KDSEC and Lean Ventures sign MOU for 30 billion won defense investment fund

The Korea Defense Industry Support Center (KDSEC) and venture capital firm Lean Ventures signed a two-year MOU on August 21, 2026 to build a roughly 30 billion won defense fund targeting companies in precision manufacturing, aerospace, drones and unmanned systems, AI, sensors, communications, and semiconductors with defense applicability. KDSEC will source and vet candidates while Lean Ventures handles investment review and valuation. The fund is aimed at defense parts and materials firms that have technology but limited access to investors, connecting early-stage backing to follow-on rounds — part of a broader push, alongside the new Korea Defense Investment Agency, to channel private capital into the defense supply chain.