이 기사는 2020년 01월 22일 08:00 thebell 에 표출된 기사입니다.

South Korea’s IMM Investment plans to significantly increase its venture capital (VC) activity this year.

IMM Investment has set a goal to raise 200 billion to 300 billion won ($172~258 million) for its VC funds this year. This would represent a significant increase from last year’s 10.5 billion won ($9 million) for a single fund named as IMM Style Venture Fund.

IMM Investment’s VC business had 460.7 billion won ($397 million) in assets under management (AUM) as of the end of December 2019, according to data compiled by the bell. If its fundraising goal is reached, the firm would see the AUM goes up to more than 700 billion won ($603 million) in 2020.

The firm has been active in VC investment, with its investments totaling 123.9 billion won ($106 million) in 2019. Also, some of the firm’s venture funds launched a few years ago – including 2014 Growth Ladder-IMM Venture Fund and 2015 IMM Design Venture Fund – are to be liquidated later this year.

Currently, less than 40 billion won ($34 million) of dry powder is at the ready for IMM Investment to invest in startup companies, driving the firm to boost fundraising activity. IMM Investment aims to make VC investments worth more than 100 billion won ($86 million) this year.

The firm also plans to exit its investments in some of its portfolio companies, including healthcare AI startup Lunit and office-sharing company FastFive. Lunit plans to list shares on the KOSDAQ this year. FastFive is also likely to debut in the stock market as early as this summer and NH Investment & Securities is acting as bookrunner of the planned offering.

“We have been active in investments through earlier funds,” said an IMM Investment representative. “We intend to grow our assets under management with higher fundraising target this year.”

(By reporter Seo Jung-eun)