South Korea’s internet pioneers, Kakao Corp. and Naver Corp., are ramping up overseas investments in artificial intelligence startups, shifting focus to North America in a move that is raising concerns among domestic startups over tighter funding at home.

After a two-year lull, both companies have resumed active startup investing but with a markedly global tilt.

The pair, which respectively backed about 20 startups annually during 2021–2022, have since cut that pace by more than half, according to Seoul-based tracker The VC.

Now, their investments are skewed toward US-based companies developing next-generation AI technologies in hopes of tapping innovations that align with their core platforms or open up new growth paths.

AI IS A MUST FOR ANOTHER LEAP  

According to the investment banking industry on Tuesday, Naver Cloud Corp., a cloud computing arm of Naver, recently led a Series A funding round for Urban Datalab, the developer of an AI medical platform, MeDiAuto, with its own investment of 3.5 billion won ($2.5 million).

Naver’s newly launched Naver Ventures also made its debut investment in TwelveLabs, a Silicon Valley-based startup with an unrivaled multimodal AI technology that has already attracted big-name backers, including Nvidia, Samsung Electronics Co. and Intel Corp.

“We are open to collaboration (between Naver and TwelveLabs) next year or later,” said Kim Sung-ho, head of Naver’s Immersive Media Platform team.

Naver’s renewed push into AI investing has gained further momentum since its founder Lee Hae-jin returned as chairman earlier this year.

“If David wants to beat Goliath, he must aim well with the right stone,” said Lee at a ceremony celebrating the opening of Naver Ventures, the company’s first dedicated overseas venture capital in Silicon Valley, last month. “We are in the middle of picking the right stone.”

In this analogy, Naver is the underdog battling US tech giants in the AI race.

Naver’s in-house corporate venturing (CV) team, D2SF, has also made a series of AI-focused investments this year.

It has invested in AI-powered logistics platform startup Techtaka; AI game developer Anchor Node; AI-supported autonomous driving technology developer whereable.ai; and multi-modal commerce AI startup Studio Lab.

Kakao has been similarly active in investing in AI companies.

According to The VC, Kakao Investment Co., Kakao’s venture investment arm, has recently invested 3 billion won in Seoul-based AI chip startup FurisosaAI Inc.

Its another venture capital company, Kakao Ventures Corp. has joined early-stage funding rounds of AI agent developer Tzafon and large language model startup Trillion Labs.

NORTH AMERICA EMERGES AS A NEW BATTLEGROUND

While the uptick in tech investment is a welcome shift after years of slowdown, Korean startups now worry they may be left behind.

Historically reliant on Kakao and Naver for early-stage capital, domestic startups fear the funding tide may be turning westward – just as global AI interest is surging.

Of five startups Naver D2SF has invested in 2024, three are US-based, including 3D content developer Claythis and YesPlz AI, a fashion-focused multimodal AI developer.

Kakao Ventures has also invested in FS2, a 3D AI chip design company led by MIT engineers; Oligo Space, an automated spacecraft design and production toolchain developer; and medTech startup Kompass Diagnostics.

To deepen its reach in the North American venture capital ecosystem, Naver opened D2SF’s US office in Silicon Valley last year and launched Naver Ventures in the global tech hub to scout growth-stage firms.

Kakao Ventures’ officials regularly visit the US once every two to three months to build ties with local VCs, engineers and researchers.

Investors see more room for upside in US startups than in their Korean counterparts, offering greater synergy.

“The ecosystem for tech-based startups is more mature in the US, and top US universities generate stronger pipelines of investable early-stage companies,” said an official from a Korean VC company.

The trend also reflects a strategic calculus, said industry observers.

Korean tech giants face less public scrutiny abroad compared to frequent domestic criticism over big tech firms’ aggressive M&A moves with startups after investment.

That’s prompting concern that capital could increasingly flow to overseas startups instead of bolstering the local tech scene.

“Startup funding is borderless,” said an official in the VC industry. “Without competitiveness to appeal globally, any startups won’t survive.”

Write to Eun-Yi Ko at koko@hankyung.com
Sookyung Seo edited this article.

Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons are two of the world’s most renowned and expensive and hotel companies.

But forget staying in their hotel rooms – they’re among the top travel brands taking to the water.

And Waldorf Astoria – which is owned by Hilton – is the latest travel firm to strike out, launching a luxury Nile cruise in 2026.

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More akin to mega yachts and much smaller than regular cruise ships these vessels hold just a few hundred cashed-up guests. 

Ritz Carlton recently launched its third ship, Luminara, with an A-list filled party.

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Models Kendall Jenner and Naomi Campbell, TV host Martha Stewart, and actors Orlando Bloom and Kate Hudson were among those invited to the extravagant party.

Outside of hotels, on-the-ground tour company Trafalgar announced it is also expanding into river cruising with two new ships, the Trafalgar Verity and Trafalgar Reverie, for sailings on the Rhine and Danube rivers, starting in April 2026.

Ted Blamey Principal at specialist cruise consulting firm CHART Management Consultants says there are many reasons all these firms want in on the water-bound holidays.

“The first is basically that cruising is booming, so it’s a great opportunity for experienced travel and accommodation companies to capitalise on,” he tells 9Travel.

“Second, I guess, would be, that these organisations, they have very powerful existing guest basis.

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“They have a very significant number of past guests who are loyal to the brand, and love it, and why not offer them something new that will continue to get their loyalty and of course, earn revenues.

“I guess another reason is that these same people are open to new experiences.”

Meanwhile he said cruising is unique from a business point of view because guests are captive on the vessel much of the time.

And that means you can control their holiday – as well as retain much of the money they pay to be there.

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The new players are competing against other luxury cruise brands such as Crystal Crusies, Ponant, Explora Journeys, Azamara, Silversea, and Regent Seven Seas.

But this could be good for the whole industry Ted says.

“I think all of us in the industry have felt for years that competition is a good thing, it grows the market,” he says.

Even Orient Express, most famous for its lavish trains, is getting involved. It’s planning the world’s largest sailing ship, Orient Express Silenseas, for next year.

Smaller Swiss brand, Aman is also setting sail.

Meanwhile, images show the first vessel for Four Seasons won’t be anything like normal cruiser.

The yacht will have an extendable marina on both sides for water sports, swimming or simply posing for Instagram photos.

Captain Kate McCue has jumped ship from Celebrity Cruises to captain it.

But one thing all the vessels will have in common is that their high-net-worth guests can enjoy the finest things the world can offer.

That includes an almost one to one crew member to guest ratio, fine dining meals from top chefs and lavish suites with huge terraces.

Prices are not always widely advertised but run into the tens of thousands, making a trip something everyday Aussie cruises can only dream of.

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MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – A Vermont lawmaker has been selected to co-lead a national task force on artificial intelligence policy.

It’s part of a nationwide effort by Future Caucus to arm state lawmakers with knowledge and expertise on AI.

Bradford Democratic Rep. Monique Priestley co-chairs the task force with a Republican representative from Utah.

She says her focus is to learn more about how AI impacts consumer protection and data policy.

“Right now, AI is touching everything that we are interacting with. It’s used in software that determines if you can get a loan, if you can get an apartment, or whether or not you qualify for different education. Your health care is largely impacted by artificial intelligence,” Priestley said.

The task force will connect lawmakers with expert voices in the industry and create a first-of-its-kind bipartisan state AI policy memo to guide policymaking across the country.

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