IPS Ventures

What IPS Ventures does

IPS Ventures (아이피에스벤처스) is a South Korea-based accelerator and venture capital firm founded in 2018, headquartered in Seocho-gu, Seoul, with additional deal-sourcing offices in Daejeon and Daegu/Gyeongbuk. The firm identifies and invests in early-stage technology startups across multiple verticals — including sports technology (FitTogether), synthetic peptide biotech (Three Biotech), and medical AI (MediWell) — and provides incubation, mentoring, and follow-on funding support through its network. As of 2026, IPS Ventures reports assets under management (AUM) of 26 billion KRW (approximately 260억원) across a cumulative portfolio of roughly 80 companies.

The firm generates revenue through two primary streams: management fees on its venture capital funds/AUM and equity-based returns from successful portfolio company exits. It does not develop or sell its own technology products; its core offering is capital and ecosystem support, supplemented by partnerships (e.g., Shimsan Ventures in the UK, Jaehyephapsida, Daegu University Startup Support Center) that extend its service surface into international expansion and university pipeline development.

IPS Ventures is led by CEO Hwang Woo-sung (황우성) and Senior Managing Director Park Jae-Pyeong, with a 10+ person professional team. In 2024, the firm relocated its headquarters from Seoul to Daejeon to anchor its regional startup-discovery strategy, while maintaining its Seoul investment office and establishing a Daegu/Gyeongbuk deal-sourcing presence. The firm operates primarily through a sales-led direct investment model, sourcing deals regionally and connecting portfolio companies to follow-on capital and global market opportunities.

Name

IPS Ventures

Legal name

IPS Ventures (아이피에스벤처스)

Website

https://ipsventures.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IPS Ventures is a South Korean accelerator and venture capital firm founded in 2018 that invests in early-stage technology startups, providing capital, incubation, and mentoring from its offices in Seoul, Daejeon, and Daegu/Gyeongbuk across an approximately 80-company portfolio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital and Startup Acceleration

NAICS

Investment Banking and Securities Intermediation (523150), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

IP-Backed Venture Debt Lenders (FSANAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) (FSACAAAA), IPO & Public Markets Advisory (BPAHADAH)

Keywords

• Venture capital funding
• Startup accelerator
• Seed stage investment
• Technology incubation
• Portfolio growth support

Headquarters

HQ city

Seocho

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns: IPS Ventures generates returns through equity investments in portfolio companies, supporting them from seed through Series A and beyond, with the goal of successful exits.
2. Management Fees: The firm earns management fees from operating its venture capital funds and assets under management (AUM).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

IPS Ventures is a venture capital and accelerator firm that discovers and invests in early-stage technology startups. It provides investment capital, incubation, and mentoring, then connects portfolio companies to follow-on funding from seed through Series A and beyond, with the goal of successful exits and global market expansion.

Product overview

IPS Ventures is a technology-focused venture capital and accelerator firm that identifies and invests in startups with innovative technologies. Rather than operating a unified product platform, the company functions as an investment vehicle supporting portfolio companies across diverse technology sectors including sports technology (FitTogether), biotechnology (ThreeEightBio), and medical AI (MediWell). The firm does not develop or market its own independent product or service offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Startup Investment (Accelerator/VC Funding) Equity investment and capital deployment into early-stage technology startups from seed through Series A and beyond, targeting innovative Korean tech companies with global potential.
• Startup Incubation Comprehensive incubation support for early-stage technology startups as part of IPS Ventures' accelerator operations, aimed at developing portfolio companies toward growth and successful exits.
• Startup Mentoring Mentoring services provided by IPS Ventures' professional investment team (10+ members) to support portfolio startups' growth and development.
• Follow-on Funding Connection Network and ecosystem service connecting portfolio startups to follow-on capital from seed through Series A and beyond, leveraging IPS Ventures' investor network.

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jaehyephapsida (제휴합시다)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2025IPS Ventures signed a business MOU with Jaehyephapsida for systematic growth support for startups, providing comprehensive startup development support.
• Daegu University Startup Support Center (대구대 창업지원단)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPS Ventures partnered with Daegu University Startup Support Center to provide overseas training support for university students and startup teams.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SBVA (formerly SoftBank Ventures Asia): Major Asian early-to-growth-stage VC with strong Korea presence through portfolio investments. Overlaps with IPS Ventures on Korean tech-stage investing but operates at substantially larger fund sizes.
• KB Investment: Major Korean VC/PE platform with multiple funds across stages. Operates in the same Korean tech-investment space as IPS Ventures but with vastly larger AUM and broader sector coverage.
• Samsung NEXT: Global CVC arm of Samsung investing in AI, blockchain, healthtech, and other frontier technologies. Comparable in tech-sector focus and venture-stage investing, though with significantly larger resources and global footprint.
• Korea Investment Partners: One of Korea's largest VC/PE firms, investing across stages and sectors including technology. A broader incumbent that competes with IPS Ventures for high-quality Korean tech deals but at materially larger scale.

Direct peers

• Primer (formerly Primer.S / Primer Asia): Korean early-stage VC focused on technology startups. Comparable stage focus, Korean geographic emphasis, and seed/Series A orientation as IPS Ventures.
• Kakao Ventures: Korean early-stage tech-focused VC and accelerator affiliated with Kakao. Directly comparable to IPS Ventures in stage focus, geographic concentration in Korea, and technology sector emphasis, though with significantly larger AUM.
• SparkLabs: Korean tech accelerator/VC with programs supporting early-stage startups from Korea and globally. Directly comparable to IPS Ventures as a regional early-stage tech investor with accelerator-style support.
• Naver D2SF (D2 Startup Factory): Corporate venture arm of Naver focused on early-stage Korean tech startups. Comparable in seed-to-Series A orientation and Korea-centric deal sourcing, with the additional backing of a major Korean tech platform.
• ZER01NE (Hyundai Motor Group): Hyundai-affiliated accelerator and CVC supporting early-stage startups, including mobility, AI, and biotech. Comparable accelerator-style support model and Korean regional ecosystem focus, though backed by a major industrial group.

Regional players

• Murex Partners: Korean boutique advisory and investment firm active in Korean tech and growth-stage deal flow. Comparable Korean regional focus and involvement in cross-border tech transactions, though with a different product mix than a pure accelerator/VC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ips-ventures

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments34 records

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

Frequently asked questions about IPS Ventures