Andreessen Horowitz picks Seoul as gateway for Asian expansion

The expansion prioritizes crypto initiatives, though the firm maintains a long-term interest in local strengths ranging from artificial intelligence and manufacturing to defense and consumer content. Park Sung-mo, formerly of Naver and the Monad Foundation, will steer these operations as the firm’s Asia-Pacific go-to-market lead for crypto. His mandate focuses on providing more than just capital; the Seoul office will handle hiring, local policy engagement, and strategic partnerships to help portfolio companies navigate domestic complexities.

This move follows a period of aggressive investment activity by the firm across the continent. Recent capital deployments include a $100 million stake in Digital Asset Holdings—the developer of the Canton Network—and a significant lead role in a $250 million funding round for AI search startup Exa Labs. By positioning Seoul as a central hub, a16z aims to bridge the gap between its Silicon Valley-backed startups and South Korean businesses, leveraging the country’s high adoption rates for emerging technologies to fuel further growth.