Investment Status and Corporate Value Analysis of Five Promising Korean AI Startups

AI (artificial intelligence) technology has gone beyond mere technological innovation and has become a key driving force, fundamentally transforming industrial structures and market ecosystems. In particular, with technological maturity and commercialization rapidly progressing globally in diverse fields, including generative AI, industry-specific AI, and AI semiconductors, starting in 2025, Korea is emerging as a notable player in the global AI ecosystem.

Amidst this trend, domestic AI startups are rapidly expanding their markets, leveraging their unique technological prowess and rapid execution capabilities to create new value in existing industries. In particular, promising companies are emerging in diverse fields, including multilingual LLM development, AI semiconductors, AI-based advertising automation, investment algorithms, and smart manufacturing solutions. Their investment volume and corporate value are on par with those of global unicorns.

In this article, we've selected five promising Korean AI startups that deserve our attention, providing a comprehensive overview of their core technologies, founding backgrounds, investment status, and corporate value. To provide practical insights to investors, entrepreneurs, and industry professionals interested in the AI industry, we'll examine each company's growth potential and future potential.

1. Upstage – Development of the multilingual generative AI platform 'Solar Pro'

Year of establishment / Headquarters location: October 2020 / Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do
Core Services: Generative AI platform 'Solar Pro'
Key technologies:
- Multilingual LLM-based natural language processing
- AI chatbot and document summary system
Investment Attraction / Corporate Value:
- Cumulative investment: approximately 130 billion won
- Recent corporate value: approximately 1.4 trillion won
characteristic: Expanding the market through strategic partnerships with global IT companies.
Official website: https://upstage.ai

2. Rebellions – An innovative startup in the AI semiconductor chip field

Year of establishment / Headquarters location: 2021 / Pangyo, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do
Core Services: AI computational accelerator chips and integrated solutions
Key technologies:
- Optimizing high-efficiency neural network operations
- Silicon architecture design
Investment Attraction / Corporate Value:
- Cumulative investment: approximately KRW 297.6 billion
- Raised an additional KRW 161.2 billion in Series B funding
- Corporate value: expected to exceed 500 billion won
Official website: https://rebellions.ai

3. Moloco – A Leading Global AI Advertising Technology Company

Year of establishment / Headquarters location: 2013 / Silicon Valley, USA, Seoul R&D Center
Core ServicesProgrammatic advertising platform 'Moloco Cloud'
Key technologies:
- User Behavior Prediction
- Retargeting algorithm
- Real-Time Bidding (RTB)
Investment Attraction / Corporate Value:
- Cumulative investment: approximately KRW 249.1 billion
- Unicorn status (as of 2021), with a corporate value of over 1 trillion won
Official website: https://www.moloco.com

4. Qraft Technologies – AI-based investment strategy automation

Year of establishment / Headquarters location: 2016 / Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Core Services: AI-based portfolio automation system
Key technologies:
- Reinforcement learning-based investment algorithm
- ETF management automation
Investment Attraction / Corporate Value:
- Cumulative investment: approximately KRW 219.7 billion
- Operation of US listed ETFs
- Corporate value: approximately 300 billion won
Official website: https://www.qraftec.com

5. MakinaRocks – A Machine Learning Platform Specialized in Manufacturing

Year of establishment / Headquarters location: December 2017 / Seocho-gu, Seoul
Core Services: Manufacturing AI solution based on MLOps platform
Key technologies:
- Predictive Maintenance System
- Deep learning model based on time series data
- Building a digital twin
Investment Attraction / Corporate Value:
- Cumulative investment: approximately 31.5 billion won
- Future corporate value: expected to exceed KRW 100 billion
Official website: https://makinarocks.ai

Comparison table at a glance

Company name	Year of establishment / Headquarters	Core Services	Cumulative investment amount	Corporate value	Official website
Upstage	2020 / Yongin	Generative AI Platform	About 130 billion won	About 1.4 trillion won	upstage.ai
Rebellions	2021 / Pangyo	AI accelerator chip	approximately 297.6 billion won	Estimated at approximately 500 billion won	rebellions.ai
Moloco	2013 / Silicon Valley/Seoul	AI advertising platform	approximately 249.1 billion won	More than 1 trillion won	moloco.com
Qraft Tech	2016 / Seoul	Automating investment strategies	approximately 219.7 billion won	About 300 billion won	qraftec.com
MakinaRocks	2017 / Seoul	Manufacturing MLOps Platform	About 31.5 billion won	More than 100 billion won	makinarocks.ai

What does the future hold for Korean AI startups?

As of 2025, five notable Korean AI startups are driving technological innovation in diverse industries, demonstrating growth potential beyond Korea and into the global market. The rapid expansion of practical industrial applications of AI technologies, including generative AI, semiconductor chips, advertising optimization, investment automation, and manufacturing MLOps, is particularly encouraging.

Beyond simple technology development, these startups are successfully collaborating with global companies, generating tangible revenue, and commercializing their technologies, elevating the level of the Korean AI industry. Going forward, these startups will continue to be key drivers of accelerating the digital transformation of industries across the board, serving as crucial indicators for the future of AI technology.

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