Top 5 Franchise VC Funds & Investors in South Korea (July 2026)

Portfolio highlights

• Dentlink — Next Generation Dental Lab Service
• Pop-Up Studio — Pop-Up Studio is a joint venture between Singapore-based venture studio Wilt Venture Builders (WVB) and AI studio DubDubDub, bringing together venture creation expertise and advanced artificial intelligence capabilities to develop innovative, technology-driven solutions for brands and digital platforms.
• Korea Deep Learning — Korea Deep Learning is an artificial intelligence technology company that offers OCR, analytics, and 3D DX solutions.

Portfolio highlights

• ControlM — ControlM is a food technology company that provides optimum AI solutions to F&B and franchise operators.

Portfolio highlights

• XCENA — XCENA is a semiconductor company that develops data-centric computing systems designed for AI and large-scale data processing environments. The company builds computational memory technology that combines high-capacity pooled DDR5 memory with near-data processing capabilities, allowing computation to occur closer to where data is stored. Its coreplatform is based on the Compute Express Link (CXL) standard, which enables memory expansion beyond traditional CPU limitations while improving data movement efficiency and reducing latency in data center workloads. XCENA’s architecture is designed to support applications such as artificial intelligence workloads, vector databases, and large-scale analytics by addressing memory bandwidth and capacity constraints. The company provides a hardware-software ecosystem that includes computational memory systems and a full-stack software development kit. This SDK offers APIs, runtime tools, and drivers that allow applications to use computational memory without major changes to existing software architectures while also supporting low-level control for performance optimization.XCENA’s flagship product line includes MX1, a CXL-based computational memory solution that integrates near-data processing engines with memory infrastructure to support AI inference and data-intensive workloads. The platform is designed to improve throughput and scalability in environments where traditional memory architectures become a bottleneck. The company operates in the broader field of AI infrastructure and memory innovation, working with customers such as hyperscalers, telecom providers, and research institutions that manage large-scale computing workloads. Its solutions are intended to improve efficiency in systems handling AI, big data processing, and scientific computing.
• BrainU — BrainU is a medical equipment manufacturing company taht developer of medical monitoring device designed to monitor brain activity. BrainU device measures the depth of anaesthesia during surgery by analysing and quantifying the entire EEG, biocompatibility, and applying a hypoallergenic, simple sensor.
• Dentlink — Next Generation Dental Lab Service

Portfolio highlights

• XCENA — XCENA is a semiconductor company that develops data-centric computing systems designed for AI and large-scale data processing environments. The company builds computational memory technology that combines high-capacity pooled DDR5 memory with near-data processing capabilities, allowing computation to occur closer to where data is stored. Its coreplatform is based on the Compute Express Link (CXL) standard, which enables memory expansion beyond traditional CPU limitations while improving data movement efficiency and reducing latency in data center workloads. XCENA’s architecture is designed to support applications such as artificial intelligence workloads, vector databases, and large-scale analytics by addressing memory bandwidth and capacity constraints. The company provides a hardware-software ecosystem that includes computational memory systems and a full-stack software development kit. This SDK offers APIs, runtime tools, and drivers that allow applications to use computational memory without major changes to existing software architectures while also supporting low-level control for performance optimization.XCENA’s flagship product line includes MX1, a CXL-based computational memory solution that integrates near-data processing engines with memory infrastructure to support AI inference and data-intensive workloads. The platform is designed to improve throughput and scalability in environments where traditional memory architectures become a bottleneck. The company operates in the broader field of AI infrastructure and memory innovation, working with customers such as hyperscalers, telecom providers, and research institutions that manage large-scale computing workloads. Its solutions are intended to improve efficiency in systems handling AI, big data processing, and scientific computing.
• Nventric — Nventric is a medical device company that develops core products for neurovascular, coronary heart, and peripheral vascular applications.
• The SMC Group — The SMC Group is a social marketing company.

Portfolio highlights

• Maihub — We deliver cutting-edge healthcare technology faster and more widely than anyone else
• Glovv — Glovv is a short-form beauty content development platform.
• Peanut AI — Peanut AI is a cybersecurity company that specializes in embedded protection for industrial OT and IoT systems. The company help manufacturers secure their factory equipment, PLCs, sensors, and industrial networks with lightweight and real-time defense solutions designed for global compliance.