Sequoia, Andreessen Horowitz, and Mayfield are now backing Korean-founded deep tech startups — and the Samsung and SK Hynix effect is a real part of that calculus.
New Korean startup incorporations in the US grew from 16 in 2022 to 40 in 2025, with 193 Korean-founded companies now operating stateside. Moloco's Korean subsidiary generated 62.7 billion won (approximately $46 million USD) in service revenue in 2025, demonstrating that a global-first model with Korean R&D anchoring is viable at scale. Seoul City is seeking approval for a 4 trillion won (approximately $2.9 billion USD) NextEconomy Seoul Fund — the largest single municipal venture fund in Korean history — and a new government hub in Menlo Park now provides founders with one-stop access to Korean public capital and Silicon Valley VC networks.
Sources:
Top US VCs Back Korean Deep Tech — 'Support Based on Contribution, Not Nationality' — Seoul Economic Daily, July 20, 2026
Korean Startups Earn Overseas, Reinvest in Korea — Seoul Economic Daily, July 20, 2026
Four Government Agencies Converge at SVC Menlo Park — Seoul Economic Daily, July 20, 2026
Seoul City Launches 4 Trillion Won Fund for AI, Bio, and K-Culture — Seoul Economic Daily, July 20, 2026
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#KoreanStartups #DeepTech #SiliconValley #VentureCapital #Sequoia #a16z #SeoulFund #Moloco #AIStartup #KOSPI #AIPRISM #SeoulEconomicDaily #WANIFRA
