NAVER D2SF, the venture capital arm of South Korean tech giant NAVER, has announced a new investment in the cross-border commerce startup SAZO. The company is developing an agentic AI-powered infrastructure to automate and simplify the complexities of international online shopping. This investment follows a period of significant growth, with SAZO's transaction volume increasing substantially in recent months.
Streamlining Global E-Commerce with AI
Global demand for cross-border e-commerce is expanding rapidly as consumers seek unique items like creator merchandise and secondhand goods. This trend is driven by interest in products not available through traditional retail channels. However, this growth is often hindered by significant logistical and informational barriers for both buyers and sellers worldwide.
SAZO confronts these challenges using agentic AI to eliminate information asymmetry and streamline the purchasing process. Its platform predicts final shipping costs and customs duties with approximately 95% accuracy, removing uncertainty for buyers. AI agents also automate critical tasks like translation, local pricing, payment processing, and customs clearance for a seamless experience.
Rapid Growth and Strategic Partnerships
The company's innovative approach has yielded impressive results, validating its business model in the competitive Asian market. SAZO's service connecting Korea and Japan has seen a sevenfold increase in monthly transaction volume over the past six months. This rapid expansion demonstrates strong market demand for a more integrated international shopping solution.
This growth is supported by a network of powerful strategic alliances with leading e-commerce platforms in the region. SAZO has secured partnerships with major players like Mercari, Rakuten, and Bungaejangter, expanding its reach and credibility. The company also attracted a strategic investment in 2025 from Japan Post Capital, a key logistics operator.
Vision for Global Expansion
Led by CEO Maro Gil, who founded the company in 2023, SAZO has maintained a global focus from its inception. The co-founding team has leveraged its deep understanding of AI and cross-border commerce to build a scalable product. This new capital will fund partnership expansion and the recruitment of talent for its next growth phase.
Currently operating in Korea, the United States, and Japan, SAZO is poised for further international expansion. The company's vision is to evolve into a global infrastructure provider for cross-border agentic commerce. This ambition involves entering new markets and continuously enhancing its AI-driven platform to serve a worldwide customer base.
NAVER's Strategic Interest
Sanghwan Yang, Head of NAVER D2SF, noted that success in this market requires connecting disparate systems into a unified experience. He revealed that SAZO is already in discussions with NAVER Shopping to explore various forms of collaboration. This partnership could provide NAVER users with a more convenient overseas shopping experience and open new global sales channels.
The investment aligns with NAVER D2SF's focus on supporting young founders who are addressing global challenges. As AI lowers barriers to product development, the firm aims to expand collaboration with entrepreneurs who can quickly identify market needs. This strategy positions NAVER at the forefront of emerging technological trends driven by a new generation of innovators.
The strategic investment from NAVER D2SF provides SAZO with crucial capital and a powerful ally to accelerate its mission. By leveraging agentic AI to dismantle the barriers of international e-commerce, the company is well-positioned to redefine the global shopping experience. This partnership signals strong confidence in SAZO's technology and its potential to become an indispensable global infrastructure.