Seven Kakao Ventures Portfolio Companies to Join CES 2026, Showcasing AI and Digital Health Innovations

Kakao Ventures announced on December 4 that seven of its portfolio companies will participate in CES 2026, the world's largest IT and electronics exhibition, which will be held in Las Vegas, USA, from January 6 to 9, 2026 (local time). The Kakao Ventures family companies participating in CES 2026 are Neuroteax, Retinal, Recon Labs, Lumenlab, Omelet, Comfort Lab, and Portray. Among them, Neuroteax, a developer of sleep disorder solutions, received the CES 2026 Innovation Award in the Digital Health category, earning global recognition for its outstanding technological capabilities. With the official slogan "Innovators Show Up," CES 2026 is expected to provide a glimpse into a future where artificial intelligence (AI) is deeply integrated into daily life and industry. Kakao Ventures' portfolio companies plan to showcase leading technologies and products in fields such as AI, digital health, extended reality (XR), and manufacturing AX. They aim to expand global partnerships and actively p

Alternative Investment

12.04 09:29

"BDC Minimum Investment Ratio Set at 60%... One-Year Regulatory Grace Period Possible" Legislative Notice

The financial authorities have set the minimum investment ratio for Business Development Companies (BDCs), which invest in unlisted venture and innovative companies, at 60%, and the minimum fundraising amount at 30 billion won. However, to prevent concentration in specific sectors, when calculating the investment ratio, investments in venture funds and KOSDAQ-listed companies will each be recognized up to a maximum of 30%. Additionally, BDCs are required to invest at least 10% in safe assets. If operational regulations are temporarily violated due to unavoidable circumstances, the application of the regulations will be deferred for one year. On December 3, the Financial Services Commission announced the legislative notice of amendments to the Enforcement Decree of the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act and the Financial Investment Business Regulations related to the introduction of BDCs. The legislative notice period will run for 40 days, from December 4 to January 1

Alternative Investment

12.03 12:00

NongHyup, UAMCO, Saemaul Geumgo... Homeplus at a Crossroads

Homeplus, which has been struggling with a pre-approval merger and acquisition (M&A), is now being pushed to the point where it must consider the possibility of liquidation. Although various rescue scenarios are being proposed by political circles, concerns over liquidation are mounting due to their low feasibility and financial viability. The Fading Flame of Homeplus According to the investment banking (IB) industry on December 3, Homeplus is considering closing five stores nationwide by the end of the year. This is an unavoidable measure due to worsening cash liquidity. Homeplus has been unable to find a new owner for six months, and its management crisis is deepening, with sales dropping by double digits. This is a result of major suppliers reducing the supply of goods. Various utility bills and national pension payments are also overdue. The company has failed to pay a total of 70 billion won in taxes, including comprehensive real estate tax, value-added tax, local taxes, and prope

Alternative Investment

12.03 06:50

Korea Venture Investment Corp. Opens Venture Investment Foreign Exchange Center to Support Overseas Investors’ Entry into Korea

Korea Venture Investment Corp. (KVIC) announced on December 1 that it held the opening ceremony for the Venture Investment Foreign Exchange Center (K-Invest Hub) at its headquarters in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on November 28, officially launching its foreign exchange reporting support service for overseas investors. The opening ceremony was attended by Kim Youngil, Head of Foreign Exchange Business Division at KB Kookmin Bank, and Lee Kiback, Head of the Korea Venture Capital Association. They expressed their commitment to strengthening the foundation for the global growth of promising domestic venture companies through public-private cooperation. A KVIC representative stated, "The domestic venture investment market continues to grow, and as a result, the demand from overseas investors to enter the Korean market is also increasing. However, overseas investors have faced difficulties in reviewing domestic venture investments due to complex foreign exchange transaction reporting and tax procedu

Alternative Investment

12.01 10:24

'Korea VC Awards 2025 Concludes'... Five Firms Including Woori Venture Partners Named 'VC of the Year'

