South Korea’s NAVER Corp. is launching a new venture investment arm in Silicon Valley, a move that underscores its ambition to expand its global presence and accelerate innovation by backing early-stage startups in North America.
The initiative, NAVER Ventures, will focus on identifying and supporting category-leading companies in emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.
It builds on NAVER’s track record through its in-house startup program D2SF and follows the acquisition of U.S.-based social commerce firm Poshmark in 2023.
NAVER Ventures has already made its first investment in TwelveLabs, a U.S. video AI startup developing advanced machine learning tools for video understanding.
The investment aligns with NAVER’s broader strategy to deepen its AI capabilities and collaborate with global technology firms to fuel future growth.
The venture initiative is expected to complete its establishment process later this month and will be led by NAVER’s President of Investments, Kim Namsun.
NAVER Ventures will provide capital and strategic expertise to help startups scale their business globally, with a particular emphasis on companies operating in high-growth, innovation-driven sectors.
Top NAVER executives, including Founder and Chairman Lee Hae-jin, CEO Choi Soo-yeon, and Kim, recently visited Silicon Valley to engage with entrepreneurs, engineers, and venture capital leaders.
On June 5, they hosted a networking event titled “Venturing NAVER’s Next Chapter” at the Four Seasons Hotel, where they outlined NAVER’s long-term vision for supporting global startups and fostering next-generation technologies.
NAVER, founded in 1999, is South Korea’s largest internet company, with businesses spanning commerce, fintech, content, cloud, robotics, and AI.
It reported KRW 10.74 trillion (USD 7.5 billion) in revenue in 2024 and ranks among Korea’s top publicly traded firms. Its growing international footprint includes operations and partnerships across Japan, North America, and Europe.