Hana Financial Group said on Dec. 3 it held a demo day for the 2025 Hana ESG Double Impact Matching Fund on Dec. 2 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in central Seoul.

The Hana ESG Double Impact Matching Fund is the first fund in South Korea created entirely from donations by Hana Financial. It supplies patient capital to ESG startups with capabilities to address social and environmental issues and supports their business expansion and follow-on investment.

Hana Financial has added funding every year since 2022. It has reached 52 cumulative portfolio companies, cumulative investment of 9.05 billion won and cumulative follow-on investment of 61.4 billion won. This year, it expanded its investment scope to include businesses in small merchant and local commercial district revitalisation and senior health and independence support.

Two recruitment rounds drew 232 applicants, the highest number to date. Hana Financial selected 15 companies through screening, on-site due diligence and investment committee review, confirming total support of 2.2 billion won.

The demo day invited venture capital officials to review follow-on investment for the selected companies. It included investor relations sessions, roundtables and promotional booth tours.

This year’s group includes many solution providers for small merchants, a new investment category. Notable examples are Sertiblack, which combines in-store music services with audio advertising to share ad revenue with shop owners; Connectbrick, which cuts marketing costs for small merchants through AI image generation; and Helper Robotics, which provides store automation solutions using robots and control systems.

Seo Yuseok, deputy president of Hana Bank’s corporate group, said applications for the Hana ESG Double Impact Matching Fund have increased every year since its launch in 2022, reaching a record 232 this year. He said Hana Financial will continue to promote the importance of supplying venture capital to early-stage startups and support ESG startups working to build a better society.