The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS), together with Korea Venture Investment (KVIC) and the Korea Venture Capital Association (KVCA), held the Korea-India Venture Investment Meetup in Bengaluru, India, on June 17 to connect the two countries’ venture investment ecosystems and help more Korean startups expand overseas.
 
The event proceeded in three parts: the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between two countries’ venture capital associations (KVCA-IVCA), an introduction to Korea’s Fund of Funds and global funds, and an introduction to Indian VCs followed by networking. Around 30 participants from both countries, including Korean and Indian VCs, attended.
 
India has a vast domestic market and a strong pool of talent, and with a venture investment market worth around USD 9.9 billion as of 2025, it has become a market Korean venture companies cannot afford to overlook.
 
Against this backdrop, the MOU between the Korea Venture Capital Association and the Indian Venture Capital Association is significant as the first cooperation of its kind between two countries’ leading VC associations. The agreement covers support for companies in both countries seeking investment and market entry, sharing information on the venture ecosystem and building capacity, and expanding networking among investors – and the two sides plan to build on it to broaden practical cooperation between investors.
 
After the signing, the program continued with an introduction to Korea’s Fund of Funds and global funds, along with presentations by leading Indian VCs. Participants shared the current state of both countries’ venture investment ecosystems and explored opportunities for cooperation.
 
“The first MOU between the two countries’ leading venture capital associations is a meaningful starting point for cooperation in private investment and a first step toward connecting the two countries’ venture ecosystems,” said Mok Seung-Hwan, Head of the Startup, Venture and Innovation Office at MSS. “I hope this event will serve as an opportunity for Korea and India to expand cooperation and exchange between their venture ecosystems and grow together into one of Asia’s leading innovation hubs.”
 
During the visit, Mok stopped by a store of GoPizza (CEO Lim Jae-Won), a Korean startup that has successfully entered the Indian market, to see its local operations and hear about the challenges it faces on the ground.
 
There, he was also introduced to the “Pinkfong Baby Shark Kids Menu” – a collaboration between GoPizza and global family entertainment company The Pinkfong Company (CEO Kim Min-Seok), set for official release in September – and handed out Pinkfong and Baby Shark products to local children and families.
 
“This collaboration between GoPizza and Pinkfong could become a new model for Korean startups going global,” Mok said.
  

For more news and updates on Korea’s SME and startup policies, follow the Ministry’s official LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mss1357