Korean NH Venture Investment Targets Israeli Tech Startups for Strategic Collaboration

Korean Investment Firm Sets Sights on Israeli Tech Startups

NH Venture Investment, a subsidiary of Korea's NongHyup Financial Group, is making strategic moves to invest millions of dollars in Israeli tech firms. The company's CEO, Hyun Jin Kim, sees this as an opportunity to merge Israeli innovation with Korean manufacturing expertise, aiming to create larger, more competitive global companies 1

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The Trepont Fund: A Bridge Between Korea, Israel, and Silicon Valley

In July 2024, NH Venture partnered with Israeli investment platform OurCrowd to establish an $80 million fund named Trepont. This collaborative effort aims to invest in and connect up to 30 startups from Korea, Israel, and Silicon Valley, focusing on deep tech sectors including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, defense, healthcare, and quantum computing 1

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Investment Strategy and Current Progress

Kim has outlined plans to allocate at least $40 million of the Trepont fund specifically to Israeli startups. NH Venture has already made its first move in this direction by investing in Kardome, an Israeli AI voice recognition company that has established working relationships with major Korean corporations like LG and Hyundai Motors 1

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Exploring Israeli Tech Landscape

During a recent visit to Israel, Kim met with eight startups, including the Israeli unicorn Hailo. He expressed particular interest in Israel's defense technologies, viewing Israel as an ideal starting point for creating a global market that leverages Korean manufacturing capabilities 1

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Geopolitical Considerations

Despite the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, Kim remains optimistic about the investment prospects. He noted that innovation and development have continued unabated throughout the conflict. Ely Razin, a partner at OurCrowd, observed an increase in Korean interest following the Israel-Hamas ceasefire 1

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Strengthening Korea-Israel Tech Ties

The move by NH Venture is part of a broader trend of Korean companies engaging with the Israeli tech ecosystem. Major Korean corporations such as Samsung, LG, and Hyundai already maintain venture capital arms in Israel. Both countries are recognized for their substantial investments in research and development 1

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Complementary Relationship

Seong Ryong Kang, CEO of the Korea-Israel Industrial R&D Foundation, highlighted the complementary nature of the relationship between Korean and Israeli industries. This synergy makes collaboration between the two countries particularly attractive compared to partnerships with other Asian nations with similar industrial profiles 1

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Future Outlook

NH Venture's initiative reflects a growing trend of Korean companies seeking to cooperate and invest in Israeli firms. As Kim stated, "We will make an investment as soon as possible," signaling a strong commitment to this strategy. The company also aims to leverage these investments and collaborations to penetrate the U.S. market, further expanding its global reach 1

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