Published on
September 7, 2025
The Global Venture Investment Summit held during APEC SME Week 2025 in Jeju, South Korea, marked a significant turning point for venture capital in the Asia-Pacific region. With an unprecedented gathering of more than 250 participants from over 17 countries, the summit underscored the shifting dynamics of the venture capital ecosystem in Asia. The event, which was the largest venture investment summit ever hosted in Korea, highlighted the increasing importance of cross-border collaboration, addressing liquidity pressures, funding gaps, and the need for stronger partnerships among regional investors and startups.
As the global startup landscape continues to evolve, Korea is positioning itself as a central hub for innovation, bridging connections between venture capitalists (VCs), limited partners (LPs), and the emerging startup ecosystems of the Asia-Pacific region. The summit emphasized Korea’s growing role as a key player in the global venture investment scene, showcasing the country’s ambitious vision for fostering innovation, particularly in the wake of challenges like rising interest rates and delayed exits in the market.
Korea’s Role as an Emerging Venture Capital Hub
The Global Venture Investment Summit in Jeju served as a critical platform for discussions around the future of the venture capital market. The event provided a forum for investors, government agencies, venture firms, and startups to discuss the future of cross-border investments, the challenges associated with liquidity, and how best to structure future venture ecosystems in the Asia-Pacific region.
Korea’s involvement in hosting the summit was significant, not just from a capital standpoint but also in terms of ecosystem diplomacy. Minister of SMEs and Startups Han Seong-sook emphasized how APEC’s venture market is crucial to the global economy, accounting for more than 70% of global venture investments. This solidified Korea’s vision of emerging not only as a manufacturing and IT powerhouse but also as a connector economy, bridging the startup ecosystems of various APEC nations.
By bringing together global investors and local Korean startups, the summit highlighted Korea’s potential to become a leader in venture capital and innovation across Asia. The country’s growing influence is set to play a pivotal role in shaping how the region’s venture market adapts to new challenges and opportunities, providing a dynamic and collaborative platform for cross-border investment and innovation.
Cross-Border Capital and Regional Cooperation
One of the major themes of the summit was the need for greater cross-border capital flows. Rebecca Xu, Chair of the Hong Kong Venture Capital Association, stressed the importance of collaboration between countries and pointed out that technology knows no borders. Despite this, she highlighted the fact that Korean venture capitalists have had limited involvement in China’s market, a gap that must be addressed for the region to fully unlock its potential.
This sentiment was echoed by other regional leaders who discussed the need for enhanced cross-border investment to fuel growth in Asia’s emerging markets. Le Hoang Uyen Vy, Chair of the Vietnam Private Capital Association, highlighted the gap in funding for Series B and C stages, which are critical for scaling startups beyond their seed funding phase. While early-stage capital is available, many ventures struggle to find the funding needed for expansion, leading to a bottleneck in the region’s startup ecosystem.
Investors at the summit recognized that while funding gaps persist, the solution lies not only in increasing capital but also in fostering regional cooperation. As the venture market in Asia continues to mature, the need for global collaboration between investors, governments, and startups has never been more pressing. The summit served as a timely reminder that cross-border investments are essential for growth in today’s interconnected global economy.
Addressing Liquidity Pressures: The Role of Secondary Markets
Another central topic of discussion at the summit was the current liquidity crunch in the venture market, particularly for startups in later stages of growth. The high interest rates and the delays in exits have created a challenging environment for investors, particularly for those seeking to fund Series B and Series C rounds.
Troy LeMaile-Stovall, CEO of TEDCO, discussed how delays in exit opportunities are creating a ripple effect across the entire investment cycle. When capital is locked up at later stages, it causes follow-on rounds to freeze, which in turn impacts the early-stage funding pipeline. This bottleneck has the potential to slow down innovation from the very beginning of the cycle, affecting the broader startup ecosystem.
However, not all the discussions were pessimistic. David York, Founder of Top Tier Capital, offered a more optimistic perspective, highlighting how secondary markets are emerging as a solution to the liquidity crisis. Secondary markets provide an avenue for investors to liquidate their positions in startups before an exit event like an IPO or acquisition, offering a crucial release valve for investors seeking liquidity in the current market. York also pointed out that despite the strain, the fundamentals of the market remain strong, with IPO candidates waiting for better conditions and the region continuing to attract significant investment.
The emergence of secondary markets presents a unique opportunity for the Asia-Pacific region to strengthen its venture capital ecosystem and unlock new liquidity channels, providing the necessary flexibility for investors to remain active in the market.
Unlocking Growth in Emerging Markets
As the summit highlighted, Asia’s emerging markets face unique challenges in securing funding, particularly in Vietnam, where private capital still lags far behind the economic demands of the country. With private investment hovering at just $2.3 billion, much of the focus at the summit was on the necessity of international cooperation and the alignment of multi-stage investors to address these funding gaps.
Leaders in the region emphasized the importance of government-backed funds in addressing early-stage capital needs, but they also stressed that such funds alone cannot fill the void. Governments, while playing a crucial role, must work in tandem with private investors to create a thriving ecosystem that can support startups through all stages of growth.
The Global Venture Investment Summit underscored that the future of venture capital in Asia lies in collaboration—across borders, markets, and funding stages. For regions like Vietnam and China, international cooperation will be key to bridging the gap between early-stage funding and the capital required for scaling businesses in the later stages.
Korea’s Growing Influence in the Venture Ecosystem
While the summit addressed numerous challenges, it also highlighted Korea’s evolving role in the Asia-Pacific venture ecosystem. As the country continues to bolster its reputation as a global innovation hub, it is increasingly seen as the central point where startup ecosystems from across Asia converge. The summit’s focus on Korean startups, particularly in sectors like AI semiconductors, autonomous driving, and fashion, revealed the breadth of innovation occurring in Korea and its potential to lead the way in global venture capital.
With the Korean government backing this initiative through policy support and ecosystem diplomacy, the Global Venture Investment Summit marked a significant milestone in Korea’s quest to become a top-tier venture capital hub in Asia. By connecting Korean startups to global capital, the summit served as a launchpad for Korea’s broader ambitions in the venture space.
Conclusion: Moving Towards a Collaborative Future in Venture Capital
The Global Venture Investment Summit 2025 in Jeju revealed both the challenges and opportunities facing venture capital in the Asia-Pacific region. The need for cross-border collaboration, the search for liquidity solutions, and the gaps in funding for later-stage startups were clear takeaways from the event. However, the summit also highlighted the critical role that Korea is poised to play in bridging these gaps, positioning itself as a leader in venture investment and global innovation.
As Asia’s venture market continues to evolve, the lessons learned from the summit will shape the future of venture capital in the region. For investors, startups, and policymakers, the path forward lies in stronger regional cooperation and greater alignment across the funding stages. As Korea strengthens its position at the center of this transformation, the future of venture investment in Asia looks brighter than ever.
