Impact Foundation
Impact Foundation (임팩트 재단) is a Seoul-based nonprofit that operates the Honghap Valley startup platform, running the IMPACT UP! accelerator and co-working programs for early-stage Korean startups across healthcare, ESG, future technology, and silver care, with international expansion support through partners in the US, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersSeoul, South Korea
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Impact Foundation does
Impact Foundation (임팩트 재단) is a South Korean nonprofit foundation that operates Honghap Valley (홍합밸리), a startup support platform established in 2012 in Seoul's Hongdae-Hapjeong creative district. The foundation runs accelerator and scale-up programs — most notably the IMPACT UP! cohorts targeting healthcare, ESG, future technology, and silver care startups — alongside co-working space, themed Demo Days, breakfast networking sessions (아침밥상), music and art events, and the annual Honghap Valley Festival. It has been a registered accelerator since 2019 and active in direct startup investing since then, and it supplements Korean programming with an international partner network spanning the United States, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
The foundation's go-to-market is event-driven and community-led. Most programs and events are offered free of charge to founders and entrepreneurs (a freemium model), while the foundation's revenue mechanics depend on government support programs (notably the Seoul Startup Hub Scale-up Partner designation secured in 2023), co-working membership and space operations, and returns from its accelerator investment activities. Two physical locations — the original Hongdae/Hapjeong hub and a Gangnam office opened in 2023 — anchor the Seoul footprint. Visible customer outcomes include two portfolio companies receiving CES 2024 innovation awards and five exhibiting with booths at the same event, plus cross-border programming such as the Vietnam Impact-Up Summit 2024.
The customer base is horizontal: early-stage startups within three years of founding (primary), aspiring student and individual entrepreneurs, and growth-stage startups seeking scale-up and global expansion support. Services are delivered in-house through consulting teams covering legal, accounting, HR, government grants, design, technology, and marketing, and through referral to investment partners. Impact Foundation has no disclosed parent company, no recorded funding rounds, no patent portfolio, and no proprietary technology platform; its competitive position rests on community depth, government partnership access, and the international network rather than on a technology or AI moat.
Impact Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Impact Foundation
- Legal name
- Impact Foundation (임팩트 재단)
- Website
- https://theimpact.or.kr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Impact Foundation (임팩트 재단) is a Seoul-based nonprofit that operates the Honghap Valley startup platform, running the IMPACT UP! accelerator and co-working programs for early-stage Korean startups across healthcare, ESG, future technology, and silver care, with international expansion support through partners in the US, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Impact Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Acceleration Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Impact Investment & Social Finance Programs (BPADAOAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Impact Investing & Social Finance (Funds, CDFIs, Microfinance) (BPAGALAA), Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)
Keywords
Where Impact Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seoul
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
Impact Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Government Support Programs: The foundation operates with government support programs and partnerships with Seoul metropolitan government for startup ecosystem development.
- Investment Activities: Active investment in startups since becoming a registered accelerator in 2019, providing capital and support to promising early-stage companies.
- Co-working Space Operations: Operation of physical startup spaces including Honghap Valley lounge and networking facilities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free programs for startups and entrepreneurs |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Impact Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Impact Foundation is a South Korea-based nonprofit startup accelerator that operates the Honghap Valley platform, providing co-working spaces, the IMPACT UP! accelerator program, the J-CUBE startup/employment support program, startup education, mentorship, and investment support to early-stage Korean startups. It also runs community events including Demo Day, Breakfast, Music Day, and Art Day to facilitate networking among founders, investors, and ecosystem partners.
Product overview
Impact Foundation (임팩트 재단) operates Honghap Valley (홍합밸리), a startup platform launched in 2012 in Seoul's Hongdae-Hapjeong area, offering startups a comprehensive ecosystem of support programs. The core offering centers on Honghap Valley as the central startup platform, supplemented by the IMPACT UP! accelerator program with sector-specific cohorts, and J-CUBE for employment and startup support. The foundation provides layered services including startup education, themed demo days, networking events (아침밥상), music events (뮤직데이), art exhibitions (아트데이), and an annual festival. Investment support and a global network spanning the US, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Singapore are integrated across all offerings to facilitate scale-up and international expansion.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Honghap Valley Platform (홍합밸리) A startup community and co-working platform active since 2012, serving early-stage Korean startups with workspace, networking events (Demo Day, Breakfast, Music Day, Art Day), and ecosystem connections.
- IMPACT UP! Accelerator A structured startup accelerator program offering education, mentorship, investment support, and Demo Day investor exposure to participating early-stage Korean startups.
