Organisation

NAVER Ventures

Corporate venture arm of South Korean internet group NAVER, backing AI startups.

Last refreshed: 7 July 2026

Key Question

Why is South Korea's NAVER betting on a Silicon Valley video-AI startup?

Common Questions

What is NAVER Ventures?

The Silicon Valley corporate venture Arm of NAVER Corporation, South Korea's largest internet company, founded in 2025 to back growth-stage AI and enterprise-technology startups in the US.Source:

Why did NAVER invest in TwelveLabs?

TwelveLabs was NAVER Ventures' debut 2025 investment, and it co-led the startup's $100m Series B on 1 July 2026 to fold video-understanding AI into NAVER's own technology strategy.Source:

Is NAVER Ventures the same as NAVER Corporation?

No. NAVER Ventures is NAVER Corporation's separate Silicon Valley venture-capital unit, set up in 2025 specifically to invest in US AI and enterprise-technology startups.Source:

Background

NAVER Ventures co-led TwelveLabs' $100m Series B on 1 July 2026 alongside New Enterprise Associates, deepening a bet it first placed on the video-AI startup in 2025.

Founded in 2025 and based in Redwood City, California, NAVER Ventures is the Silicon Valley venture Arm of NAVER Corporation, South Korea's largest internet company. It targets growth-stage AI, enterprise-technology and fintech startups, aiming to fold cutting-edge US technology into NAVER's own AI strategy.

The unit builds on NAVER's earlier-stage NAVER D2SF programme, extending the group's startup-investment reach from Seoul to Silicon Valley. TwelveLabs was its debut investment and remains its highest-profile bet, tying a Korean internet giant's AI ambitions to the video-understanding tools broadcasters increasingly rent rather than build in-house.