KNOTUS

KNOTUS

Founded by Kyungho Lee, KNOTUS operates from Seoul, South Korea, deploying capital across early-stage deep-technology startups. The firm emerged from the Korean venture ecosystem's growing appetite for commercialization of engineering and AI research, channeling institutional and corporate capital into startups that bridge laboratory innovation with industrial application. Lee, a serial entrepreneur and angel investor, established the firm to institutionalize his approach to backing founding teams with strong technical PhD-level expertise in fields where Korea holds national competitive advantages. The firm's strategy concentrates on pre-seed through Series A investments, with typical initial checks ranging between KRW 500 million and KRW 2 billion. KNOTUS runs a multi-fund structure blending a core accelerator vehicle with a later-stage venture fund that reserves capacity for follow-on investments. The portfolio spans AI/ML applications, industrial robotics and automation, enterprise SaaS, cybersecurity, mobility technology, and digital health. Confirmed positions include AI-powered drug discovery platform Standigm, autonomous driving simulation maker Morai, and AI semiconductor firm Rebellions (per public record). Geographically, the firm invests primarily across South Korea with select co-investments in Singapore and the United States, targeting companies that aim for global commercialization from inception. KNOTUS has grown to manage multiple funds, anchored by limited partners that include South Korean government agencies, major domestic conglomerates, and pension capital. The firm maintains a lean investment team structured around technical partners who evaluate ventures at the engineering level, a model that mirrors the deep-science orientation of US firms like Lux Capital adapted to Korea's industrial base. The firm runs an active follow-on program, reserving roughly 50 percent of each fund for later-stage support of top-performing portfolio companies as they scale toward Series B and C rounds. What structurally separates KNOTUS from generalist Korean venture firms is its deep ties to government-backed R&D commercialization programs and university technology transfer offices. The firm positions itself at the intersection of public research grants and private venture capital, often syndicating with government co-investment funds that match private capital. This hybrid sourcing model gives KNOTUS early visibility into technologies emerging from KAIST, POSTECH, and Seoul National University labs before formal spinout processes begin.