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Korean agtech startup GINT has secured $9.8 million (14.5 billion won) in a pre-IPO funding round, as the company prepares to expand its operations outside South Korea. The round combines capital from both strategic and financial investors and is intended to support overseas market development alongside continued work on agricultural technology.
Pre-IPO rounds often have shown a shift from early experimentation to execution. In GINT’s case, the funding comes as the company moves toward a planned KOSDAQ listing, with the focus turning to international presence, operational readiness, and product maturity.
The investor group includes PT Indo Agritech Investment, which has supported GINT’s entry into Indonesia, alongside LIG Nex1 and IBK Capital, investing through a jointly established innovation fund. Corporate venture arms Plan H Ventures and Xplor Investment also participated via a green smart city-focused fund, while Korea Development Bank and Vilance Investment joined as financial investors.
The mix suggests that the round is not purely financial. Several investors are linked to overseas expansion, infrastructure, or applied technology, which could support GINT’s efforts to move into new markets where partnerships and local knowledge are often critical.
GINT’s technology development has centred on automation for agriculture, beginning with the launch of Fluva Auto in 2022. The autonomous driving kit is designed to support mechanised farming using electronic control and self-driving systems, addressing labour intensity in agricultural operations.
Since then, the company has broadened its scope to include:
These products are currently in development or demonstration stages, indicating that GINT is still in the process of validating multiple solutions rather than relying on a single commercialised product.
In 2023, GINT expanded into Indonesia and Japan, markets facing different but related agricultural challenges, including labour shortages and productivity pressures. The company has been working with local organisations and industry partners to adapt its technology to regional conditions.
As part of this strategy, GINT established a local subsidiary in Japan, which it plans to use as a base for overseas business development. This approach reflects a broader trend among Korean startups seeking to test products in multiple Asian markets before scaling further.
GINT has positioned its technology roadmap around structural issues in agriculture, particularly:
Automation and robotics are increasingly viewed as practical responses to these constraints, especially in regions where workforce availability is declining. However, adoption remains uneven, and much will depend on cost, reliability, and integration with existing farming practices.
Founded in 2015, GINT is now preparing for a KOSDAQ IPO, with KB Securities named as lead underwriter. The company was also selected for the 2025 TSE Asia Startup Hub, a Tokyo Stock Exchange–linked support programme for startups exploring regional growth.
GINT has raised approximately $33.9 million (50 billion won) in total funding to date. As it approaches a public listing, investors and the market are likely to focus less on vision and more on overseas traction, product adoption, and revenue visibility.
GINT’s latest funding round highlights a common challenge for agtech startups moving toward public markets: translating technology development into scalable, overseas-ready operations. While automation and robotics offer potential solutions to agriculture’s long-standing constraints, execution across different markets will be a key test.
The pre-IPO funding provides GINT with additional runway, but its next phase will depend on how effectively it can turn international expansion and product development into sustained commercial outcomes.