its first-mover brand, four-office global distribution network, deep sector talent bench, and captive LP base through Woori Financial Group affiliates.

Name

Woori Venture Partners

Legal name

우리벤처파트너스 주식회사

Website

http://www.woorivp.com/home/en/main/main.do

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Woori Venture Partners is Korea's first-generation venture capital firm (founded 1981) and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Woori Financial Group, managing 19 active funds (KRW 1,459B) across Early-to-PIPE stages with offices in Seoul, Shanghai, Palo Alto, and Singapore.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seongnam

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Management Fees: Annual management fees charged on committed or invested capital, typically ranging from 1-2% of AUM. This provides steady recurring revenue stream based on fund size under management.
2. Carried Interest (Performance Fees): Performance-based carried interest typically representing 20% of profits above hurdle rate from successful exits. This aligns GP and LP interests and provides upside participation in portfolio company value creation.
3. Capital Gains on Portfolio Exits: Realized gains from IPOs, M&A exits, and secondary sales of portfolio company shares. The firm has achieved exits from over 300 companies including successful IPOs on KOSPI and KOSDAQ.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Woori Venture Partners is a venture capital firm that manages pooled investment funds from limited partners and deploys capital into startup and growth-stage companies across Korea and internationally. It invests across all stages — seed, early, growth, late, Pre-IPO, and PIPE — across sectors including Entertainment & Contents, Mobility, Chemicals/Manufacturing/Semiconductor, Bio & Healthcare, Consumer Service, ICT Platform, and Metaverse/Software, and supports portfolio companies toward exits including IPOs.

Product overview

Woori Venture Partners operates as a venture capital firm under Woori Financial Group, offering fund management services rather than a unified product platform. The firm manages multiple VC funds (active and exited) that invest across various growth stages (Early, Growth, Late, Pre-IPO, PIPE) and sectors including entertainment & contents, mobility, chemical & manufacturing & semiconductor, bio & healthcare, consumer service, ICT platform, and metaverse & software. Their core offerings center on pooled investment vehicle management and portfolio company support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early-stage venture capital funds

Quantifiable outcome

• 19.54% weighted average IRR including performance remuneration across exited funds
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Mubadala CapitalflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 February 2024Woori Venture Partners and Mubadala Capital signed an MOU to establish a strategic partnership for global investment opportunities. The collaboration includes a dedicated working committee to facilitate cooperation and dialogue between both organizations. Mubadala Capital manages $22 billion across private equity, venture, and special opportunities investments globally.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• SBI Investment Korea: Korean affiliate of Japan's SBI Group with similar cross-stage VC mandate and financial conglomerate backing. Competes for Korean and pan-Asian deals, with comparable approach to fund-of-funds and LP-driven capital deployment.
• Altos Ventures: Korea-focused VC with significant late-stage activity, led the UNASTELLA Series B alongside Woori VP. Comparable Asian institutional VC mandate with co-investment relationship representing overlapping deal flow.

Broad incumbents

• Temasek Holdings: Singapore sovereign wealth investor with significant Korean and Asian VC exposure through portfolio construction. Broader incumbent investor profile but competing for the same Korean growth-stage opportunities and Asian LP relationships.

Direct peers

• Korea Investment Partners: Korea's largest venture capital firm with multi-stage investment focus across early to pre-IPO. Most direct domestic competitor with comparable AUM scale, cross-stage mandate, and track record of KOSPI/KOSDAQ IPO exits, making it the closest benchmark for Woori VP's institutional Korean VC positioning.
• KB Investment: Korean VC arm of KB Financial Group with similar bank-affiliated parent backing, multi-stage investment approach, and institutional LP base. Directly comparable in subsidiary-of-financial-conglomerate structure and Korean SME/startup focus.
• IMM Investment: Top-tier Korean VC with broad sector coverage and significant AUM, frequently competing with Woori VP for late-stage and pre-IPO deals. Comparable in cross-sector mandate and KOSDAQ-focused exit pathway.
• Atinum Investment: Korean venture capital firm with diversified portfolio across TMT, bio, and consumer sectors. Similar cross-stage investment philosophy and active co-investor alongside Woori VP in multiple Korean rounds.
• Mirae Asset Venture Investment: Subsidiary of Mirae Asset Financial Group with deep Korean VC market presence and multi-stage focus. Comparable bank-affiliated structure, sector diversification, and IPO exit track record.
• LB Investment: Active Korean VC firm investing across similar stages and sectors (including bio/healthcare co-investments with Woori VP). Comparable in fund size, deal-by-deal co-investment patterns, and KOSDAQ exit focus.
• Hana Ventures: Korean VC arm of Hana Financial Group, similar to Woori VP's bank-affiliated subsidiary positioning. Co-invests in Korean startups including space-tech (UNASTELLA) and competes for similar institutional mandates.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/woorivp-us

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments73 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Woori Venture Partners