Blackstone Acquires Korean Actuator Firm Futureonic Valued at 1 Trillion Won

Majority Stake Acquired While Founder Retains Management Control

Targeting the Humanoid Robot Market with Combined Technology and Capital Synergy

Global alternative investment manager Blackstone is acquiring Futureonic, a Korean actuator and motion control technology company. With its expertise in precision drive technology accumulated in the automotive parts field, Futureonic plans to make a full-scale entry into the humanoid robot market.

On July 20, Blackstone announced that it had signed a stock purchase agreement (SPA) to acquire a majority stake in Futureonic through its managed private equity fund (PEF). While the specific size of the investment has not been disclosed, the investment banking (IB) industry estimates Futureonic's enterprise value at around 1 trillion won.

This deal is based on a partnership with Futureonic's founder, Chairman Ko Jin-ho. Autronic, the holding company controlled by Chairman Ko, will remain the second largest shareholder after the transaction, and Ko will continue to oversee operations as both chairman and CEO. Blackstone is expected to focus on supporting overseas market development, and is reportedly considering a global IPO for Futureonic in the long term.

Chairman Ko Jin-ho said, "The partnership with Blackstone marks a milestone in Futureonic's growth journey," adding, "It will greatly help accelerate our global expansion and solidify our leadership in the actuator and motion control sector."

Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Busan, Futureonic has grown by supplying high-precision actuators to global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The company not only manufactures actuators but also produces in-house the motors and sensors that are integrated into its products.

Both parties are focusing on the humanoid robot market. It is known that actuator components, which serve as joints, account for over 60 percent of the production cost of humanoid robots. The key to actuators lies in precision integration of the motor, reducer, and controller, and Futureonic's decades of experience in this technology for automotive components is considered applicable to robotic joints as well.

Kuk Yoo-jin, Head of Private Equity for Blackstone Korea, stated, "It is an honor to work with Chairman Ko and the management team, who have led the global actuator industry for more than 30 years. This partnership demonstrates our commitment to supporting the growth of visionary founders and family-run businesses." Song Kyung-min, Managing Director at Blackstone's Private Equity division, also emphasized, "The humanoid and automation markets are at an early stage of explosive growth and will serve as foundational technologies for the mega-trend of integrating AI with the real world."

Blackstone, which manages over $1.3 trillion in assets under management (AUM), acquired Jioyoung in 2019 and sold it for 1.94 trillion won last year. It has also invested in other domestic owner-operated firms, such as JJ Tools and Juno Hair. Its partnership model, which guarantees founders' management control, is a consistent feature, and the acquisition of Futureonic is seen as an extension of this approach.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.