NAVER D2SF to Invest in North American Startups, "To Become a Gateway between North America and Asia."

• Connecting North American Investors and Entrepreneurs, NAVER D2SF to "actively discover North American startups and promote global synergy."
• Strengthening support from networking with local investors and entrepreneurs, attracting investment to promoting, "NAVER D2SF will be a bridge between North America and Asia."

SEONGNAM, South Korea, Oct. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On the 24th (local time), NAVER D2SF held a networking meetup for local investors and entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley, expressing its ambition to serve as a gateway for startups seeking global market expansion.

Since its launch in 2015, NAVER D2SF has made significant investments in 110 early technology startups, aiming for NAVER's Corporate Venturing (CV). NAVER D2SF has facilitated connections between approximately 1,700 startups, including its portfolio companies, and various organizations of NAVER. It has created strategic synergy between NAVER and startups by deriving more than 210 agendas for collaboration. In September, NAVER D2SF started to expand its reach into the North American market by investing in two startups based on America: "Claythis," a 3D-content generation startup, and "YesPlz," an AI-powered fashion search and recommendation startup.

Through this meetup, NAVER D2SF aims to enhance synergy in NAVER's global business and technology strategies by discovering and investing in local startups in North America. At the same time, it seeks to establish a network of local companies, investors, and entrepreneurs to serve as a gateway, facilitating the global growth of startups by supporting North American startups' entry into Asia and Korean startups' expansion into North America. NAVER D2SF also plans to strengthen support for attracting follow-up investment, as well as global promotion and marketing.

"Amid intensifying global competition in technologies such as AI and robotics, the global market expansion of startups has become essential," said Yang Sang-hwan, head of NAVER D2SF. "Leveraging NAVER's global business and technological achievements, we aim to help startups enter the global market and foster synergies between NAVER and startups across borders."

YJ Park of NAVER D2SF, who leads startup discovery and investment of startups in North America, said, "D2SF has already been engaging with many local startups, and they are showing strong interest in the Asian market." Park added that the company "will actively invest to any startup interested in the Asian market or capable of creating synergy with NAVER, regardless of nationality or race background - not just Korean startups founded in North America."

Meanwhile, NAVER D2SF is openly recruiting new investment candidates from both domestic and North American startups through its website, and has also established office hours to facilitate more diverse networking opportunities. 

About NAVER

Founded in 1999, NAVER is Korea's largest Internet company. It operates No.1 search engine in Korea 'NAVER' and the nation's No.1 e-commerce platform, as well as other global online services such as LINE mobile messenger, Webtoon and Webnovel publishing, SNOW video camera app and ZEPETO metaverse platform.

In addition to its own offerings, NAVER is building a strong global business portfolio through partnerships with industry-leading companies, including Softbank, Poshmark, and Wattpad.

NAVER recorded sales of KRW 9.6 trillion (USD 6.9 billion) in 2023. The company invests approximately 25% of its annual sales on R&D projects, pursuing innovation through continuous research and development of future technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous driving technologies.

To learn more, visit www.navercorp.com/en