Country comparison
South Korea vs Italy: startup funding compared
Since 9 June 2025, startups in South Korea raised $2.5B across 91 rounds, 1.4 times Italy's $1.8B.
Capital raised running total by month
Where the money goes share of capital by sector
South Korea
Italy
Biggest rounds
Stage mix share of rounds
Most active investors rounds joined
| Investor | South Korea | Italy |
|---|---|---|
| CDP Venture Capital | · | 29 |
| Korea Development Bank | 13 | · |
| Vento | · | 11 |
| 360 Capital | · | 8 |
| United Ventures | · | 8 |
| KB Investment | 7 | · |
| Crit Ventures | 6 | · |
| Hana Ventures | 6 | · |
| Italian Founders Fund | · | 6 |
| Club degli Investitori | · | 5 |
| D.CAMP | 5 | · |
| Futureplay | 5 | · |
Startup hubs rounds and capital by city
South Korea
Italy
Latest rounds
Questions
Which country raised more startup funding, South Korea or Italy?
South Korea. Since 9 June 2025, startups in South Korea raised $2.5B across 91 rounds, against $1.8B across 117 rounds in Italy, 1.4 times more. That is 0.4% and 0.3% of all the capital FundraiseBase tracked worldwide over the period.
How many startup funding rounds were announced in South Korea and Italy?
91 rounds in South Korea and 117 rounds in Italy since 9 June 2025, about 5 and 7 a month.
Are startup rounds bigger in South Korea or Italy?
The median round is $6.8M in South Korea and $3.8M in Italy, and the average round $27.6M and $15.3M. The median shows the typical round; the average is pulled up by a few very large ones.
What is the biggest startup round in South Korea?
The biggest startup rounds in South Korea since 9 June 2025 are FuriosaAI ($620M, 29 Oct 2026), Rebellions ($400M, Growth, 30 Mar 2026) and Rebellions ($250M, Series C, 30 Sept 2025).
What is the biggest startup round in Italy?
The biggest startup rounds in Italy since 9 June 2025 are Exein ($270M, 15 Sept 2026), Bending Spoons ($270M, Growth, 30 Oct 2025) and AAVantgarde Bio ($141M, Series B, 3 Nov 2025).
Which sectors attract the most startup funding in South Korea and Italy?
In South Korea, AI ($1.9B, 77% of the capital), Robotics & Hardware ($207M, 8%) and Health ($165M, 7%) lead. In Italy, AI ($544M, 30% of the capital), Enterprise software ($358M, 20%) and Health ($335M, 19%) lead.
Is South Korea or Italy better for early-stage startups?
Early-stage rounds (Pre-Seed, Seed and Series A) make up 35% of rounds in South Korea and 57% in Italy. South Korea recorded 15 Pre-Seed or Seed rounds and Italy 52 Pre-Seed or Seed rounds, with a median of $1.5M and $2.3M.
How much growth funding (Series B and later) goes to South Korea and Italy?
Startups in South Korea raised $901M in 27 Series B or later rounds, 36% of the country's capital. In Italy, $461M in 8 rounds, 26% of the capital.
Who are the most active startup investors in South Korea?
Korea Development Bank (13 rounds, 5 led), KB Investment (7 rounds, 2 led) and Crit Ventures (6 rounds, 4 led) are the most active investors in South Korea.
Who are the most active startup investors in Italy?
CDP Venture Capital (29 rounds, 10 led), Vento (11 rounds) and United Ventures (8 rounds, 6 led) are the most active investors in Italy.
Which investors back startups in both South Korea and Italy?
No investor in FundraiseBase joined rounds in both countries yet.
Which cities lead startup funding in South Korea and Italy?
Seoul leads South Korea with $1.6B across 37 rounds, ahead of Yongin ($122M). Milan leads Italy with $976M across 53 rounds, ahead of Rome ($381M).
Which month brought the most startup funding?
In South Korea, October 2026 ($620M). In Italy, October 2025 ($474M).
How much did startups in South Korea and Italy raise in the last 90 days?
In the 90 days to 12 Nov 2026, startups in South Korea raised $620M across 1 round and in Italy $391M across 12 rounds.
Where does this data come from?
FundraiseBase lists startup funding rounds from public announcements: press releases, company posts and news coverage, checked and updated every day. Amounts are in US dollars. Some rounds are never announced, so the figures show what was made public, not every round. Corrections are welcome.