[Weekly M&A] Solidigm's 10 Trillion Won Big Deal & National Growth Fund of 200 Trillion Won... Venture Capital Flocking to AI and Semiconductors

[Weekly Pitch: VC & M&A] This is the core briefing on venture investments and M&As for this week presented by News Epoch. (2026.07.31 ~ 2026.08.07)

This week's venture investment and M&A market was highlighted by a concentration of funds in high-tech fields such as artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors, along with trillion-won scale big deals. Strategic mergers and acquisitions (M&A) by major conglomerates and massive funding rounds by startups in key sectors have injected vitality into the market. The government's plan to create a large-scale fund is also seen as adding momentum to this trend.

■ Overwhelmingly Large Big Deals Shake the Market Landscape

In the domestic venture investment market this week, news that SK Hynix's NAND subsidiary Solidigm is seeking to attract up to 10 trillion won in investment through a pre-IPO overwhelmingly captured attention. This is one of the largest deals in the history of the domestic venture market, with participation expected from global asset managers and sovereign wealth funds. Semiconductor manufacturing equipment company SSP was acquired by Keystone Partners for 400 billion won, drawing the industry's focus. Private equity fund KL&Partners also played the role of a major market player by acquiring a 65% stake in PPB Studios for 140 billion won to expand its K-beauty portfolio. Automotive seat fabric and airbag cushion manufacturer Dual also joined the wave of large-scale M&As, being acquired by Motrex EFM for 145.2 billion won.

■ Investment Fervor Continues in Future Tech Sectors Including AI, Semiconductors, and Robotics

The investment fervor in future core technology fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and robotics remained strong. AI semiconductor chip developer DeepX attracted a 42 billion won Series D investment from BNW Investment and DS Asset Management. AI agent startup Liner is also pushing to attract a 50 billion won Series C investment, being recognized for a corporate value of 250 billion won. In addition, Sigmine received a seed investment from CNT Tech for its AI marketing solution, and global big tech companies continued their competition to dominate the AI market, with news of key AI talents from Google resigning to establish a new company, and Meta Platforms unveiling its AI coding agent 'Muse Code'. In the robotics field, Finger sought business diversification by acquiring a 79.5% stake in industrial robot engine developer Michelo Robotics for 16 billion won. Semiconductor ceramic parts company CEK was recognized for its growth potential by raising 10.5 billion won from QED through a pre-IPO. Battery safety materials company Bobaek CNS revealed the potential of the energy sector by attracting a 10 billion won Series B investment from Ulmus Investment and others. Space mechanism technology-based microsatellite system startup Steplab received an 11 billion won Series A investment from multiple VCs including Company K Partners, and hydraulic hybrid heavy equipment energy recovery solution company Ready Robust Machine also completed a 13.4 billion won Series B investment. The government plans to inject massive funds into national strategic industries such as semiconductors and AI by creating a 200 trillion won National Growth Fund.

■ M&A Market Reorganization and the Advance of Early-Stage Startups

In the M&A market, the reorganization of the used car distribution sector was prominent. Kolon Mobility Group set out to expand its market dominance by acquiring used car dealership Autohub Selcar for 61.7 billion won and used car e-commerce platform Handle for 7.7 billion won. Crowdworks acquired 12 billion won worth of shares in Daeyang Metal to secure manufacturing data, and automated machinery manufacturer for transformers UPI was acquired by APS for 18 billion won. Online shopping mall Jolse was also acquired by GP Club for 8 billion won, continuing the alliances. Furthermore, healthcare startup Viva Innovation and entertainment company Modhaus attracted 15 billion won and 10 billion won in investments respectively, seeking growth in their respective domains. On the other hand, news that street fashion brand Peaches Group Korea fell into capital impairment with a net loss of 13.3 billion won and is experiencing severe financial difficulties raised concerns about the deteriorating financial health of some companies. Investments in early-stage startups were also active. CNT Tech executed seed investments in promising startups such as Sigmine, Isabella, and Brink. Addit & Ark Corporation received seed investments from Mashup Ventures and Kakao Ventures, and Snapscale attracted a seed investment from KAIST Youth Startup Investment Holding and multiple other institutions. Educe, Sandy Floor, Ilio, and Gosan Tech each laid the groundwork for growth by securing investments and follow-on funding.

[Epoch Point]

The trillion-won big deals and the concentration of funds in high-tech fields such as AI and semiconductors show the market's growth potential, but caution against overheated investment sentiment, as warned by Warren Buffett, also seems necessary. Strengthening corporate fundamentals for stable growth and a prudent approach from investors are required.