– Acts as a solid pit box for startup reorganization
– A pioneer who creates new opportunities by actively establishing investment associations
The pit box is a section in motorsports where the vehicle stops for a while to reorganize, where vehicle condition checks and equipment replacements are quickly performed. Work in the pit box has a big impact on the outcome of the race. The Venture Box, which supports early startups to challenge the market and grow more stably and quickly, is a 'pit box' for startups. We met with CEO Lee Seon-ho of Venture Box and conducted an interview.
■ “Start-up companies also need opportunities to receive investment”
Startups that have not yet shown results are like unbroken bird eggs. They have unlimited potential, but investors hesitate to invest in early-stage startups that have not yet proven results because they do not know what kind of results they will show. However, Venture Box emphasized that it aims to invest in early-stage startups. The reason is that good ideas can come out into the world only if there is an opportunity to receive investment at this stage.
Venturebox CEO Lee Seon-ho emphasizes support for early-stage startups
■ Active investment association management organization
As a GP (General Partner) that operates multiple investment groups, VentureBox adopts a differentiated investment method. It sometimes forms investment groups as a sole GP, and sometimes uses CO-GP funds (joint business execution groups) to expand investment opportunities for startups. Since forming the WK-VentureBox Startup Investment Group in 2017, it has continuously operated investment groups in cooperation with companies, organizations, and universities. It was also selected as an education-related mother fund operator, and its investment capabilities were officially recognized. Through the 'Pit Stop Program', VentureBox helps startups receive customized solutions for business development, market development, investment attraction, and overseas expansion even after investment. Through this, it supports early-stage startups to achieve more systematic and sustainable growth beyond simple financial support.
Venture Box is not just an investment organization. It plays an active role in the entire startup growth process, from leading investments to discovering companies, supporting growth, and attracting follow-up investments. The reason Venture Box can actively participate in early startup investments is because it operates an investment association directly and can gather and persuade LPs (Limited Partners) to create investment opportunities. Through this, it is creating a structure that can smoothly supply the necessary funds to promising startups and actively support companies with high growth potential.
■ Investing in companies with sustainable technologies
Venturebox CEO Lee Seon-ho explains that companies with sustainable technologies can survive independently
Venture Box prefers startups with sustainable technologies. Rather than a simple business model, we evaluate whether the company has its own technology and can adjust its business direction or grow independently according to market changes. Market size and growth potential are also important factors in investment decisions. We evaluate whether the founder has the ability to successfully lead the business and select companies with a high possibility of attracting follow-up investment. In addition, Venture Box has a system in place to more actively support companies that achieve results during the growth process. Venture Box does not focus on a specific field, but invests in startups in various fields. We take a flexible approach that allows us to invest regardless of the industry if the startup has technology and high growth potential. The goal is to support various innovative technologies to become competitive in the market.
■ Dreaming of activating early investment startups
Recently, there are growing concerns that the startup investment market is freezing. As the investment environment worsens, investment in adventurous early-stage startups is bound to shrink even more. However, Lee Seon-ho, CEO of Venturebox, emphasized that “since many accelerators, including Venturebox, are currently securing sufficient investment support funds through mother funds, they should actively utilize this to create growth opportunities for startups.” While interviewing Venturebox, the reporter was able to confirm that in an investment industry where performance and profitability are increasingly emphasized, there are still pure accelerators that believe in the potential of startups and support them.
In Hermann Hesse's Demian, it is said that "the bird struggles to be born from the egg." Startups are also like eggs that have not yet hatched, and they constantly challenge and struggle to be recognized in the market. Venture Box is an accelerator that provides these early startups with the opportunity to prove themselves in the market. No one can predict what will come out of an egg, but if you do not ignore the possibility, that egg can grow into a unicorn company. We hope that innovative unicorn startups that will lead the market will be born through Venture Box in the future.
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