The Garrison
The Garrison is a Seoul-based deal-making and venture firm providing cross-border market access, selective investment backing, and the annual FosterBridge closed-door investment platform to startups, universities, public institutions, and ecosystem partners in Korea and Central Asia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersSeoul, South Korea
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Garrison does
The Garrison is a Seoul-based, privately held venture and deal-making firm that operates a cross-border market-access and investment platform targeting startups, universities, public institutions, and ecosystem partners. The company began operating as an independent venture in November 2019 and was formally incorporated in May 2022 alongside a seed funding round. Its core product is FosterBridge, an annual closed-door investment platform launched in December 2024 with a confirmed second edition in December 2025, that connects startups with investors under a selective-backing thesis rather than broad deployment. Supporting assets include the Global Entrepreneurship Alliance (GEA) network and the Foreign Entrepreneurs in Korea community (launched August 2022), which together reached 1,000+ members by May 2025, and proprietary research such as the Korean Startup Ecosystem Report 2025 and a Central Asia Venture Thesis covering Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
The firm monetizes through paid advisory and consulting engagements ranging from USD 1.5K to USD 28K (cumulative invoiced supply value of USD 435K+ across 2022-2025), exclusive distribution rights for overseas startups entering the Korean market (USD 120,000 recognized Aug-Dec 2021), and selective investment returns, including a 3x shareholder exit completed in February 2026 via a controlled transaction. Its go-to-market is event-driven and community-led, anchored on the annual FosterBridge cycle and direct consultation via calendar booking, with earned media coverage in Korean startup outlets (startupn.kr, Naver News, senews.kr, mediagn.co.kr). Geographic footprint covers South Korea with active expansion signals into Central Asia.
The Garrison is led by co-founders Riso Ahn (also Director of Startup Grind Seoul and Founder of the Foreign Entrepreneurs Club) and Jay Park, who was recognized by South Korea's Minister of SMEs and Startups in 2024. The firm completed a strategic investment round from Simsan Ventures in January 2026 to expand cross-border deal access and execute market entry. The team is small (five employees), operating from a Gangnam-gu headquarters in Seoul.
The Garrison firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Garrison
- Legal name
- The Garrison
- Website
- https://thegarrison.company
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Garrison is a Seoul-based deal-making and venture firm providing cross-border market access, selective investment backing, and the annual FosterBridge closed-door investment platform to startups, universities, public institutions, and ecosystem partners in Korea and Central Asia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Garrison industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital and Deal-Making Services
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Emerging Managers / Seeding Platforms (FSAHAKAI)
Keywords
Where The Garrison is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seoul
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Garrison business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Consulting Engagements: Paid engagements across universities, public institutions, and ecosystem partners with engagement sizes ranging from USD 1.5K to USD 28K. Total invoiced (supply value): USD 435K+ (minimum, based on internal tax invoices).
- Distribution Rights: Exclusive distribution rights for overseas startups, generating USD 120,000 in revenue in the Korean market (Aug-Dec 2021).
- Investment Returns: Selective investment backing with an early shareholder exit delivering 3x return through controlled transaction (Feb 2026).
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Garrison product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Garrison is a specialized deal-making and venture firm that runs FosterBridge, an annual closed-door investment platform connecting startups with investors, and the Global Entrepreneurship Alliance (GEA) cross-border ecosystem network. It also delivers paid advisory engagements to universities, public institutions, and ecosystem partners, and selectively backs startups through equity investments and exclusive distribution rights in Korea.
Product overview
The Garrison operates as a specialized deal-making and venture capital firm with a multi-product portfolio. The core offering is FosterBridge, a closed-door investment platform that connects startups with investors, supplemented by the Global Entrepreneurship Alliance (GEA) network that provides cross-border deal flow and market access. The company also produces proprietary research including the Korean Startup Ecosystem Report and Central Asia Venture Thesis to support investment decisions. Services range from paid advisory engagements (USD 1.5K to USD 28K) to strategic investments and distribution partnerships for overseas startups.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FosterBridge: Annual closed-door investment platform launched in December 2024, bringing together ecosystem partners for investment opportunities.
- Foreign Entrepreneurs in Korea
- GEA (Global Entrepreneurs Alliance)
Products and services
- FosterBridge Annual closed-door investment platform that connects startups with investors, facilitating deal-making and cross-border market access. The associated network reached 1,000+ members by May 2025.
- Global Entrepreneurship Alliance (GEA) Cross-border startup ecosystem network providing market access and deal flow for founders and investors globally; foundational infrastructure for The Garrison's deal-making operations.
- Paid Advisory and Consulting Engagements
Quantifiable outcome
- 3× return on early shareholder exit
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Garrison
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Garrison technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Garrison partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Garrison competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Techstars: Global accelerator with extensive network and programs. Overlapping capability in startup acceleration and investor matchmaking, though at much larger global scale and broader program offerings.
- Korea Investment Partners: Large Korean investment firm operating across multiple stages and sectors. Wider portfolio and significantly larger scale place it as a broad incumbent in the Korean venture ecosystem where The Garrison competes for deals.
- Plug and Play Tech Center: Global startup accelerator with Korea presence. Comparable in platform-based startup matchmaking and corporate partnership facilitation, though at significantly larger global scale.
- Kakao Ventures: Korean corporate venture capital arm of Kakao. Operates in the Korean startup ecosystem at larger scale with corporate parent backing, providing both investment and strategic partnership capabilities comparable to The Garrison's consulting work.
- 500 Global: Global VC and accelerator with active Korea operations. Overlapping capability in startup matchmaking and ecosystem development, but operates at much larger global scale.
Direct peers
- Simsan Ventures: Korean VC firm and strategic investor in The Garrison. Directly comparable in cross-border investment approach and Korean market focus, with explicit strategic alignment as an investor.
- Strong Ventures: Korean early-stage VC firm with comparable focus on Korean and cross-border startup investments. Similar size, target market, and selective backing approach make it a direct peer in the Korean venture ecosystem.
- FuturePlay: Korean early-stage VC firm investing in innovative Korean startups. Similar focus on Korean innovation ecosystem and early-stage deal flow.
- BonAngeles Venture Partners: Korean VC firm with cross-border investment focus. Comparable to The Garrison in cross-border deal-making approach and Korean market anchoring.
- Primer: Korean early-stage VC focused on early-stage Korean startups. Directly comparable to The Garrison in target customer profile, deal size, and Korean market focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Garrison social profiles
Digital presenceThe Garrison financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Garrison leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The Garrison funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Garrison M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Garrison
What does The Garrison do?
The Garrison is a specialized deal-making and venture firm that runs FosterBridge, an annual closed-door investment platform connecting startups with investors, and the Global Entrepreneurship Alliance (GEA) cross-border ecosystem network. It also delivers paid advisory engagements to universities, public institutions, and ecosystem partners, and selectively backs startups through equity investments and exclusive distribution rights in Korea.
Is The Garrison a public or private company?
The Garrison is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was The Garrison founded?
The Garrison was founded in 2022. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Garrison based?
The Garrison is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does The Garrison make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Consulting Engagements are the primary driver. The others are distribution Rights and investment Returns.
Who are The Garrison's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Techstars, Korea Investment Partners, Plug and Play Tech Center, Kakao Ventures and 500 Global. Direct peers are Simsan Ventures, Strong Ventures, FuturePlay, BonAngeles Venture Partners and Primer.
Does The Garrison have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Garrison.
What industry is The Garrison in?
The Garrison's product category is Venture Capital and Deal-Making Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAHAKAI, Emerging Managers / Seeding Platforms. Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 6282.