- J-CUBE Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 2 companies won innovation awards at CES 2024
Companies that use Impact Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Impact Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Impact Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Seoul Startup Hub Scale-up PartnercoreSelected as Seoul Startup Hub Scale-up Partner in 2023, enabling expansion to Gangnam office and enhanced support services for growth-stage startups across Seoul.
- Honghap Valley PlatformcoreCore startup platform operated by the foundation since 2012, providing co-working spaces, networking events, and mentorship programs in Hongdae-Hapjeong area.
- International Network (US, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore)majorGlobal partner network supporting Korean startups' international expansion and foreign entrepreneurs' entry into Korean market.
- Hongdae-Hapjeong Creative District CommunitymajorLocal ecosystem partnerships with universities (Hongik), cultural spaces, and local businesses in the creative district where the foundation operates.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Impact Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- FuturePlay: FuturePlay is a Korean deep-tech focused accelerator and seed fund running cohort-based programs with demo days — comparable in accelerator mechanics, though more technology-focused.
- D.CAMP: D.CAMP is a major Seoul-based startup accelerator and venture fund founded by the Dong-A Ilbo, operating a co-working space and accelerator programs for Korean early-stage startups — directly comparable to Impact Foundation's Honghap Valley platform.
- SparkLabs: SparkLabs runs seed-stage accelerator programs in Seoul (and globally) with demo days and direct investment into startups — a direct peer in the Korean accelerator landscape.
- Primer (formerly SVP Korea): Primer is a Korean impact-focused accelerator that supports impact-driven startups through cohort programs and investment, closely comparable to Impact Foundation's IMPACT UP! mission-aligned cohort structure.
- Social Ventures Partners (SVP) Korea: SVP Korea partners with social-purpose organizations and impact ventures through venture philanthropy and capacity building — directly comparable as an impact-focused ecosystem builder in Korea.
- Impact Hub Seoul: Impact Hub is a global network of impact-focused co-working spaces and accelerators; the Seoul chapter shares Impact Foundation's combination of physical space, impact mission, and startup support programming.
Broad incumbents
- Seoul Business Agency (SBA) / Seoul Startup Hub: SBA operates the Seoul Startup Hub, a government-backed incubator of which Impact Foundation is a Scale-up Partner; structurally comparable as a public-sector startup ecosystem builder in Seoul.
- Naver D2 Startup Factory (D2SF): Naver D2SF is a corporate accelerator operated by Naver investing in early-stage Korean startups with structured accelerator cohorts — comparable in cohort design and Seoul base, though backed by a corporate parent.
- K-Startup Grand Challenge (K-GSC): A government-led accelerator program attracting foreign and Korean founders to Korea; comparable as a public-private startup support program competing for the same early-stage founder pool.
Emerging players
- Antler Korea: Antler runs global cohort-based accelerators with a Korea presence, providing early-stage funding and mentorship — comparable in cohort-driven accelerator model and international founder focus.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Impact Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceImpact Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Impact Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Impact Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Impact Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments5 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Impact Foundation
What does Impact Foundation do?
Impact Foundation is a South Korea-based nonprofit startup accelerator that operates the Honghap Valley platform, providing co-working spaces, the IMPACT UP! accelerator program, the J-CUBE startup/employment support program, startup education, mentorship, and investment support to early-stage Korean startups. It also runs community events including Demo Day, Breakfast, Music Day, and Art Day to facilitate networking among founders, investors, and ecosystem partners.
Is Impact Foundation a public or private company?
Impact Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Impact Foundation founded?
Impact Foundation was founded in 2012.
Where is Impact Foundation based?
Impact Foundation is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does Impact Foundation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Support Programs are the primary driver. The others are investment Activities and co-working Space Operations.
Who are Impact Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are FuturePlay, D.CAMP, SparkLabs, Primer (formerly SVP Korea), Social Ventures Partners (SVP) Korea and Impact Hub Seoul. Broad incumbents are Seoul Business Agency (SBA) / Seoul Startup Hub, Naver D2 Startup Factory (D2SF) and K-Startup Grand Challenge (K-GSC). Antler Korea is listed as an emerging player.
Does Impact Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Impact Foundation.
What industry is Impact Foundation in?
Impact Foundation's product category is Startup Acceleration Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAOAJ, Impact Investment & Social Finance Programs, with a secondary code of BPAGALAA, Impact Investing & Social Finance (Funds, CDFIs, Microfinance). Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8700.