Country comparison
South Korea vs United Arab Emirates: startup funding compared
Since 9 June 2025, startups in South Korea raised $2.5B across 91 rounds, 1.5 times the United Arab Emirates' $1.7B.
Capital raised running total by month
Where the money goes share of capital by sector
South Korea
United Arab Emirates
Biggest rounds
South Korea
United Arab Emirates
Stage mix share of rounds
Most active investors rounds joined
| Investor | South Korea | United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| Korea Development Bank | 13 | · |
| KB Investment | 7 | · |
| Crit Ventures | 6 | · |
| Hana Ventures | 6 | · |
| D.CAMP | 5 | · |
| Futureplay | 5 | · |
| Plus VC | · | 5 |
| Bon Angels Venture Partners | 4 | · |
| Korea Investment Partners | 4 | · |
| Oraseya Capital | · | 4 |
| We Ventures | 4 | · |
| Company K Partners | 3 | · |
Startup hubs rounds and capital by city
South Korea
United Arab Emirates
Latest rounds
Questions
Which country raised more startup funding, South Korea or the United Arab Emirates?
South Korea. Since 9 June 2025, startups in South Korea raised $2.5B across 91 rounds, against $1.7B across 52 rounds in the United Arab Emirates, 1.5 times more. That is 0.4% and 0.2% of all the capital FundraiseBase tracked worldwide over the period.
How many startup funding rounds were announced in South Korea and the United Arab Emirates?
91 rounds in South Korea and 52 rounds in the United Arab Emirates since 9 June 2025, about 6 and 3 a month.
Are startup rounds bigger in South Korea or the United Arab Emirates?
The median round is $6.8M in South Korea and $4.5M in the United Arab Emirates, and the average round $27.6M and $32.6M. 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 the United Arab Emirates?
The biggest startup rounds in the United Arab Emirates since 9 June 2025 are Cadena ($275M, Series C, 10 Jun 2026), Moove ($250M, Series C, 5 Aug 2026) and Tabby ($233M, 15 Sept 2026).
Which sectors attract the most startup funding in South Korea and the United Arab Emirates?
In South Korea, AI ($1.9B, 77% of the capital), Robotics & Hardware ($207M, 8%) and Health ($165M, 7%) lead. In the United Arab Emirates, AI ($684M, 40% of the capital), Fintech ($384M, 23%) and Enterprise software ($62.5M, 4%) lead.
Is South Korea or the United Arab Emirates better for early-stage startups?
Early-stage rounds (Pre-Seed, Seed and Series A) make up 35% of rounds in South Korea and 65% in the United Arab Emirates. South Korea recorded 15 Pre-Seed or Seed rounds and the United Arab Emirates 28 Pre-Seed or Seed rounds, with a median of $1.5M and $2M.
How much growth funding (Series B and later) goes to South Korea and the United Arab Emirates?
Startups in South Korea raised $901M in 27 Series B or later rounds, 36% of the country's capital. In the United Arab Emirates, $696M in 6 rounds, 41% 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 the United Arab Emirates?
Plus VC (5 rounds, 2 led), Oraseya Capital (4 rounds, 1 led) and Salica Oryx Fund (3 rounds, 1 led) are the most active investors in the United Arab Emirates.
Which investors back startups in both South Korea and the United Arab Emirates?
1 investor joined rounds in both countries. The most active: 500 Global (1 in South Korea, 1 in the United Arab Emirates).
Which cities lead startup funding in South Korea and the United Arab Emirates?
Seoul leads South Korea with $1.6B across 37 rounds, ahead of Yongin ($122M). Dubai leads the United Arab Emirates with $1.1B across 35 rounds, ahead of Abu Dhabi ($302M).
Which month brought the most startup funding?
In South Korea, October 2026 ($620M). In the United Arab Emirates, January 2026 ($429M).
How much did startups in South Korea and the United Arab Emirates 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 the United Arab Emirates $519M across 9 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.