Awesome Ventures
Awesome Ventures is a South Korea-based cross-border accelerator and early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2017, operating from Seoul and Singapore to help Korean startups expand into Southeast Asia and assist foreign startups entering the Korean market through government-sponsored and corporate open innovation programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersMapo, South Korea
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Awesome Ventures does
Awesome Ventures Co., Ltd. is a South Korea-based cross-border accelerator and early-stage venture capital firm founded in February 2017 by former Samsung Electronics executives Rock Oh and Hongju Lee, along with securities/asset management professional Nam Seung-wook. The firm positions itself as an 'accelerator without borders,' operating dual-office operations in Seoul (16F, 14 Seochojungang-ro, Seocho-gu) and Singapore (Block71, Ayer Rajah Crescent) to facilitate startup flows between Korea and Southeast Asia. Its core service lines span discovery and acceleration (Biz Dev, R&D, networking, mentoring, HR, legal, and financial consulting), direct investment and follow-on support, and corporate open innovation programs for mid-to-large enterprises.
The firm runs a portfolio of accelerator programs including IT's AWESOME (for early-stage Korean startups expanding globally, focused on AI, 5G, big data, VR/AR, e-commerce, and IoT sectors), K-Startup Grand Challenge (a 3–4 month inbound program for foreign startups entering Korea), Awesome Travel-Tech (with Korea Tourism Organization), Launchpad Singapore (with KOCCA for K-content overseas expansion), In2Korea (customized foreign startup incubation), Global Startup Scale Up Program (with Italian Trade Agency), and the Open Innovation Lab (corporate in-house venture incubation). It has incubated 50+ companies and directly invested in 9 startups including DIFT (digital exhibitions), GOBOX (smart urban delivery), Yocus (video tech), InfoSeed (precision addressing), Treefarm (plant care), Market Of Material (industrial materials), DOLOBOX (pet care), ALGA Farmtech (plant factory systems), and Yangyu/Armored Fresh (plant-based foods).
Revenue is generated through three primary streams: program management fees from government-sponsored mandates (Ministry of SMEs and Startups, NIPA, KOCCA, Korea Tourism Organization, Ministry of Culture/Sports/Tourism, Seoul Business Agency), direct investment returns from early-stage portfolio companies, and planned fund management fees from a targeted 1 billion KRW PEF (Fund 1) and a 200 million SGD Singapore co-GP fund. Distribution is anchored by the Singapore hub office for Southeast Asian market access and direct enterprise sales to government bodies and corporates (notably HUMAX via the Seekers program), with marketing executed primarily through demo days, official website, and earned media coverage in Korean business press.
Awesome Ventures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Awesome Ventures
- Legal name
- Awesome Ventures Co., Ltd.
- Website
- https://awesome-v.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Awesome Ventures is a South Korea-based cross-border accelerator and early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2017, operating from Seoul and Singapore to help Korean startups expand into Southeast Asia and assist foreign startups entering the Korean market through government-sponsored and corporate open innovation programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Awesome Ventures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital and Startup Acceleration Services
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed) (FSANAAAA), Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD)
Keywords
Where Awesome Ventures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mapo
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
Awesome Ventures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Acceleration Program Management: Operates government-sponsored acceleration programs in partnership with Korean government bodies (Ministry of Culture, Tourism Organization, KOCCA). Receives program management fees from government sponsors to run startup acceleration programs.
- Direct Investment Returns: Invests in early-stage startups through its own funds and co-investment with partners. Generates returns through follow-on investment support and eventual exit.
- Fund Management: Operates venture capital funds including a 1 billion KRW Project Fund and a 200 million SGD Singapore-focused fund for cross-border investment.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Awesome Ventures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Awesome Ventures discovers, invests in, and accelerates early-stage startups through cross-border programs connecting Korea, Singapore, and Southeast Asia. Core offerings include global acceleration programs (IT's AWESOME, K-Startup Grand Challenge, In2Korea, Awesome Travel-Tech, Launchpad Singapore, Global Startup Scale up Program), direct equity investment via dedicated venture funds, and corporate open innovation services that incubate in-house ventures for mid-to-large companies. Programs deliver Biz Dev, R&D, networking, mentoring, HR, legal, and financial consulting alongside follow-on investment support.
Product overview
Awesome Ventures operates as a global cross-border accelerator without borders, offering a portfolio of acceleration programs and in-house venture incubation services. The core offerings include IT's AWESOME for AI/5G/VR/AR startups, K-Startup Grand Challenge for inbound global startup settlement in Korea, Awesome Travel-Tech for tourism technology companies, Global Startup Scale up Program for Italian startups entering Korea, In2Korea for foreign startups, Open Innovation Lab for corporate in-house ventures, and Launchpad Singapore for K-content overseas expansion. The company connects Korean startups with Southeast Asian markets (particularly Singapore) and brings global startups into Korea.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- IT's AWESOME (웹츠 어썸)
- K-Startup Grand Challenge
- Awesome Travel-Tech
- Global Startup Scale up Program (ITA)
- In2Korea
- Open Innovation Lab
- Launchpad Singapore
Companies that use Awesome Ventures
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Awesome Ventures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Awesome Ventures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA)flagshipOfficial partner for K-Startup Grand Challenge and Launchpad Singapore program. KOCCA sponsors the programs and Awesome Ventures operates the acceleration, providing networking and market entry support for Korean content startups in Singapore and other regions.
