What Kingospring does

Kingospring (킹고스프링) is a Korean private accelerator and venture capital firm founded in 2020, registered as 주식회사 킹고스프링 with the Small and Medium Venture Business Administration. The firm serves Korean early-stage startups across ICT/platform, biotech, materials/components/equipment, and small-business (소상공인) verticals, and serves as a designated operator of two flagship Korean government programs: TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startup Korea) and LIPS (Local Investment-linked Program). Kingospring invests in more than 20 startups annually through its proprietary SBA series (창업자 투자조합) and SBB series (전략적 투자조합) private investment funds, supplemented by fund management and government program management fees. Beyond capital, the firm runs multi-cohort springboard acceleration programs (Kingo Springboard Program through at least 8 cohorts, KINGO LIPS Springboard Program, KISP), IR/demoday events, and pitch competitions to connect portfolio companies with downstream investors and corporate partners.

The firm maintains six regional offices across Korea (Incheon Songdo as headquarters, Seongnam Pangyo, Goyang, Cheonan, Ulsan) and a Vietnam branch in Ho Chi Minh City to support international expansion. Its go-to-market is sales-led and accelerator-driven: the firm sources startups through regional outreach and university partnerships (Sungkyunkwan University, Hoseo University, Incheon Youth Startup Academy), recommends selected companies for TIPS/LIPS selection, deploys equity tickets reportedly in the 15-33M KRW range from its private funds, and provides IR training, 1:1 consulting, and demo day access. Partnerships with Incheon TechnoPark, Gyeonggi Creative Economy Innovation Center, KIC Washington DC, Kukje India Group, and Shinhan Bank extend its sourcing and exit channels. Notable portfolio outcomes include C-Factory (Minister of Economy and Finance Commendation), SaveTheFarms, and DoItPlanet (Hyundai Heavy Industries PoC).

Kingospring's revenue model blends fund management fees, carried interest on portfolio exits, government program operator fees from TIPS/LIPS, and partnership-driven program co-operation income. The firm is led by CEO Jeong Jin-dong (former Samsung Electronics and Samsung Engineering executive director) and operates with an investment committee and specialist advisors drawn from Samsung Electronics, Samsung Engineering, Sae-A Special Steel, and Shinhan Bank alumni. The website still displays placeholder AUM figures ("0억원 +"), and disclosed individual fund sizes (SBA 6 at 340M KRW; SBB 1 at 500M KRW; SBB 3 at 950M KRW) indicate a boutique-scale operation rather than an institutional fund manager.

Name

Kingospring

Legal name

주식회사 킹고스프링

Website

https://kingospring.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kingospring (킹고스프링) is a Korean accelerator and venture capital firm founded in 2020, serving Korean early-stage startups in ICT, biotech, materials, and small-business sectors through designated TIPS/LIPS government programs, multi-cohort acceleration programs, and equity investments from its SBA and SBB private investment funds, with operations across six Korean offices and a Vietnam branch.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital and Startup Acceleration

NAICS

Open-End Investment Funds (525910)

SIC

Finance Services (6199), Investors, Nec (6799)

akta.pro primary industry

Management Buyout / Management Buy-In (MBO/MBI) (FSANABAL)

Keywords

• Startup acceleration services
• Venture capital investment
• Tech startup incubation
• Government accelerator programs
• Early-stage equity investment

Headquarters

HQ city

Seongnam

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns and Fund Management: Kingospring generates returns through equity investments in early-stage startups via its proprietary accounts and managed investment funds (SBA series, SBB series private investment partnerships). The company also earns management fees from operating government-designated accelerator programs such as TIPS and LIPS.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Core offering

Kingospring is a Korean accelerator and venture capital firm that invests equity capital in early-stage startups and operates government-designated startup support programs. The firm runs TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startup Korea) and LIPS (Local Investment-linked Program) accelerators under designation from Korea's Small and Medium Venture Business Administration, manages private investment partnerships (SBA and SBB fund series), and delivers structured acceleration cohorts (Kingo Springboard Program, KISP, KSSP) across multiple Korean regions and Vietnam.

