Hyundai Motor Group Launches ZER01NE Fund III to Drive Innovation in Future Technologies
Hyundai Motor Group has announced the launch of ZER01NE Fund III, a KRW 125 billion strategic investment fund aimed at accelerating innovation in future technologies through early-stage startup investments. The new fund represents a 1.5-fold increase in size compared to the previous ZER01NE Fund II and is supported by 10 affiliates of the Group, including Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation, and Hyundai Capital.
ZER01NE Fund III will focus on discovering and investing in startups worldwide that align with the Group’s evolving business strategies, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, cybersecurity, hydrogen, and energy technologies. This strategic investment approach builds on the success of its predecessors, with ZER01NE Fund I and II collectively investing in over 105 startups and leading to more than 200 collaboration cases within the Group.
Notable portfolio companies from previous funds include Clobot, which provides cloud-based robot management platforms; MakinaRocks, an AI startup specializing in industrial artificial intelligence solutions; and POEN, which remanufactures and upcycles end-of-life EV battery packs. Other successful investments include 60Hertz, developing AI-powered software for renewable energy management, and LD Carbon, which recycles end-of-life tires using advanced pyrolysis technology.
“This fund reinforces the Group’s position as a leading strategic investor in transformative technologies,” said Kyuseung Keith Noh, Vice President and Head of ZER01NE Group at Hyundai Motor Group. “By deepening collaboration with innovative startups, we aim to generate meaningful synergies across our affiliates and accelerate our future-ready business initiatives.”
The launch of ZER01NE Fund III continues Hyundai Motor Group’s commitment to shaping the future of mobility and sustainability by backing pioneering startups with high potential to contribute to its long-term growth.