- HUMAXcoreCorporate open innovation partnership where HUMAX collaborates with Awesome Ventures on in-house venture acceleration programs, specifically the 'Seekers' program for HUMAX employees.
- Ministry of Culture, Sports and TourismflagshipGovernment ministry sponsoring Global Challenge Programs operated by Awesome Ventures, providing program funding and policy support for tourism startup internationalization.
- Seoul Startup HubcorePublic-private partnership hub where Awesome Ventures operates as designated accelerator alongside other international accelerators including SparkLabs and Kingsley Ventures.
- Seoul Business Agency (SBA)coreSeoul metropolitan government agency supporting startup ecosystem through Seoul Startup Hub program where Awesome Ventures operates as designated accelerator.
- Korean Tourism OrganizationflagshipGovernment tourism agency partnering for Awesome Travel Tech programs, providing funding and support for Korean travel tech startups to expand into Southeast Asian markets.
- Glint PartnersminorPartner listed on Awesome Ventures mentors and partners page.
- BootUp VenturesminorPartner listed on Awesome Ventures mentors and partners page.
- NIPA (National IT Industry Promotion Agency)flagshipGovernment IT promotion agency co-sponsoring K-Startup Grand Challenge acceleration programs with Ministry of SMEs and Startups.
- SK TelecomminorKorean telecom company listed as partner for potential startup collaboration and open innovation initiatives.
- Konkuk UniversityminorAcademic partner for startup acceleration program collaboration with university students and entrepreneurial programs.
- UNISTminorAcademic partner for startup ecosystem and entrepreneurship programs.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Awesome Ventures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SparkLabs: Korean-origin cross-border accelerator and VC with offices in Korea and globally, operating comparable programs for early-stage startups including a Seoul Startup Hub co-designation with Awesome Ventures. Most directly comparable in scope, model, and target founder profile.
- Antler: Global early-stage accelerator with strong SE Asia presence (Singapore hub) and active deal flow in Korea; runs cohort-based programs and seed investment, directly overlapping Awesome Ventures' cross-border Korea-SE Asia model.
- 500 Global (500 Startups): Global accelerator and seed VC running accelerator programs and seed funds across multiple regions including SE Asia, competing for the same early-stage cross-border founders that Awesome Ventures targets.
Broad incumbents
- Plug and Play Tech Center: Global accelerator and corporate innovation platform running multi-vertical programs and corporate-startup matching; broader footprint but overlapping corporate open innovation and accelerator model used by Awesome Ventures' Open Innovation Lab.
- Techstars: Established global accelerator network with accelerator programs and corporate partnerships; comparable in accelerator mechanics and mentorship model, though much larger and not regionally focused on Korea/SE Asia.
- SOSV: Multi-stage VC and accelerator operator running vertical-specific programs (HAX, IndieBio, Chinaccelerator) with global footprint including Asia; relevant peer due to accelerator-as-fund model and SE Asia exposure.
- Y Combinator: Largest global accelerator; while not regionally focused on Korea/SE Asia, many Korean and SE Asian founders apply to YC as the premier early-stage accelerator, making it a structural competitor for top-tier Korean deal flow.
Emerging players
- Brinc: Hong Kong-headquartered accelerator and venture investor with programs in SE Asia and partnerships targeting corporate innovation; comparable as an Asia-focused cross-border accelerator with similar emerging-market focus.
Regional players
- BLOCK71 (NUS Enterprise): Singapore-based startup hub and accelerator program where Awesome Ventures houses its Singapore office; directly comparable as SE Asia-focused founder platform and host of multiple accelerator partners.
- Startmate: Australia/NZ-focused early-stage accelerator; comparable cohort-based model and corporate innovation ties, though not overlapping on Korea/SE Asia geographic focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Awesome Ventures social profiles
Digital presenceAwesome Ventures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Awesome Ventures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Awesome Ventures subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Awesome Ventures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Awesome Ventures M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments12 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Awesome Ventures
What does Awesome Ventures do?
Awesome Ventures discovers, invests in, and accelerates early-stage startups through cross-border programs connecting Korea, Singapore, and Southeast Asia. Core offerings include global acceleration programs (IT's AWESOME, K-Startup Grand Challenge, In2Korea, Awesome Travel-Tech, Launchpad Singapore, Global Startup Scale up Program), direct equity investment via dedicated venture funds, and corporate open innovation services that incubate in-house ventures for mid-to-large companies. Programs deliver Biz Dev, R&D, networking, mentoring, HR, legal, and financial consulting alongside follow-on investment support.
Is Awesome Ventures a public or private company?
Awesome Ventures is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Awesome Ventures founded?
Awesome Ventures was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Awesome Ventures based?
Awesome Ventures is headquartered in Mapo, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does Awesome Ventures make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Acceleration Program Management is the primary driver. The others are direct Investment Returns and fund Management.
Who are Awesome Ventures's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SparkLabs, Antler and 500 Global (500 Startups). Broad incumbents are Plug and Play Tech Center, Techstars, SOSV and Y Combinator. Brinc is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are BLOCK71 (NUS Enterprise) and Startmate.
Does Awesome Ventures have an API?
No public API is recorded for Awesome Ventures.
What industry is Awesome Ventures in?
Awesome Ventures's product category is Venture Capital and Startup Acceleration Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated), with a secondary code of FSANAAAA, Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.