Product overview

Kingospring (킹고스프링) is an accelerator company that operates various startup support programs and investment services. The company runs TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startup Korea) operations, LIPS (민간투자연계형 매칭융자/Leverage Investment Partnership System) programs for small businesses, and multiple springboard programs including the KINGO LIPS SPRINGBOARD PROGRAM, KINGO INCHEON SPRINGBOARD PROGRAM (KISP), and KINGO SPRINGBOARD PROGRAM. Kingospring provides investment services, Demo Day events, IR support, and acceleration program operations for startups across various sectors including ICT/Platform, biotech, materials/components/equipment, and small businesses. The company also organizes investment IR competitions such as the C-Star Awards and manages various government-supported startup acceleration programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kingo Springboard Program: Kingo Spring's startup acceleration program
• KINGO LIPS Springboard Program
• KINGO SPRING VIETNAM

Products and services

• TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startup Korea) Operator Program Government-designated startup accelerator program providing R&D funding and acceleration support to Korean technology startups across ICT/Platform, Biotech, Materials/Components/Equipment, and AI/deep-tech sectors. Kingospring is an officially designated TIPS operator under the Small and Medium Venture Business Administration.
• LIPS (Local Investment-linked Program) Operator Program Government-designated program for small business owners in F&B, beauty, consumer goods, and similar sectors, providing matching loan programs and acceleration support. Operated by Kingospring as a designated LIPS operator under the Small and Medium Venture Business Administration.
• Kingo Springboard Program Kingospring's flagship startup acceleration cohort program, operating across multiple cohorts (8 cohorts operated as of 2025). Provides equity investment, mentoring, IR/pitch training, demo days, and networking with top-tier AC/VC investors to selected early-stage startups.
• KINGO LIPS Springboard Program Local investment-linked matching financing program targeting small business owners (소상공인) in F&B, beauty, and consumer goods sectors. Co-operated with the Small Business Distribution Promotion Agency (소상공인시장진흥공단). Provides minimum 30 million KRW direct/indirect investment and LIPS program recommendation.
• KISP (KINGO Incheon Springboard Program) Startup batch program co-operated with Incheon TechnoPark, providing acceleration, mentoring, and networking for selected startups. The 2nd cohort (KISP 2기) ran in 2026 with application period from June 17 to June 29, 2026.
• KSSP (Seoul Startup Hub × Kingospring Program) Joint startup batch program co-operated with Seoul Startup Hub (서울창업허브), providing acceleration support to selected early-stage companies. The first cohort (KSSP 1기) recruitment was conducted in 2026.
• C-Star Awards Investment IR Competition (천안 C-Star Awards) Investment IR pitch competition held in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, providing startups with investor exposure, pitch competition experience, and award recognition. The 2026 edition (2026년 천안 C-Star Awards) accepted applications from June 15 to July 12, 2026.
• KINGO SPRING VIETNAM Program Korea-Vietnam accelerator partnership program operated through Kingospring's Ho Chi Minh City branch, facilitating global expansion for Korean portfolio companies and international IR activities. Led by Partner 장권희 and Vietnam Branch Manager 이용범.
• SBA Series Private Investment Partnerships Kingospring's founder-led angel investment partnership series (SBA 1 through 14+), providing equity capital to early-stage Korean startups. SBA 6 had a total fund size of 340 million KRW. Investments are executed through individual partner participation in fund vehicles.
• SBB Series Private Investment Partnerships Kingospring's strategic private investment partnership series (SBB 1 through 9+), providing equity capital to early-stage startups. SBB 1 had a total fund size of 500 million KRW; SBB 3 had a total fund size of 950 million KRW. Investments are executed through individual partner participation in fund vehicles.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple portfolio companies have achieved TIPS program selection through Kingospring's recommender role, including 씨팩토리 (awarded Ministry of Strategy and Finance Commendation), 스파이더실크, 큐테크코리아, 스포잇, and others.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Hyunwoo Engineering (현우엔지니어링)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Kingo Spring Vietnam branch activities included a business meeting with Hyunwoo Engineering (현우엔지니어링), a partner company. The meeting discussed practical cooperation plans. Kingospring also invested in Hyunwoo Engineering (environmental energy solutions, automatic carbon reduction devices) and plans to recommend it for TIPS program.
• Kukje India GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 September 2025MOU signed in September 2025 for cooperation in: (1) joint investment and discovery of promising Korean-Indian startups, (2) co-fund creation for early and growth stage companies, (3) global market entry support for startups, (4) joint mentoring/bootcamp/education programs, and (5) strategic partnerships and joint innovation summits.
• Incheon TechnoPark (인천테크노파크) / Incheon AC Council (인천AC연구소)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 August 2025Co-organized the '2nd Incheon University Startup Academy,' which included company visits (Samsung Innovation Museum), mentoring, and networking. Kingospring (as Incheon AC Council Chair company) and Tap Angel Partners donated 10 million KRW for youth startup support.
• Hoseo University (호서대학교)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2025MOU for joint discovery and cultivation of promising startups. Cooperation areas include: (1) promising startup discovery and acceleration support, (2) new project and market entry co-promotion, (3) fundraising and investment attraction cooperation, and (4) government support program linkage and network expansion.
• VentureBox and ToIt Investment (벤처박스·투잇인베스트먼트)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 July 2023MOU for startup growth and strategic investment cooperation. Key areas: mutual startup discovery and support, investment value enhancement, acceleration program cooperation, joint project development and market entry, and information sharing.
• Senior Venture Association (시니어벤처협회)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2023MOU to connect senior industry professionals (retirees with field experience) with startups for mentoring and talent support, while helping seniors discover and realize business opportunities.
• KIC Washington DC (Korea Innovation Center)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 March 2023KIC Washington DC is a government-designated startup accelerator under the Ministry of Science and ICT, with locations in Germany, China, US Silicon Valley, and US Washington DC. MOU signed for supporting Korean startups' entry into North American markets.
• 성균관대학교 캠퍼스타운사업단 (SKKU Campus Town)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 November 2022Jointly operated the SKKU Campus Town 'Kingo Kultax (Culture & Tech)' program, culminating in a final IR Demoday with 7 companies presenting and 4 receiving awards.
• Incheon TechnoPark (인천테크노파크)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2021Partnership for co-operating the 2021 Boost Startup Program as the dedicated accelerator. Kingospring was selected as the dedicated accelerator for Incheon Startup Park's Boost Startup Program, with 5-6 portfolio companies participating.
• Gyeonggi Creative Economy Innovation Center (경기창조경제혁신센터)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 February 2021MOU for promoting investment activation. Agreed to jointly: (1) co-create funds, (2) discover and support promising startups at various stages, (3) review and co-invest in target companies, and (4) regularly share information for stable startup growth and investment attraction.
• 성균관대학교 (Sungkyunkwan University)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-operated the 'Kingo Kultax (Culture & Tech)' program under Sungkyunkwan University's Campus Town project, running IR Demoday events and startup mentorship for university-affiliated startups.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• D.CAMP: One of Korea's largest startup campuses and accelerator ecosystems, founded by Kakao. Comparable to Kingospring because both provide acceleration services, office space, and investment access for Korean early-stage startups, although D.CAMP operates at substantially larger scale.
• Y Combinator: The largest global startup accelerator running bi-annual cohort programs with standardized seed investment and demo day. Comparable to Kingospring's cohort-based Springboard/KISP programs and accelerator business model, serving as the category benchmark rather than a direct Korean competitor.
• Techstars: Global accelerator network running cohort-based programs with structured mentorship and seed investment. Comparable to Kingospring as a reference benchmark for the accelerator-as-business model, although Techstars operates globally with substantially larger resources.
• Seoul Venture Incubator (SVI): Major Korean government-affiliated startup incubator providing funding, office space, and acceleration programs. Comparable to Kingospring because both serve Korean early-stage startups with accelerator programs and government-linked funding channels, though SVI is significantly larger and more established.

