Konkuk University and its partners have completed the formation of the Daejeon Startup City-Konkuk University Anchor Fund No. 1 following a general meeting and registration with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The vehicle will invest in promising startups discovered by the university's campus town program and link Daejeon's R&D infrastructure with technology commercialization and investment networks in the capital region. The announcement did not disclose the fund's total size, but described a multi-stage support model.
Fund Purpose and Investment Focus
The fund was created through a partnership involving Konkuk University Technology Holdings, Daejeon Center for Creative Economy and Innovation, Wintree Partners, and Lets. It is intended to support promising startups identified by the Konkuk Anchor Project's Campus Town Business Division. The fund also connects Daejeon's scientific and R&D infrastructure with the capital area's technology commercialization and investment networks.
Growth Design Platform
Beyond providing capital, the initiative aims to establish a growth design deep tech investment platform. The platform will connect technology validation, R&D, management support, and the TIPS program of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. It will also support follow-up investment and global expansion according to each company's growth stage.
Public-Private Investment Structure
Four organizations serve as co-general partners for the fund. They are Daejeon Center for Creative Economy and Innovation, Konkuk University Technology Holdings, Wintree Partners, and Lets. Listed company Airrane and other corporate and individual investors also participate in what organizers describe as a public-private investment system.
Partner Roles
Each co-general partner brings a specific operational role to the fund. Daejeon Center will focus on discovering regional technology firms and supporting R&D and public demonstration projects. Konkuk University Technology Holdings will connect university technology, intellectual property, and capital area infrastructure, while Wintree Partners manages follow-up investment and Lets leads early-stage acceleration.
Target Sectors and Support Model
The fund will target companies in advanced and strategic technology sectors. These include system semiconductors, bio and health, future mobility, eco-friendly energy, robotics, AI and big data, and aerospace. The co-general partners also plan to provide customized financial and legal advisory services to investees.
Strategic Context
The initiative is anchored in Konkuk University's broader campus town and technology commercialization strategy. It reflects an effort to combine public institutions, private investors, and university resources within a single investment platform. The fund is designed to support startups from early validation through later financing rounds and international expansion.
University Leadership Views
University leaders described the fund as a way to connect research outcomes, talent, and startups within a sustainable innovation ecosystem. President Won Jong-pil said innovation can emerge when university research, talent, and startups are organically linked. He pledged to support promising companies so they can grow further through investment, technology commercialization, and follow-up R&D.
Executive Commentary
Park Jae-min, CEO of Konkuk University Technology Holdings, said the fund combines the university's technology commercialization capabilities with metropolitan investment infrastructure. The goal is to help promising deep tech startups scale. Jeong Hye-jeong, head of the Konkuk Anchor Project's Campus Town Business Division, said investment linkage and commercialization support will be aligned with each company's growth stage.
Konkuk University and Konkuk University Technology Holdings plan to use the fund to strengthen industry-academia collaboration and startup support. They intend to expand an open innovation ecosystem that connects Daejeon's startup and R&D infrastructure with the capital region's technology commercialization and investment network. The new fund positions the university as a more active partner in deep tech venture growth.