"Founded in the U.S."... Korean VCs Focus on 'Born Global' Startups

Aiming for Global Expansion from the Outset... Launching Abroad from Day One
Twelve Labs Secures Series B Funding with Headquarters in the U.S.

Korean-founded startups in the United States, known as "born global" companies, are attracting the attention of domestic venture capital. These companies adapt early to the local ecosystem in the U.S., allowing them to expand abroad more quickly than companies that first establish themselves in Korea before going abroad. This accelerated global scalability is a key investment attraction.

Photo by Google Gemini Generation

"Born global" companies refer to those that, from their inception, set up operations overseas and grow with the goal of global expansion. This approach differs from the typical model that first solidifies a foundation in the domestic market before moving abroad. These companies have the advantage of being able to build local investment ecosystems and networks early on.

Recently, Twelve Labs, a global video artificial intelligence (AI) company, raised $100 million (approximately 150 billion won) in its Series B funding round. The round was co-led by New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and Naver Ventures. In addition to existing investors such as Radical Ventures, Korea Investment Partners, and Index Ventures, new investors Quad Capital and Red Bull Ventures also participated. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Twelve Labs is an AI company founded by five Koreans, including CEO Jaesung Lee. The company currently maintains offices in Seoul, Pangyo, New York, and London.

At the end of last year, Bonai, an advanced defense technology (defense tech) startup, attracted around 17 billion won in seed funding. U.S. venture capital firm Third Prime led the round, with Kolon Industries participating as a strategic investor. Asset management firms and VCs including Timefolio Asset Management, KNet Investment Partners, TheVentures, and Base Ventures also participated. Bonai established its U.S. entity in January 2025, followed by its Korean corporation in July the same year.

Ama, which provides postpartum care center services in the United States, also previously secured seed funding from TheVentures. Ama is operated by Korean-American founder Esther Park. The application of postpartum care center services incorporating Korean elements to the U.S. market has been highly regarded.

According to the February trends report from Startup Alliance titled "2026 Map of Korean-founded Startups in the U.S.," the proportion of locally founded companies among the 165 Korean-founded startups headquartered in the U.S. stood at a high 85.5% (141 companies). Commenting on this, the report noted, "This result indicates that the trend of setting the U.S. as a strategic hub from the very early stage of company formation, rather than simply viewing it as an expansion market, has become mainstream among 'born global' startups."

It is also noteworthy that "flip" companies, which establish a parent company overseas and convert their Korean entity into a subsidiary, account for 14.5% (24 companies) of the total. The report analyzes, "Despite challenges such as tax burdens and opposition from existing shareholders, an increasing number of companies are boldly executing flips to more easily attract overseas capital and enter global markets."

An industry source from the venture capital sector said, "Because Korea's market is small, global expansion is inevitable. If a company that succeeds in the U.S. comes to Korea to seek funding, the rationale is usually clear, making it an attractive investment. However, if a company founded overseas cannot articulate why it needs Korean capital, it may be subject to preconceptions from the investor's perspective."

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