What Dunamu & Partners does

Dunamu & Partners is the dedicated venture capital investment arm of Dunamu Inc., the South Korean operator of the UPbit cryptocurrency exchange and the StockPlus equity trading platform. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Gangnam, Seoul, the firm employs a small team of investment professionals — led by CEO Ryan Lee (ex-SoftBank Ventures Korea, ex-Tmon, ex-McKinsey) and Partner Olivia Kim — and invests across three defined pillars: Blockchain & Fintech, Data & AI, and Consumer & Enterprise.

The firm does not develop its own products or technology. Its offering to founders is capital combined with strategic operating support, fintech and crypto distribution access via the Dunamu parent ecosystem, and a global network spanning Kakao, SoftBank, Sequoia-backed, and corporate co-investors. It has built a portfolio of more than 60 companies — including Travel Wallet, 2C2P, Band Protocol, Qraft Technologies, Rebellions, Banksalad, Musinsa, Swit, Logispot, HonestAI, Infomining, and AvoMD — and has realized exits via 2C2P (acquired by Ant Group), Tasty9 (acquired by Fresheasy), Nabu Studio (acquired by METABORA), and Way2Bit (stake acquired by Kakao Games).

The business model is a classic corporate-backed venture operation: capital is deployed from a vehicle funded by parent Dunamu, with revenue derived from management fees on the underlying fund(s) and carried interest realized upon exits. Recent activity (2025–2026) shows a clear strategic shift toward cross-border investments in US and European AI, quantum, and consumer-robotics companies, often syndicated with established global VCs and strategic corporates such as NEA, Pantera, LG Electronics, and Jollibee.

Name

Dunamu & Partners

Legal name

두나무앤파트너스 주식회사

Website

https://dunamupartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dunamu & Partners is the venture capital arm of Dunamu Inc. (operator of UPbit and StockPlus), investing from Seoul across Blockchain & Fintech, Data & AI, and Consumer & Enterprise in Korean and global startups with capital and operating support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Fintech / Insurtech CVC (Financial-services-led CVC) (FSANAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Financial Services / Fintech Growth Equity (FSANACAE)

Keywords

• Venture capital
• Blockchain fintech investment
• Data AI startups
• Consumer enterprise investing
• Early stage funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns: Dunamu & Partners generates returns through successful exits and portfolio company growth. They have had successful exits including 2C2P (acquired by Ant Group), Tasty9 (acquired by Fresheasy), and Nabu Studio (acquired by METABORA).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Dunamu & Partners is a venture capital firm that invests capital in early to growth-stage startups across Blockchain & Fintech, Data & AI, and Consumer & Enterprise sectors. The firm provides portfolio companies with strategic mentorship, operational support, and access to the fintech ecosystem of its parent Dunamu Inc. (operator of UPbit and StockPlus), while earning returns through successful portfolio exits and equity appreciation.

Product overview

Dunamu & Partners is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage and growth-stage startups across three focus areas: Blockchain & Fintech, Data & AI, and Consumer & Enterprise. The firm does not develop or sell its own technology products; rather, it provides capital, strategic guidance, and network resources to portfolio companies. Its portfolio includes companies such as Travel Wallet, 2C2P, Band Protocol, Simplify Asset Management, Nitra, HonestAI, Qraft Technologies, INOCRAS, Rebellions, Banksalad, Cenaclesoft, Infomining, Classum, METABORA, Swit Technologies, Logispot, Musinsa, MAAF, Bejewel, and others in the Korean and global startup ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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.

• KakaoportfolioStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic investor in Korea Credit Data (CashNote) and Way2Bit (BORA blockchain platform), providing ecosystem support and business synergies for portfolio companies.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SoftBank Ventures Asia: SoftBank Ventures Asia is a sector-focused VC firm investing across Asia (including Korea) in fintech, enterprise, and consumer — directly comparable to Dunamu & Partners given overlapping coverage, prior team lineage (CEO Ryan Lee was a partner at SoftBank Ventures Korea for 10+ years), and similar stage focus.
• Kakao Ventures: Kakao Ventures is the corporate venture arm of Kakao, Korea's largest internet company, investing in early-stage Korean and global startups across fintech, blockchain, AI, and consumer — directly comparable to Dunamu & Partners as a Korean CVC with similar sector mandate and stage focus.
• Naver D2SF: Naver D2SF is Naver's startup investment and incubation arm, investing in AI, fintech, commerce, and content startups globally — a directly comparable Korean CVC with overlapping sector focus (especially AI/data) and similar backing from a major Korean tech platform.
• Altos Ventures: Altos Ventures is a Korea/Asia-focused early-to-growth VC investing in consumer, fintech, and enterprise software — directly comparable as a sector-diversified Korean tech investor with similar stage and check size.
• Primer (formerly Sazze Partners): Primer is a Korea-focused early-stage VC investing across consumer, fintech, and enterprise — directly comparable in stage focus, sector mandate, and Korean geographic concentration.

Broad incumbents

• Samsung NEXT: Samsung NEXT is Samsung's global CVC arm investing in AI, fintech, blockchain, and infrastructure — comparable as a Korean strategic CVC with a much larger global mandate and deeper balance sheet, but overlapping on AI/blockchain deal flow.
• LG Technology Ventures: LG Technology Ventures is LG's corporate venture capital arm investing in AI, mobility, bio, and advanced tech — comparable as a Korean strategic CVC, especially given co-investment with D&P on Pasqal; broader portfolio and deeper resources.
• Hyundai CRADLE: Hyundai CRADLE is Hyundai Motor Group's CVC investing in mobility, AI, robotics, and fintech — comparable as a Korean strategic CVC with much larger balance sheet but overlapping on AI/fintech deals.
• KB Capital: KB Capital is a major Korean financial-affiliate VC and growth investor focused on fintech, deep tech, and SME — comparable as a Korean fintech/digital investor, but at materially larger scale with banking parent backing.
• Mirae Asset Venture Investment: Mirae Asset Venture Investment is a Korean VC arm of Mirae Asset Financial Group investing across biotech, fintech, TMT, and deep tech — comparable as a Korea-based sector-diversified VC with much larger AUM and institutional LP backing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dunamupartners

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

Investments62 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Dunamu & Partners