How did Klim ventures start?

All five co-founders of Klim ventures have shared over a decade of friendship and professional ties, whether as colleagues or friends. We were confident that we could work together long-term, and everyone agreed on building a company that operates with values and mission outside the conventional norms. Whether there’s an ideal time for founding a startup is uncertain, but in early 2020, amidst COVID-19’s impact on financial markets, we each left our previous jobs and committed to starting Klim ventures.

People inspired us to start, and the "dream" keeps us going. Our dream is to help create a healthy society by supporting founders who build positive impact, aiding their growth, and fostering a healthy venture ecosystem.

Co-Founders of Klim ventures (From left: Junghun Won, Honggyu Nam, Jinah Kim, Habyung Lee, Jonghyun Baek)

What kind of company is Klim ventures?

To understand a company, you start by asking, “Who are their customers?” Our customers are the founders. We aim to be a company that builds trust with founders and delivers meaningful support. We believe our core business is to become a reliable partner with whom you feel comfortable and happy. We constantly consider how to reduce stress for our customers. Our investments are not simply about making money; they’re about growing together over the long term.

Long-term partnerships require deep trust and communication. Building such relationships doesn’t happen overnight, so we take a long-term view, focusing on creating value and satisfaction for each client.

What is different about Klim ventures?

The main difference is that Klim ventures operates as one team. It doesn’t matter who made how many investments internally. If there is work to be done for a client, we each do our best, regardless of previous roles or tasks.

Our shared workspace contributes significantly to our unity. Working in one space naturally fosters a sense of team cohesion, enabling quick decision-making and allowing us to deliver the best client experience to startups who value every moment.

[The Beginning]

Klim ventures started in a small co-working space near Gangnam Station—a cozy two- or three-pyeong space. In March 2020, we officially established the company and registered with the Ministry of SMEs as an accelerator to support early-stage startups.

With support from those who believed in Klim ventures’ vision, we began making our first investments. We initiated trusted partnerships with startups like AI-based startup AIRS Medical and artiQ.

[Move to SNUE(Gyodae) Station]

When moving to Gyodae Station, we focused on creating a space that felt welcoming, like visiting a friend’s house, rather than a rigid office setting. We furnished it with home-like furniture and set up a meeting room in the sunniest spot.

[Opening Klim Park]

In May 2020, we opened Klim Park, a workspace dedicated to early-stage startup teams. This space relieves founders from the pressure of monthly overheads, encourages experimentation, and fosters interaction among persistent, passionate entrepreneurs.

The first team at Klim Park was Rapport Labs. It was here that they founded their company, and we were grateful to witness Heemin and Juyoung conceptualize, launch, and grow their service “QueenIt.” It was a meaningful experience of starting a journey alongside the founding team with a mindset of “trusting and waiting.”

With Rapport Labs co-founders (second and third from left: Heemin Choi and Juyoung Hong)

[Raising Investment]

We’re a startup, too. Three months after founding the company, we secured Series A funding in June 2020, followed by Series B the following March. This investment supports our work with inspiring founders and the sustainable growth of our partnerships.

About our culture

In the midst of intense work, we make time for fun, like playing table tennis, which has become a refreshing break for all of us. It’s a chance to see each other more often and connect. Our most anticipated match? The doubles game between Pillip & Shot vs. Won & Jay. Our skills have improved significantly through countless games.

Recently, we started playing tennis, anticipating rally matches with our founding teams! Though we’re still beginners, expect impressive plays soon.

2023 Update: In January 2023, about three years after the company’s founding, Sanghun Song joined as our newest member. He had been a close friend of Klim ventures for years, and now we have three doubles teams for table tennis!

At the Klim Seocho office (January 2023)

2024 Update: Team photo commemorating the opening day of the 2024 SNU FastMRI Challenge on 21 June.

At the Klim SNU office (June 2024)