Direct peers

• Primer (Primer Accelerator): Korean accelerator and early-stage VC that runs cohort-based programs and invests across sectors similar to Kingospring's portfolio. Both firms operate as Korean accelerators targeting early-stage founders with structured programs and IR support.
• FuturePlay: Korean accelerator and seed-stage VC that supports deep-tech and tech-enabled startups through cohort programs and follow-on investment. Directly comparable to Kingospring's early-stage technology investment focus and program-based engagement model.
• Fast Track: Korean accelerator that invests in and supports early-stage startups with a focus on ICT and platform companies. Comparable to Kingospring's portfolio mix and acceleration program structure for Korean founders.
• SparkLabs: Korean-based global accelerator and VC firm operating multiple accelerator programs and funds. Comparable to Kingospring because both run cohort-based programs, invest in early-stage Korean startups, and pursue cross-border expansion, although SparkLabs has substantially larger global footprint and fund sizes.
• Mashup Ventures: Korean startup accelerator that runs cohort programs and invests in early-stage companies across multiple sectors. Comparable to Kingospring because both target similar Korean early-stage founder pools and operate structured cohort-based acceleration.

Regional players

• Capstone Partners: Korean early-stage VC that runs accelerator-style programs and invests across Korean tech sectors. Comparable to Kingospring in target geography and stage focus, although Capstone operates primarily as a fund-led investor rather than program-led accelerator.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kingospring

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments26 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Kingospring