Korea Technology Guarantee Fund, Gwangju Bank and Jeonbuk Bank sign venture financing pact
Kibo, two regional banks and Korea Venture Investment Corp. will link investment, guarantees and loans for ventures; a 1313 eok won regional fund was launched the same day.
The Korea Technology Guarantee Fund (Kibo) signed a memorandum with Gwangju Bank, Jeonbuk Bank and Korea Venture Investment Corp. to support fundraising by venture companies in southwest Korea, biz.heraldcorp.com reported on the 12th. biz.heraldcorp.com
biz.heraldcorp.combiz.heraldcorp.comOpen source ↗ The agreement was signed on the 11th at Suncheon National University during the 2026 Jeonnam-Gwangju Startup Festival.
The memorandum is meant to extend venture investment, which is concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area, to the regions, and to link investment, guarantees and loans for local companies.
What the agreement covers
Under the memorandum, Kibo will cooperate with Gwangju Bank and Jeonbuk Bank on expanding guarantee-backed loans. Korea Venture Investment Corp. will work with the two banks on creating and operating funds to increase venture investment in the southwest region.
The parties will also cooperate in finding startups and recommending companies for investment. biz.heraldcorp.com
biz.heraldcorp.combiz.heraldcorp.comOpen source ↗ Through guidance and outreach on accounts receivable factoring, they plan to support working capital funding for local companies.
Regional growth fund
The agreement is tied to the regional venture investment policy of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. On the same day, at Suncheon National University, the ministry announced the launch of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Regional Growth Fund, worth 1313 eok won. The fund includes 750 eok won from the fund of funds, and 16 institutions, among them local governments, financial institutions, universities and companies, took part in the investment.
The ministry plans to start a child-fund investment program in December to build a venture fund of about 2000 eok won. Korea Venture Investment Corp. also opened a Southwest Investment Center the same day to find promising local companies and connect them with venture capital investors.
Lee Jong-hyeok, executive director of Kibo, said that for venture companies that have received investment to keep growing without a funding gap, investment, guarantees and financial support must be organically connected. biz.heraldcorp.com
biz.heraldcorp.combiz.heraldcorp.comOpen source ↗ He said Kibo will continue to expand support so that innovative companies in the southwest region can grow and lead the local economy.
