PALO ALTO, Calif., September 02, 2025 — 500 Global, one of the world’s most active venture capital firms1, and dcamp, South Korea’s premier foundation dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship, today announced a strategic partnership aimed to accelerate Korean startups’ growth as they expand to the US market.
Leveraging their proven track of supporting promising founders, 500 Global and d.camp will identify Korean startups that are primed for international expansion and investment. Select startups will join the 500 Global Flagship Accelerator in Silicon Valley to deepen their understanding of the US market, connect with the local ecosystem and develop opportunities for growth.
Younghoon Park, CEO of dcamp, stated,
“Through this strategic partnership, we aim to bridge the best of Korea’s entrepreneurial spirit with Silicon Valley’s renowned ecosystem. Our mission at dcamp has always been to empower Korean startups with the right tools and opportunities. Partnering with 500 Global is a transformative step forward, equipping our entrepreneurs to excel on the global stage.”
This partnership builds on an established relationship stemming from 500’s early bet on Korea in 2012. Through its dedicated local funds and Seoul-based programs, 500 Global has supported startups like CardMonster – an AI-powered gaming studio connecting major IPs with the tabletop gaming market – in scaling globally. After seed investment from 500 Korea, CardMonster traveled to the US as part of the program’s Immersion Trek, connected with GTM mentors from Stripe as well as AI hyperscalers, and will be presenting at the upcoming Flagship Demo Day in San Francisco on October 7th.
Christine Tsai, CEO and Founding Partner of 500 Global, remarked,
“Our partnership with dcamp underscores 500 Global’s long standing conviction that ambitious, talented founders exist all around the world. Korea’s vibrant startup ecosystem is positioned to make a global impact, and we’re excited to accelerate this potential by connecting Korean founders to the opportunities, resources, and networks of Silicon Valley and beyond.”
The partnership was publicly launched at a signing ceremony held at 500 Global’s Palo Alto headquarters on August 28, 2025, featuring Christine Tsai and Younghoon Park, symbolizing the commitment of both organizations to fostering global entrepreneurial success.