Country comparison
South Korea vs Saudi Arabia: startup funding compared
Since 9 June 2025, startups in South Korea raised $2.5B across 91 rounds, 2.6 times Saudi Arabia's $976M.
Capital raised running total by month
Where the money goes share of capital by sector
South Korea
Saudi Arabia
Biggest rounds
South Korea
Saudi Arabia
Stage mix share of rounds
Most active investors rounds joined
| Investor | South Korea | Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|---|
| Korea Development Bank | 13 | · |
| KB Investment | 7 | · |
| 500 Global | 1 | 5 |
| Crit Ventures | 6 | · |
| Hana Ventures | 6 | · |
| D.CAMP | 5 | · |
| Futureplay | 5 | · |
| Impact46 | · | 5 |
| Bon Angels Venture Partners | 4 | · |
| COTU Ventures | · | 4 |
| Korea Investment Partners | 4 | · |
| Merak Capital | · | 4 |
Startup hubs rounds and capital by city
South Korea
Saudi Arabia
Latest rounds
Questions
Which country raised more startup funding, South Korea or Saudi Arabia?
South Korea. Since 9 June 2025, startups in South Korea raised $2.5B across 91 rounds, against $976M across 42 rounds in Saudi Arabia, 2.6 times more. That is 0.4% and 0.1% of all the capital FundraiseBase tracked worldwide over the period.
How many startup funding rounds were announced in South Korea and Saudi Arabia?
91 rounds in South Korea and 42 rounds in Saudi Arabia since 9 June 2025, about 6 and 3 a month.
Are startup rounds bigger in South Korea or Saudi Arabia?
The median round is $6.8M in South Korea and $3.5M in Saudi Arabia, and the average round $27.6M and $23.2M. 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 Saudi Arabia?
The biggest startup rounds in Saudi Arabia since 9 June 2025 are barq ($330M, Series A, 15 Sept 2026), Ninja ($254M, Growth, 8 Jul 2025) and Gathern ($72.1M, Series B, 20 Aug 2025).
Which sectors attract the most startup funding in South Korea and Saudi Arabia?
In South Korea, AI ($1.9B, 77% of the capital), Robotics & Hardware ($207M, 8%) and Health ($165M, 7%) lead. In Saudi Arabia, Fintech ($485M, 50% of the capital), Consumer ($257M, 26%) and Enterprise software ($116M, 12%) lead.
Is South Korea or Saudi Arabia better for early-stage startups?
Early-stage rounds (Pre-Seed, Seed and Series A) make up 35% of rounds in South Korea and 79% in Saudi Arabia. South Korea recorded 15 Pre-Seed or Seed rounds and Saudi Arabia 24 Pre-Seed or Seed rounds, with a median of $1.5M and $1.7M.
How much growth funding (Series B and later) goes to South Korea and Saudi Arabia?
Startups in South Korea raised $901M in 27 Series B or later rounds, 36% of the country's capital. In Saudi Arabia, $132M in 3 rounds, 14% 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 Saudi Arabia?
Impact46 (5 rounds, 3 led), 500 Global (5 rounds) and Merak Capital (4 rounds, 3 led) are the most active investors in Saudi Arabia.
Which investors back startups in both South Korea and Saudi Arabia?
1 investor joined rounds in both countries. The most active: 500 Global (1 in South Korea, 5 in Saudi Arabia).
Which cities lead startup funding in South Korea and Saudi Arabia?
Seoul leads South Korea with $1.6B across 37 rounds, ahead of Yongin ($122M). Riyadh leads Saudi Arabia with $920M across 27 rounds, ahead of Jeddah ($1.2M).
Which month brought the most startup funding?
In South Korea, October 2026 ($620M). In Saudi Arabia, September 2026 ($364M).
How much did startups in South Korea and Saudi Arabia raise in the last 90 days?
In the 90 days to 29 Oct 2026, startups in South Korea raised $636M across 2 rounds and in Saudi Arabia $384M across 11 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.