Kolon Investment

What Kolon Investment does

Kolon Investment, Inc. (코오롱인베스트먼트) is a Seoul-headquartered South Korean venture capital and private equity firm established in March 2000 (originally as Kolon Venture Capital, rebranded iPACIFIC Partners in April 2000, and renamed Kolon Investment in April 2009). The firm manages a multi-vintage portfolio of venture funds, Korea Venture Funds (KVF), and Private Equity Funds (PEF) that deploy capital across the full company lifecycle from seed/startup through growth capital to M&A, with thematic funds dedicated to innovation infrastructure, materials and components, unicorn-track companies, fourth-industrial-revolution technologies, K-ICT digital contents, and new industry development.

The firm's core "product" is fund management: it sources deals via email-submitted business plans, IR business fairs, and network-based referrals from portfolio companies and institutional partners, then runs structured diligence through investment review committees before deploying capital and providing post-investment follow-up support toward IPO or M&A exits. Underlying investment capabilities rest on a team with backgrounds spanning KTB Network, NHN, NCsoft, Hyundai Motor, KDB Bank, KAIST, Continental, UL, PwC, and SK Hynix, underwriting across IT, biotech, materials, automotive, semiconductors, and deep tech. A San Francisco foreign office established in August 2008 supports overseas sourcing.

Kolon Investment monetizes through conventional fund-manager economics: management fees on committed/deployed capital and carried interest on successful exits. Its limited partner base consists of Korea's largest institutional investors — National Pension Service, KVIC, Korea Development Bank, Samsung Securities, Korea Teacher's Credit Union, and Korea Growth Finance — who anchor successive fund vintages from 2011 through 2021. The firm maintains affiliation with the broader Kolon Group, whose 14 listed affiliates span industries, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, and mobility, providing a potential deal-sourcing and follow-on ecosystem. Realized exits include Krafton, Pearl Abyss, Cafe24, Techwing, and Boditechmed.

Name

Kolon Investment

Legal name

KOLONINVESTMENT, INC.

Website

https://koloninvest.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kolon Investment is a Seoul-based venture capital and private equity firm founded in 2000 that manages multi-vintage VC, KVF, and PEF funds investing across Korean startups and growth-stage companies. It serves founders across IT, biotech, materials, AI, and digital contents, funded by institutional LPs including NPS, KVIC, and KDB Bank.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Management

NAICS

Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

akta.pro primary industry

Impact / ESG Venture Capital (FSANAAAG)

Keywords

• Venture capital management
• Private equity funds
• Growth capital investment
• Startup funding
• Buyout investment

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Venture Capital Fund Management: Kolon Investment manages multiple venture capital and private equity funds, investing in portfolio companies from early-stage startups through growth phase and M&A. The firm generates returns through capital appreciation and successful exits of portfolio companies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Kolon Investment is a venture capital and private equity firm that manages a portfolio of multiple VC, KVF, and PEF funds investing across early-stage startups, growth-stage companies, and M&A targets. The firm invests across IT, biotechnology, materials and components, digital contents, fourth industrial revolution, and unicorn-pipeline sectors, providing capital alongside strategic guidance, network access, and follow-up support from due diligence through IPO or trade-sale exit.

