South Korean AI fintech AFINIT completed its first Pre-Unicorn India program on October 27. Four Korean beauty startups spent six days in Delhi and Gurugram testing their business plans. AFINIT ran the program with UD Impact and covered all stay costs for participants.
Program details
The four companies were selected from 12 applicants after document and interview reviews. The group visited 10 local companies and institutions during the week. Sessions covered local consumer interviews, business setup advice, and meetings with beauty and commerce firms.
AFINIT and True Balance
AFINIT was founded in 2014 as an AI finance company. It runs True Balance, a mobile service for underbanked customers in India. True Balance reports 120 million cumulative downloads and 3.2 trillion won in brokered transactions as of July 2026.
What startups explored
Participants included Vicesquare's TETO1 men's fragrance brand, Unmask skincare, LinkK aesthetic zones, and a planned lip tattoo brand. They surveyed consumers at malls, Korea Culture Day 2026, and a local engineering college. They also compared pricing, distribution, certification, and creator partnership options.
AFINIT will monitor the four companies for three months. It will track their India entry preparation and follow-up results. The findings will guide its decision on running the program again next year.