Selected as operator of fund-of-funds' tourism AI account

To raise 15.4 billion won fund by November

Full support planned across each growth stage

UNIST Technology Holdings Co. was selected as the operator managing the tourism AI-specialized account under the Korea Venture Investment Corp.'s fund-of-funds program and will form a venture investment association worth 15.4 billion won. The photo shows the UNIST campus. (UNIST)
UNIST Technology Holdings Co. was selected as the operator managing the tourism AI-specialized account under the Korea Venture Investment Corp.'s fund-of-funds program and will form a venture investment association worth 15.4 billion won. The photo shows the UNIST campus. (UNIST)

UNIST, led by President Park Chong-rae, will provide comprehensive technology and financial support to help early-stage local companies grow into tourism-focused artificial intelligence firms.

UNIST said Friday that its venture arm, UNIST Technology Holdings Co., led by CEO Kim Young-sik, has been selected as the general partner overseeing the tourism AI-specialized account under the government-backed Korea Venture Investment Corp.'s fund-of-funds program.

With the selection, UNIST Technology Holdings will form the "Regional Tourism AI-Specialized Deep Tech Pioneer Venture Investment Association" by November, with a total scale of 15.4 billion won ($11.5 million), including a 10 billion won contribution from the fund-of-funds.

Once formed, the association will offer technology and funding to early-stage startups and other companies seeking to enter the tourism sector using AI technology.

UNIST Technology Holdings was previously selected last year as an operator in the public technology commercialization sector, raising a 12 billion won fund. With this latest selection in the tourism AI-specialized account, the total scale of its managed associations now exceeds 38 billion won.

In April, the company also completed its registration as a venture capital firm. Building on that status, it plans to expand its investment focus — previously centered on early-stage deep tech companies — to include follow-on investments tailored to each growth stage, supporting companies from founding through expansion.

Han Tae-gyu, head of UNIST Technology Holdings, said, "Through an operating system that spans everything from discovering companies to linking them with technology and investment, we will create success stories of local early-stage companies growing into tourism AI firms by leveraging UNIST's technology and capital."


cityblue@heraldcorp.com