Wadiz Hosts 'Wadiz Next Brand' Showcase to Foster Licorns

Wadiz Hosts ‘Wadiz Next Brand’ Showcase to Foster Licorns

- 5 Promising Licorn Companies Selected and Announced Showing Growth Potential in Lifestyle and Local Sectors
- Comprehensive Support Program ‘Wadiz Next Brand’ Including Direct Investment, Domestic and International Market Expansion, and Matched Financing
- More Than 70 Distribution and Finance Professionals Attended to Explore Collaboration Opportunities  

Wadiz, a lifestyle design crowdfunding platform, announced that the third 'Wadiz Next Brand (wadiz NEXT BRAND)' showcase, operated by Wadiz Partners, its investment subsidiary, was successfully held at 'Space Wadiz' in Seongsu-dong.

Wadiz Next Brand is a co-growth support program that discovers promising small and medium-sized brands and nurtures them into companies leading the future lifestyle through Wadiz infrastructure support such as investment and matched financing. When selected, companies can receive recommendations for up to 100 million won in investment per brand and up to 500 million won in 'private investment-linked matched financing', and receive various follow-up distribution support.

This event was organized to introduce companies that newly invested in the second half of last year. Under the theme of 'RISING LICORNS', the event featured brand stories and growth case presentations of 5 promising 'LICORN' companies showing potential to grow into unicorns in the lifestyle and local sectors, followed by a networking session.

In addition to promising companies selected as Next Brand, the event was attended by government agencies such as the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Korea Federation of Small Business, as well as major distribution companies including Hyundai Home Shopping, Lotte Home Shopping, Lotte Mart, CJ ENM, GS Retail, and financial institutions such as KB National Card   representatives, who explored brand development strategies through strategic collaboration.

The five companies selected as Next Brand are △ Lutonics △ Digging Me International △ Baobab Tree △ Grill's Union △ Vision Red, introducing rapidly growing vegan beauty companies, home living and miscellaneous goods brands, fashion and F&B companies. The selection criteria comprehensively evaluated past crowdfunding success experience, product and service differentiation, and business growth strategies.

Digging Me International, selected as Next Brand, explained that they recommended the Wadiz Scale-up Program because through Wadiz crowdfunding they acquired customers and established performance metrics, and achieved rapid investment attraction as a growth booster. After receiving investment from Wadiz Partners, Digging Me International demonstrated results with sales growth exceeding 200% year-over-year.

So Gang-seop, CEO of Wadiz Partners, said “The Wadiz Next Brand Showcase, now in its third edition, is an official stage to introduce future licorn companies that Wadiz directly nurtures” and added "We will work together with participating partner organizations to strengthen value so that licorn companies can establish themselves in high-value-added services and new manufacturing industries and contribute to K-brand diversification”.

Meanwhile, Wadiz Partners was recognized as the best-operating organization for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' Private Investment-Linked Matched Financing Project (LIPS·LIPS) through achievements in discovering promising small business operators and expanding distribution channels in collaboration with its parent company Wadiz last year. This year, it plans to strengthen growth support across the lifecycle of licorn companies by assisting with active incubation and follow-up fundraising.