Top Startups in South Korea in 2026
Top AI startups in South Korea in 2026 — ranked by funding, traction, and team strength. Updated as new data lands.
The strongest AI startups headquartered in South Korea in 2026, ranked by StartupHub.ai's composite score across funding, traction, team, and community signal. We track 65 South Korea-based companies in total; this list highlights the top performers across the sectors most active in the local ecosystem.
Each entry links to a full company profile with founder details, funding history, hiring momentum, and a live competitor map. The list is updated as new rounds, hires, and product launches land in our enrichment pipeline.
Startups
#1
Samsung
A global leader in consumer electronics, mobile devices, and semiconductors.
#2
HANWHA
South Korean conglomerate with diversified holdings in energy, materials, aerospace, finance, retail, and more.
#3
Hyundai
Hyundai is a global automotive manufacturer involved in the development of autonomous driving technology and robotaxi services.
#4
SK on
Automotive Battery Manufacturing company.
#5
Hanwha Ocean
Hanwha Ocean Co., Ltd., formerly known as Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, is one of the "Big Three" shipbuilders of South Korea, along with Hyunda
#6
Krafton
South Korean video game publisher and holding company known for PUBG, TERA, and Subnautica.
#7
Yanolja
Spearheading innovation in travel and hospitality with an AI-powered ecosystem for property management and travel planning.
#8
Tridge
Global B2B marketplace and intelligence platform for the food, agriculture, and marine industries.
#9
Karrot
South Korea's largest second-hand marketplace and a leading C2C mobile marketplace.
#10
Toss
Builds a mobile financial super-app consolidating services like peer-to-peer payments, banking, and investments.
#11
Mobilint
Introduces edge AI boxes for on-device AI applications.
#12
NaraSpace
Develops and operates small satellites and provides AI-powered Earth observation data analytics.
#13
42dot
Pioneering frictionless transportation services with autonomous driving, connected vehicles, and smart city infrastructure.
#14
Acloset
A digital closet and outfit recommendation app.
#15
Config
The data layer for robotic foundation models.
#16
DEEPX
AI semiconductor company focused on edge AI solutions.
#17
HAEGIN
Casual Games Online Games Software Video Games company.
#18
Lunit Inc.
Deep learning AI technology-based software developer in the field of medical data analysis.
#19
Nota AI
AI Software company.
#20
11st
South Korean e-commerce marketplace with 15M+ products
#21
Bithumb
Cryptocurrency Finance Financial Services company.
#22
KREAM
Online platform for trading sneakers and fashion items.
#23
Kurly
Online platform offering groceries, beauty care products, and household items.
#24
MUSINSA
E-Commerce Fashion Retail company.
#25
Zigbang
Real estate platform offering services for apartments and officetels.
#26
bemyfriends
Global fandom business company providing a platform for creators and brands to build and monetize fan communities.
#27
Naver
South Korean internet conglomerate offering search, AI, cloud, e-commerce, and content services.
#28
Epik
AI-powered photo and video editing app by SNOW Corporation with 73M+ downloads.
#29
Buzzvil
Operates as a lock screen ad platform provider.
#30
Rainbow Robotics
Develops advanced humanoid robots and AI-powered robotic solutions for diverse applications.
#31
VoyagerX
AI-powered software solutions for video editing, document scanning, and customer service analysis.
#32
Genexine
South Korean biopharmaceutical company developing novel biologics for cancer and rare diseases.
#33
Yello Mobile
Mobile media company providing a mobile business platform for shopping, media content, marketing, advertising, travel, and O2O businesses.
#34
DOOSAN
A South Korean multinational conglomerate with a long history, involved in heavy industry, machinery, and increasingly, AI and robotics.
#35
Inscobee
A diversified South Korean company involved in telecommunications, smart grids, biopharmaceuticals, and distribution.
#36
Gmarket (eBay Korea)
Leading South Korean e-commerce marketplace offering a wide range of products with global shipping.
#37
KineMaster
A South Korean multimedia software company providing a mobile video editing application.
#38
ANIPLUS
South Korean media company distributing anime, K-dramas, and merchandise across Asia.
#39
SK Hynix NAND Product Solutions
A subsidiary of SK Hynix focused on NAND flash memory solutions.
#40
AIZEN
Utilizes AI and big data to transform banking processes, offering predictive tools to automate decision-making.
#41
Celimax
A skincare brand focused on effective and science-backed formulations.
#42
Com2uS
South Korean mobile game developer and publisher known for titles like Summoners War and MLB 9 Innings.
#43
Databento
Provides real-time market data for financial professionals.
#44
ENERZAi
Develops AI solutions with a focus on energy efficiency.
#45
Illimis Therapeutics
Develops novel biologics for neurodegenerative diseases.
#46
Impactive AI
Provides AI-powered demand forecasting and predictive analytics solutions for enterprises.
#47
Index Robotics
Korean startup building upper-body humanoid robots for the factory floor, around high-precision actuator technology.
#48
LG Display
Global leader in display technology, specializing in OLED and advanced panel manufacturing for various industries.
#49
Mathpresso
Offers a mobile application that can answer questions from a picture.
#50
Moneybrain
Developer of artificial intelligence and synthetic media tools.
List Stats