IMM Private Equity
IMM Private Equity is a Seoul-based Korean private equity firm founded in 2006 that invests in special situations and high-potential Korean companies across K-beauty, pet e-commerce, waste management, and regenerative medicine for institutional investors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersSeoul, South Korea
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What IMM Private Equity does
IMM Private Equity is a Seoul-headquartered Korean private equity firm that has focused since 2006 on "high potential, special situations investments" executed through three core strategies within the Korean private capital market. The firm operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of IMM Holdings, Inc., alongside a sister subsidiary, IMM Credit & Solutions, which pursues complementary credit and special situations strategies. IMM PE is led by a senior team comprising two CEOs (I.J. Song and Timothy Dong-Woo Chang) and two CIOs (Young-Ho Kim and Hae-Joon Joseph Lee), and maintains long-term relationships with sophisticated institutional investors in Korea and globally.
The firm's portfolio spans K-beauty (Able C&C/MISSHA acquired 2020; Goodai Global convertible bond 2025), pet e-commerce (Pet Friends, acquired 2021 with GS Retail), waste management (Ecorbit, $1.4B consortium buyout 2024), and regenerative medicine (CGBio, 51% stake acquisition announced March 2026 at up to 1 trillion KRW). The firm also recently announced (May 2026) the acquisition of South Korea's leading diamond tool manufacturer. Documented value creation includes Pet Friends reaching 1,515 billion KRW GMV and its first annual profit in 2025 at ~20% CAGR post-acquisition, and Able C&C's pivot from struggling Korean retail to Amazon US #1 BB cream status.
IMM PE's business model is standard private equity fund management: it raises capital from institutional LPs, deploys that capital into control or significant-minority investments in Korean operating companies, and seeks to realize returns through operational improvements tailored to the Korean market and eventual exits. Deal structures documented include leveraged buyouts (Ecorbit), consortium acquisitions (with IMM Investment, GS Retail, EQT Partners, and five other Korean PE firms), and convertible bond financings (Goodai Global). Specific fee schedules, management fees, carried interest terms, fund vintages, and AUM are not publicly disclosed.
IMM Private Equity firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IMM Private Equity
- Legal name
- IMM Holdings, Inc.
- Website
- https://immpe.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- IMM Private Equity is a Seoul-based Korean private equity firm founded in 2006 that invests in special situations and high-potential Korean companies across K-beauty, pet e-commerce, waste management, and regenerative medicine for institutional investors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IMM Private Equity industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Equity Fund Management
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Equity Fundraising Placement (FSAEALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Alternative Investments for Private Wealth (Hedge Funds, PE/VC Access, Private Credit) (FSAAABAI)
Keywords
Where IMM Private Equity is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seoul
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
IMM Private Equity business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
IMM Private Equity product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IMM Private Equity is a leading Korean private equity fund management firm that identifies investment opportunities in the rapidly changing Korean market through rigorous analysis. The firm executes buyout acquisitions and strategic investments across diverse sectors including K-beauty, pet e-commerce, waste management, regenerative medicine, and consumer products, creating value through operational improvements tailored to the Korean market.
Product overview
IMM Private Equity is a private equity firm operated under IMM Holdings, Inc. The company operates through two main wholly-owned subsidiaries: IMM Private Equity and IMM Credit & Solutions, each pursuing different strategies within the private capital market. IMM Private Equity focuses on identifying investment opportunities in the Korean market through rigorous analysis and operational improvements, while IMM Credit & Solutions provides complementary private capital solutions. The firm's portfolio spans diverse sectors including K-beauty (Able C&C/MISSHA), pet e-commerce (Pet Friends), waste management (Ecorbit), regenerative medicine (CGBio), and K-beauty unicorn Goodai Global.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- IMM Private Equity Private equity fund management service for sophisticated institutional investors, identifying and executing investment opportunities in the Korean market through rigorous analysis and operational improvements.
- IMM Credit & Solutions Credit and solutions fund management service under IMM Holdings with different strategies and approaches to the private capital market, complementing IMM Private Equity's investment focus.
Companies that use IMM Private Equity
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles2 records
IMM Private Equity technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
IMM Private Equity partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
IMM Private Equity competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hahn & Company: One of the largest dedicated Korea-focused private equity firms, managing multi-billion-dollar funds with buyout and special situations strategies — the most direct comparable to IMM PE in mandate, geography, and deal scale.
- MBK Partners: Largest Korea/Asia-focused buyout firm with multi-billion-dollar funds executing control transactions in Korean conglomerates and mid-caps — directly comparable to IMM PE in strategy and target market.
- Korea Investment Partners: Domestic Korean PE/VC platform under Korea Investment Holdings, investing across buyouts, growth equity, and CVC mandates — overlaps with IMM PE's Korean focus and diversified sector approach.
- STIC Investments: Korean private equity and special situations investor with control-buyout and PIPE strategies — comparable in Korean market focus and mid-market deal activity to IMM PE.
- Affinity Equity Partners: Pan-Asian mid/large-cap buyout firm executing control transactions across Korea and North Asia — directly comparable to IMM PE in deal size, sector breadth, and Asian mandate.
- IMM Investment: Korean PE/investment firm under IMM-affiliated ownership that has co-invested with IMM PE (e.g., Ecorbit consortium); the closest operating peer, sharing Korean focus and active co-investment relationship.
Broad incumbents
- KKR Asia: Global alternatives giant with significant Asia-Pacific PE operations; competes for large Korean buyouts alongside IMM PE and offers broader portfolio (credit, infrastructure) that IMM Credit & Solutions partly mirrors.
- Carlyle Asia: Global PE incumbent with established Asia buyout franchise executing Korean and pan-Asian control deals — comparable to IMM PE on Korea deal flow but with much broader fund and sector footprint.
- Bain Capital Asia: Global PE firm with dedicated Asia operations participating in Korean buyouts and consortium deals; competes for the same mega-deal opportunities as IMM PE with broader global capability.
Regional players
- Praxis Capital: Asia-focused mid-market PE firm executing control transactions in Korea and North Asia — comparable in deal size and Korean market focus though smaller and more regionally concentrated than IMM PE.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
IMM Private Equity social profiles
Digital presenceIMM Private Equity financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IMM Private Equity leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
IMM Private Equity subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
IMM Private Equity funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IMM Private Equity M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A5 records
Investments34 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about IMM Private Equity
What does IMM Private Equity do?
IMM Private Equity is a leading Korean private equity fund management firm that identifies investment opportunities in the rapidly changing Korean market through rigorous analysis. The firm executes buyout acquisitions and strategic investments across diverse sectors including K-beauty, pet e-commerce, waste management, regenerative medicine, and consumer products, creating value through operational improvements tailored to the Korean market.
Is IMM Private Equity a public or private company?
IMM Private Equity is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was IMM Private Equity founded?
IMM Private Equity was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is IMM Private Equity based?
IMM Private Equity is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, in the Asia region.
Who are IMM Private Equity's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hahn & Company, MBK Partners, Korea Investment Partners, STIC Investments, Affinity Equity Partners and IMM Investment. Broad incumbents are KKR Asia, Carlyle Asia and Bain Capital Asia. Praxis Capital is listed as a regional player.
Does IMM Private Equity have an API?
No public API is recorded for IMM Private Equity.
What industry is IMM Private Equity in?
IMM Private Equity's product category is Private Equity Fund Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEALAB, Private Equity Fundraising Placement, with a secondary code of FSAAABAI, Alternative Investments for Private Wealth (Hedge Funds, PE/VC Access, Private Credit). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.