Product overview

KOLON INVESTMENT is a venture capital company established in 2000 that manages various types of investment funds including startup, growth capital, and M&A funds. The company operates a portfolio of 10 named investment funds targeting different sectors including innovation infrastructure, materials and components, unicorn companies, venture investments, fourth industrial revolution technologies, new industries, K-ICT digital contents, and initial startup companies. These funds are backed by institutional investors including National Pension Service (NPS), Korea Venture Capital (KVIC), Korea Development Bank (KDB), Samsung Securities, Korea Teacher's Credit Union (KTCU), and Korea Growth Finance. The company provides investment services from early-stage startup through growth and M&A stages, functioning as a companion to portfolio companies throughout their development lifecycle.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KOLON 2021 Innovation Fund (코오롱 2021 이노베이션 투자조합) Venture capital fund targeting innovation infrastructure and three major new industry sectors for institutional limited partners.
• KOLON 2020 Material Component Equipment Fund (코오롱 2020 소재부품장비 투자조합) Venture capital fund focused on materials, components, and equipment sectors, backed by institutional LPs including KVIC.
• KOLON 2019 Unicorn Fund (코오롱 2019 유니콘 투자조합) Venture capital fund targeting future unicorn companies with growth potential, with KTCU among LPs.
• KOLON 2018 Venture Fund (코오롱 2018 벤처투자조합) Venture capital fund targeting Korean small and medium enterprises, with Samsung Securities as LP.
• KOLON 2017 Fourth Industrial Revolution Fund (코오롱 2017 4차 산업혁명 투자조합) Venture capital fund focused on new industries and fourth industrial revolution sectors, backed by KVIC and Korea Industrial Safety Insurance.
• KOLON 2017 New Industry Development Fund (코오롱 2017 신산업 육성 투자조합) Venture capital fund targeting new industry development, with Korea Growth Finance Investment Management as the manager.
• KOLON 2015 K-ICT Digital Contents Fund (코오롱 2015 K-ICT 디지털콘텐츠 투자조합) Venture capital fund focused on the K-ICT digital contents market, with KDB Bank and KVIC as LPs.
• KOLON Components and Materials Industry Investment Fund 2014-2 (코오롱 소재부품 투자펀드 2014-2호) Fund targeting components and materials specialized companies, with KDB Bank as LP.
• 2013 KOLON-Growth Ladder Startup Fund (2013코오롱-성장사다리 스타트업 투자조합) Venture capital fund targeting initial stage companies, with Korea Growth Finance Investment Management as the manager.
• KoFC-KOLON Pioneer Champ 2011-6 Venture Capital Fund (KoFC-코오롱 Pioneer Champ 2011-6호 투자조합) Venture capital fund targeting new growth engine industries, with KDB Bank as LP.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple successful IPOs including Krafton, Pearl Abyss, Cafe24, and numerous KOSDAQ-listed companies in portfolio

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Strong Ventures: Korean seed and early-stage VC investing in Korean and U.S. startups, with a Silicon Valley presence like Kolon's San Francisco office; directly comparable by stage and cross-border orientation.
• KB Investment: One of Korea's largest venture capital and growth-stage investment firms, managing multiple VC and growth funds with deep institutional LP backing; directly comparable to Kolon Investment's fund structure and Korean-market focus.
• Mirae Asset Venture Investment: Korean VC arm of Mirae Asset Financial Group that invests from early-stage through pre-IPO, often co-investing alongside Kolon (e.g., in Affinit's Series E). Directly comparable by stage focus and Korean institutional capital base.
• LB Investment: Korean VC firm investing across IT, biotech, and consumer sectors with multiple sector-focused funds, comparable in scale, fund structure, and Korean VC mandate to Kolon Investment.
• UTC Investment: Korea-focused deep-tech VC firm with similar emphasis on technology and deep-tech early-stage bets; comparable to Kolon's Pioneer Champ and Components & Materials funds.
• Smilegate Investment: Korean venture and growth capital firm backed by Smilegate Holdings, investing across games, deep tech, and enterprise software; co-investor with Kolon in Affinit Series E.
• Com2uS Ventures: Korean corporate-affiliated VC focused on gaming, content, and platform startups, comparable to Kolon's K-ICT Digital Contents Fund strategy.
• Albatron Investment Partners (formerly Midasdong-a): Korean venture firm investing in biotech, healthcare, and tech startups, directly comparable to Kolon's life-sciences and bio bets (e.g., Hwang Seokcheol's prior affiliation).

Broad incumbents

• Korea Development Bank (KDB): State-owned policy bank that is both an LP in Kolon's funds and operates its own direct investment/VC platform, serving as a much larger incumbent in the Korean VC ecosystem.

Others

• National Pension Service of Korea (NPS): Korea's largest institutional investor and a major LP in Kolon's 2021 Innovation Fund; comparable as a key capital source shaping Korean VC fundraising dynamics rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments133 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Kolon Investment