Kakao Investment
Profile, fund size and portfolio
Kakao Investment is the corporate venture arm of Kakao Corp. (internet platform, messaging and content). It was founded in 2015 and is based in Seongnam, South Korea. It invests from Seed to Growth in artificial intelligence and metaverse, service and platform, commerce and brand.
Every figure links to its source
Snapshot
Data behind this graphic
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Stage range | Seed to Growth |
| Sectors | Artificial intelligence and, Service and platform, Commerce and brand, Entertainment, Healthcare, Logistics and mobility |
| Geography | Korea and abroad |
| Offices | Seongnam (Pangyo), South Korea |
Sources: S2 Kakao Investment site (English): about us; S1 Kakao Investment site (Korean): team.
Data behind this graphic
The firm has not published a portfolio breakdown.
Sources: .
Data behind this graphic
| Measure | Value | Unit | Kind | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headline size | Not disclosed by the firm. | |||
| Companies backed | 30 | companies | Reported in the press | S4 |
| Companies on the firm's portfolio page | 4 | companies | Counted from the firm's own list | S7 |
Sources: S4 TopDaily (Korean): Kakao Investment as group investment control tower (2022-11-14); S7 GlobeNewswire: RLWRLD raises USD 26M Seed 2 (2026-02-25).
Where it invests and who leads it
Geography
- Headquarters
- Seongnam, South Korea
- Offices
- Seongnam (Pangyo), South Korea
Investment regionsS2S1
- Korea and abroad
LeadersS1
- Derek Kim Do-youngCEO (김도영)LinkedInFirm page
- Ryan Kim Taek-hoonVice President (김택훈)Find on LinkedInFirm page
- Jay Park Ju-hyungExecutive Director (박주형)Find on LinkedInFirm page
- Jake Lee Do-kyungDirector (이도경)Find on LinkedInFirm page
- Allen Jeon Su-anDirector (전수안)Find on LinkedInFirm page
Key facts
| Fact | Value | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent company | Kakao Corp. | Single source | S5 |
| Parent industry | Internet platform, messaging and content | Single source | S4 |
| Founded | 2015 | Single source | S4 |
| Headquarters | Seongnam, South Korea | Reported by MarketBZ company record: Kakao Investment Co. | S10 |
| Status | Active | Single source | S7 |
| Capital source | Parent company only | Single source | S4 |
| Companies backed | 30 | Single source | S4 |
| People on the team page | 13 | Single source | S1 |
| Stages | Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth | Single source | S2 |
For founders
Recent rounds
| Date | Company | Round | Amount | Led by the firm | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-25 | RLWRLD | Seed 2 | USD 26M | S7 |
History
- K Venture Group founded January 2015 as a Kakao investment company.S4
- Renamed Kakao Investment.S4
- Kakao contributes shares worth over KRW 1 trillion (SK Telecom, Dunamu, Kadokawa and others) to Kakao Investment (November).S4
- Kim Do-young, ex CFO of Kolon Mobility Group, named CEO (announced 2025-03-11).S6
- Kakao Investment joins RLWRLD Seed 2 (Feb).S7
Portfolio
The firm's portfolio page lists 4 companies: 4 active.S7
The firm also states 30 companies backed. The page list and the stated total measure different things.S4
Every company on the Kakao Investment list
4 companies, as listed on the firm's own website.S7 Read the firm's list.
- Dunamu
- Kadokawa Corporation
- RLWRLD
- Stage Five (스테이지파이브)
Where sources disagree
- Launch year: Established January 2015 as K Venture Group; renamed Kakao Investment 2017 (TopDaily 2022) (S4) vs Newly formed 1 April 2017 by a spin-off from K Venture Group, per a search summary of a Kakao business report (not opened) (S4). Entity history differs by source; 2017 is the Kakao Investment name date.S4S4
Official pages
Read the firm's own pages for current information.
- Website kakaoinvestment.com/
- Portfolio kakaoinvestment.com/current
- LinkedIn company page linkedin.com/company/kakaoinvestment
Sources
- S1Kakao Investment site (Korean): teamFirm
- S2Kakao Investment site (English): about usFirm
- S3Kakao Investment site: current portfolio page (JS board, names not in HTML)Firm
- S4TopDaily (Korean): Kakao Investment as group investment control tower (2022-11-14)Press
- S5TopDaily (Korean): Kakao Investment and Kakao Ventures roles (2022-11-16)Press
- S6MK: Kakao Investment appoints Kim Do-young as CEO (2025-03-11)Press
- S7GlobeNewswire: RLWRLD raises USD 26M Seed 2 (2026-02-25)Portfolio company
- S8Search result listing Derek Do-Young Kim LinkedIn (CEO of KakaoInvestment)Third-party report
- S9Search result listing Kakao Investment LinkedIn company pageThird-party report
- S10MarketBZ company record: Kakao Investment Co., Ltd. (address, CEO, last modified 2026-08-01)Third-party report
Disclaimer and corrections
Not affiliated. This page is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Kakao Investment or any company named on it. Names and trademarks belong to their owners. Informational only. This is a public-source reference. It is not investment, legal or tax advice and not an offer or solicitation. Sources. Each figure names its source. Figures may have changed. Please read the firm's official pages, linked above. Corrections and takedown. To report an error or ask for a change or removal, use the correction form or email Richard@CorporateVentureCapital.com.
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