Maru SF to open in Silicon Valley in November as Korean startup gateway

Maru SF, a startup campus and networking hub operated by the Asan Nanum Foundation, will open in Silicon Valley this November, marking the organization’s first overseas expansion to support Korean entrepreneurs entering the US market.

The center, located in San Mateo, California, will serve as a launchpad for early-stage Korean startups looking to establish a foothold in the US market.

It will provide selected startups with short-term housing for up to 16 weeks annually, along with access to a structured networking platform that includes curated events and community programs aimed at connecting Korean founders with local investors, entrepreneurs and accelerators.  

The organization said the center will create a space where Korean startups build a strong network within the Silicon Valley ecosystem and deepen their understanding of the US market.

Construction on the facility is more than 70% complete, said the foundation. A pilot program began in May, with several member startups already participating in early-stage activities ahead of the formal opening in November.

Maru SF is the third major startup support facility launched by the foundation, following Maru 180 and Maru 360 in Seoul.

The foundation will develop Maru SF as a strategic bridge between Korea’s growing startup scene and global innovation hubs.

Founded in 2011 by the Hyundai Group’s founding family, the Asan Nanum Foundation aims to foster youth entrepreneurship and social innovation in Korea. 

Write to Sookyung Seo at skseo@hankyung.com
Jennifer Nicholson-Breen edited this article.