What ID Ventures does

ID Ventures Co., Ltd. (아이디벤처스(주)) is a Seoul-headquartered, privately held venture capital firm established on May 18, 2012 as South Korea's first and largest IP-specialized fund manager. The firm operates a fund-management platform built around 16 limited-partnership vehicles with aggregate AUM of approximately 372.8 billion KRW (the fund table reconciles to roughly 379.75 billion KRW across 17 vehicles), of which 219.35 billion KRW is under active management, 65.2 billion KRW is in liquidation, and 95.2 billion KRW has been fully wound down. Across its history the firm has invested 265.2 billion KRW into 176 portfolio companies spanning ICT, Bio/Healthcare, Contents, Electrical/Mechanical/Equipment, Distribution/Services, Chemicals/Materials, and IP monetization, and has realized 248.8 billion KRW in cumulative exit proceeds.

The firm's core product is its proprietary IP precision evaluation framework, which underwrites investments by assessing the true enterprise value embedded in a target's patent portfolio and IP commercialization potential — a methodology the company describes as unique among Korean VCs. The team combines patent attorneys, accountants, and finance professionals, and supports portfolio companies through staged financing, IP value-up, and global market entry assistance via an LP and partner network that includes the Korea Fund of Funds, FAFF, Industrial Bank of Korea, POSCO, and Huayi Brothers.

ID Ventures earns revenue from two streams: (1) recurring fund management fees on committed or invested capital, and (2) carried interest on realized exits. The business is sales-led at the LP-relationship layer and investment-led at the portfolio layer, with deal sourcing via direct outreach, university/research institute partnerships, and patent/legal-firm referrals. Notable realized exits include Krafton (KOSPI 2021), Peptron (KOSDAQ), and Tapas Media (M&A), while the IDV U-TECH INNOVATION FUND delivered an 18% IRR at liquidation. Eight portfolio companies (including Wadiz and Ideahub) are reportedly preparing for IPO, and the CEO has publicly disclosed preparation for a firm-level IPO alongside planned expansion into PEF (private equity fund) management.

Name

ID Ventures

Legal name

아이디벤처스(주)

Website

https://id-vc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ID Ventures is a Seoul-based venture capital firm, founded in 2012 as South Korea's first IP-focused fund manager, deploying approximately 372.8 billion KRW across 16 funds and 176 portfolio companies in ICT, biotech, content, and IP commercialization sectors for institutional LPs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital Fund Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Strategic Partnership & Ecosystem Investment Arms (FSANAHAF)

Keywords

• Venture capital management
• Intellectual property investment
• Startup equity funding
• IP-focused fund management
• Growth equity investments

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fund Management Fees: ID Ventures charges management fees on the funds it operates. The firm manages multiple funds with a total AUM of approximately 372.8 billion KRW (approximately 379.75 billion KRW in committed capital across 17 funds). Management fees are typically charged on committed or invested capital during the fund's life.
2. Carried Interest (Performance Fees): The firm earns carried interest on investment returns from portfolio companies upon successful exits. Notable exits include Krafton (KOSPI listing in 2021), Peptron (KOSDAQ listing), and Tapas Media (M&A exit). The IDV U-TECH INNOVATION FUND achieved an IRR of 18% upon liquidation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ID Ventures Co., Ltd. is a venture capital firm that manages 16 investment funds with approximately 372.8 billion KRW in total AUM, deploying equity and IP project capital into intellectual property-rich companies across ICT, Bio/Healthcare, Contents, Electrical/Mechanical, Chemicals/Materials, and Fisheries sectors in South Korea. The firm sources, evaluates, invests in, and supports portfolio companies through exit, with a proprietary IP precision evaluation methodology guiding investment decisions. Revenue is generated through fund management fees charged on committed/invested capital and carried interest earned on successful exits.

Product overview

ID Ventures is Korea's first and largest IP-based venture capital firm, established in 2012. The firm operates as a fund management platform rather than a technology product company, managing 16 funds with approximately 3.728 trillion KRW in total fund size. The core offering is investment management services for startups with innovative intellectual property, including deal sourcing, investment execution, portfolio management, and exit support. The firm specializes in IP-focused investment strategies across sectors including ICT services, bio/healthcare, content, electrical/mechanical equipment, distribution/services, chemicals/materials, fisheries, and IP monetization projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IDV U-TECH INNOVATION Fund
• POSCO-IDV Growth Ladder IP Fund
• IBKC-IDV IP Specialty Fund No.1
• IDV Fishery Intellectual Property Specialty Fund (Series)
• HUAYI-IDV Global Contents Fund
• IDV Global IP Growth Fund (Series)
• IDV IP STAR Fund
• IBKC-IDV HIGH TECH Fund
• IBK IDV Global Contents Fund 2
• IDV Global Next Unicorn Fund
• ID Ventures Fund Management Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• IDV U-TECH INNOVATION FUND achieved 18% IRR upon liquidation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Korea Investment Partners: One of Korea's largest and most established venture capital firms managing multiple funds with government-backed LP support. Directly comparable in business model, fund management scale, and Korean tech sector coverage, making it the closest Korean VC peer.
• IMM Investment: Korean alternative investment firm managing multiple VC/private equity funds. Comparable in fund management scale, sector diversification across tech and bio, and institutional LP relationships with government-backed capital sources.
• Stonebridge Ventures: Korean VC firm investing in tech-enabled startups. Comparable in early-stage tech investment focus and Korean market operations, with overlap in ICT sector coverage and similar institutional LP structure.
• Altos Ventures: Korean VC focused on early-stage technology investments. Comparable in early-stage tech investment thesis and Korean market focus, with overlap in ICT and biotech portfolio companies and similar government/corporate LP base.
• Smilegate Investment: Korean VC with notable investments in gaming and content sectors, paralleling ID Ventures' Krafton (PUBG) and Tapas Media (webtoon) investments. Strong overlap in entertainment/content investment thesis and Korean tech focus.
• KB Investment: KB Financial Group's venture capital arm investing in Korean startups. Comparable in multi-fund structure, government/corporate LP backing, and sector diversification across Korean technology investments.
• Aju IB Investment: Korean investment firm with VC operations across technology and growth sectors. Comparable in Korean tech-focused fund management, similar LP profile, and overlap in mid-to-late stage Korean startup investing.

Emerging players

• ARCH Venture Partners: US deep-tech VC focused on IP-rich companies in biotech, semiconductors, and AI. Comparable in deep-tech/IP-focused investment thesis and university/research-network sourcing approach that mirrors ID Ventures' IP evaluation framework.

Broad incumbents

• Hyundai Investment Partners: Hyundai Motor Group's investment vehicle. Comparable as a large Korean corporate investment arm with overlapping portfolio interests in mobility, deep-tech, and content sectors, and broader strategic mandate than a pure financial VC.
• POSCO Capital: POSCO Group's investment arm and direct co-sponsor with ID Ventures on POSCO-IDV Growth Ladder IP Fund (56B KRW). Comparable in industrial/technology investment thesis, with broader corporate mandate and significantly larger balance sheet.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments24 records

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

Frequently asked questions about ID Ventures