Korea Venture Investment Corp. (KVIC) hosted the 'Korea VC Awards 2025' to share the performance of the Fund of Funds and to honor venture capital firms (VCs) and other contributors who have advanced the innovative venture ecosystem. On November 27, Korea Venture Investment Corp. held the event at Signiel Seoul in Songpa-gu, Seoul, presenting awards in six categories: VC of the Year (Large, Medium, Small), Best Investment Professional, Best Management Personnel, Best Fund (Liquidation), Investee of the Year, and Contribution to Venture Ecosystem Vitalization. Now in its 16th year, the Korea VC Awards selects outstanding Fund of Funds managers, management personnel, and contributors to the venture ecosystem, and facilitates networking between limited partners (LPs) and VCs. The event was attended by Noh Yongseok, First Vice Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, as well as leaders from the Korea Venture Capital Association, Korea Early Stage Investment Accelerator Association, K

Alternative Investment

11.27 19:10

[Invest&Law] Establishment of Affiliate Mortgage Right Before Rehabilitation... Court: "Invalid Due to Favoritism"

Regarding a case where a financially distressed company provided collateral exclusively to a specific creditor ahead of rehabilitation proceedings, the court has ruled that such collateral is "an act of favoritism that sacrifices other creditors," and therefore did not recognize the collateral right. Although the loan was ostensibly provided to support an M&A (mergers and acquisitions), in reality, it was primarily used to repay the claims of a specific creditor. According to the legal community on November 26, the 14th Civil Division of the Suwon Bankruptcy Court (Presiding Judge Lee Jiyeong) recently ruled against finance company A in a lawsuit challenging the results of a claim investigation and confirmation trial, stating, "The rehabilitation collateral right of 1,914,220,000 won cannot be recognized.""Used for Repayment of Existing Debt, Not New Funding...Subject to Avoidance"Previously, company A had lent funds to LED (light-emitting diode) manufacturer and distributor company B

Alternative Investment

11.26 07:00

"Private Equity Firms Facing Delayed Exits Must Strengthen Data-Driven Operations"

Private equity (PE) firms are finding it increasingly difficult to exit their investments due to rising interest rates, persistent inflation, and geopolitical risks, including tensions between the United States and China. Analysts suggest that value creation strategies must be restructured based on data. On November 20, Samjong KPMG released a report titled "Restructuring Value Creation Strategies for Private Equity Funds." The report was based on a survey of 500 global PE leaders and incorporated the latest data from major institutions such as PitchBook, S&P Global, and Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI). According to the report, PE firms have recently experienced delays in investment exits, with the average holding period extending to more than six years. There is also a growing trend of utilizing continuation funds, which allow firms to transfer high-quality assets held by existing funds to new funds for long-term holding, instead of selling them at maturity. As of this

Alternative Investment

11.20 09:17

Stick Treasury Share Cancellation Issue Escalates into Governance Crisis

Stick Investment, a major domestic private equity fund (PEF) manager, is facing heightened governance risks as it clashes head-on with activist shareholders over the issue of treasury share cancellation. The conflict has intensified after Stick Investment officially rejected minority shareholders’ requests to convene an extraordinary general meeting and to put the cancellation of treasury shares on the agenda. With Chairman Yonghwan Do, the founder, nearing the end of his term in March next year, the question of whether he will defend his management control has also emerged as a key issue. Activists Gain the Upper Hand in Shareholding... Greater Influence at the General Meeting According to the investment banking industry on November 19, Stick Investment recently rejected minority shareholders’ requests to convene an extraordinary general meeting and their shareholder proposal to cancel treasury shares. The company argued that the cancellation of treasury shares falls exclusively under

Alternative Investment

11.19 08:22

Shinhan Venture Sells Additional Dreamus Shares, Secures 5 Billion KRW... Acquisition Financing Pressure Eased

Seven Kakao Ventures Portfolio Companies to Join CES 2026, Showcasing AI and Digital Health Innovations

"BDC Minimum Investment Ratio Set at 60%... One-Year Regulatory Grace Period Possible" Legislative Notice

NongHyup, UAMCO, Saemaul Geumgo... Homeplus at a Crossroads

Korea Venture Investment Corp. Opens Venture Investment Foreign Exchange Center to Support Overseas Investors’ Entry into Korea

'Korea VC Awards 2025 Concludes'... Five Firms Including Woori Venture Partners Named 'VC of the Year'

[Invest&Law] Establishment of Affiliate Mortgage Right Before Rehabilitation... Court: "Invalid Due to Favoritism"

"Private Equity Firms Facing Delayed Exits Must Strengthen Data-Driven Operations"

Stick Treasury Share Cancellation Issue Escalates into Governance Crisis

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