Venture capital firm The Ventures has introduced open investment requests, known as Requests For Startups, to South Korea’s startup ecosystem, sharing four initial business ideas. The firm is actively seeking founders to lead projects in consumer goods, K-brands targeting Muslim women, offline content, and scalp care, partnering with entrepreneurs to identify market gaps.
Venture Capital Helps Founders Isolate Specific Consumer Demands
- Market Identification: Venture capital requests help founders isolate specific consumer demands—such as specialized scalp care—that lack adequate market solutions.
The Ventures Introduces Requests For Startups in Korea
The Ventures has become the first venture capital firm in South Korea to implement Requests For Startups, a method popularized by global accelerators like Y Combinator and Andreessen Horowitz. Cho Yeojun, chief investment officer and partner at The Ventures, stated that the open request model helps founders identify market gaps while allowing venture capitalists to share emerging industry trends. The firm has published four initial ideas and is meeting with prospective founders to explore investment opportunities in consumer sectors, including scalp care and offline content.
Global accelerators have utilized Requests For Startups since 2009 to signal areas where new business ideas are lacking. Cho noted that South Korea's market is maturing beyond traditional megatrends, making structured guidance valuable for individual founders in early-stage development. The firm aims to foster a more experimental business culture that encourages entrepreneurs to test concepts and pivot when necessary.
Target Sectors Include Scalp Care and Offline Content
Alongside scalp care, The Ventures is actively looking for consumer goods founders with technology startup experience, entrepreneurs developing K-brands for Muslim women, and initiatives focused on In Real Life or offline content. Cho highlighted offline content as an area of particular interest, drawing on observed shifts in major metropolitan areas toward prioritizing in-person connections. The firm sees potential in connecting physical content experiences with regional South Korean areas possessing underutilized land or distinct cultural tourism assets.
| Strategic Focus Area | Target Demographic or Asset | Venture Objective |
|---|---|---|
| Scalp Care | Consumer Health Market | Address specialized personal care gaps |
| Offline Content (IRL) | Regional Tourism & Communities | Build in-person connection hubs |
| K-Brands | Muslim Women Consumers | Expand niche export market reach |
Cho suggested utilizing regional infrastructure outside Seoul—such as Boseong or Jeju Island—to create sustainable, recurring visitor experiences. By using storytelling-rich intellectual property, such as adapting online gaming content into physical events, the firm aims to position South Korea as a global hub for experiential tourism. Future requests from the firm may also explore sandbox environments designed to test the operational capabilities of artificial intelligence agents.
References
- The Asia Business Daily. Interview with The Ventures Partner Cho Yeojun on Introducing RFS. October 2026.
- Y Combinator.
- Andreessen Horowitz.
