Wadiz If it is a platform that supports a brand's challenge, there is also a team that brainstorms the 'next step' of that challenge together.
It is none other than ' Wadiz Partners' .
Wadiz Partners is Wadiz 's specialized investment subsidiary (PEF management company and venture capital firm). We are a team dedicated to making follow-up investments in brands and startups across various sectors that have proven their potential through Wadiz , and we design their growth strategies from the initial investment to the post-investment stage. Furthermore, going beyond financial support, we maintain ongoing partnerships to help brands validate themselves in the market and advance to the next level.
During the year 2025 Wadiz Partners has created a time of growth together with various brands. To mark the end of the year, we have organized the 2025 Value-up Day event to look back on that journey.
I will share the stories shared on-site regarding the thought process the brand went through to grow, and the choices and changes made along the way .
Next Step, Together – Wadiz The direction of growth that Partners and Next Brand have created together
first Wadiz We looked back on how the NEXT BRAND that Partners invested in has grown.
'Next Brand' is Wadiz As a core Partners program, this is a growth support program designed to help small brands loved by supporters through funding leap forward as lifestyle unicorn (Lycon) companies through investment and follow-up support.
Wadiz So Kang-seop sharing the achievements of the Next Brand. Wadiz Partners Representative
Next Brand has expanded its range of partner brands every year , starting with 7 brands in 2022, followed by 18 in 2023, 20 in 2024, and 22 in 2025 .
The revenue generated by them also grew from 24.8 billion won in 2023 and 38.1 billion won in 2024 to 75 billion won in 2025. These achievements demonstrate that the Next Brand is continuously growing to the next stage.
Wadiz Next Brand 4th Cohort – KOOZA, TAMIM, Seol-arae
Recently, a total of three brands—the premium stainless steel kitchen brand 'KOOZA', the underwear brand 'TAMIM' , and the premium herbal food brand 'Seol-arae'— have been selected as 'Next Brand 4th Cohort'. Wadiz We have partnered with [Partners].
So Kang-seop sharing the plans for the 2026 Next Brand. Wadiz Partners Representative
2026 Wadiz Partners shared plans to further strengthen support to help Next Brand grow stably to the next stage.
For existing Next brands, we continue the ' execution-oriented value-up package,' which includes investment and commercialization funding support, dedicated funding, data-driven growth consulting, joint product development, and distribution linkages.
And for the new Next brand, we plan to design product pre-launches, market validation, follow-up investments , and various growth scenarios together through annual project operations.
Through this Wadiz Partners plans to further solidify its role as a partner that builds sustainable brand growth together, going beyond short-term results.
We Are The Next Brand – Our Growth Story
Next, a time followed to share the growth stories of the brands participating as Next Brands.
Seol-arae: From 'Herbal Foods You Want to Gift' to Brand Assets
Seollae, the first to make an announcement, is a health food brand that reinterprets traditional Korean herbal ingredients in a modern way.
Seollaer started from the beginning with a clear focus on the problem of "herbal food products that you want to gift to someone more precious than yourself," and this standard has permeated all aspects of product planning and branding.
They shared the process of how brand sales and repurchase rates grew together by gradually expanding the product line and actively reflecting supporters' opinions, starting with 'Baeknyeon Samsang Baeyanggeun,' which recorded a cumulative funding amount of approximately 650 million won, and extending to 'Wangsil Ssanghwahwan,' a Ssanghwa tea made into pills, after verifying market response through Wadiz funding .
In this process, below the snow Wadiz By working together as a partner's next brand, we were able to review the brand direction even during the growth phase following the investment.
Ji Jong-hwan, CEO of Seolarae, sharing the brand story.
In particular, it was impressive to see how the brand name itself is establishing itself as a standard of trust, as the company steadily builds a loyal customer base through CRM - based customer management and personalized marketing grounded in customers' purchasing preferences.
Seolarae is now preparing expansion plans that go beyond a single brand to include a multi-brand strategy based on manufacturing capabilities and expertise in herbal medicine, as well as plans for overseas markets . We shared a vision to create the next stage of growth by expanding the brand from 'Seorae' to 'Seorae Bio'.
POREN, from a function-oriented bedding brand to a brand equipped with a 'market strategy'
POREN , which shared its brand story, is a bedding brand that has grown by leveraging the functionality of its products, centering on 'cervical pillows'.
Foren Wadiz It was chosen by the market by achieving a cumulative funding amount of 1 billion won through funding, and in 2023, Wadiz It clearly proved its brand competitiveness by ranking first in the home living category .
Foren's cervical pillow, which was the subject of continuous encore requests from supporters
We developed a deep sleep product together with local German researchers and initially focused on the product's quality itself, but Wadiz They stated that they developed their brand strategy by closely examining supporters' actual purchasing contexts and usage experiences through funding. They emphasized that understanding 'who chooses this product and in what situations,' rather than short-term sales, is key to determining the brand's next growth.
Kang Ji-jun, CEO of Digging Me International (Foren), sharing Foren's growth story.
Forensic in that process Wadiz They stated that by partnering as a next brand, they were able to review and expand their product strategy and brand direction even during the growth phase after funding.
Moving forward, Foren plans to expand into a larger market by introducing new brands centered on fabric care solutions and sleep solutions for infants and toddlers . We look forward to Foren's next step as it expands beyond home living into a solution brand that addresses problems across all aspects of daily life.
ONGREDIENTS – K-Beauty Expanding Globally Centered on Hero Items
Finally, the next brand to present, ONGREDIENTS , is a skincare brand that is rapidly growing and expanding its brand presence in the global market, centered around its hero item, 'Calming Lotion,' which drives the brand's sales .
Kim Young-ho, Power Player (Ongredients) Director, sharing the current status of Ongredients' global expansion.
Ongredients is currently exporting to 40 countries and building brand value based on its global sales capabilities. Its flagship product, 'Calming Lotion,' has grown to an average of approximately 60,000 units sold per month, establishing itself as a key product driving brand revenue. The company shared plans to continue its growth strategy centered on "hero items," aiming for 100,000 units in monthly sales next year.
During the presentation, specific details were also provided on how the strategy centered on hero items led to actual sales growth. Ongredients reported that sales volume grew approximately threefold year-over-year, driven by power players, or hero item products.
The future strategy is also clear. Ongredients plans to target the North American market as its core focus, internalize the operation of Amazon and TikTok Shops in 2025, and significantly expand its marketing in 2026 to further strengthen its position as a global brand.
At the end of the presentation Wadiz They also expressed their gratitude to the partners . “In a situation where brand marketing is limited, there were many opportunities to promote brand activities through Wadiz Partners,” they said, adding, “Next year, we will continue aggressive brand activities to achieve our goals.”
'2025 Value-Up Day' is the year's Wadiz It was an occasion to summarize the achievements of Next Brand, which we have grown alongside our partners, and to prepare for our next phase of growth. In 2025, we plan to continue various initiatives from a long-term perspective to help the brand take another leap forward, including brand development, distribution integration, and global expansion.
The reason for sharing our achievements is clear. It is to reflect on our shared growth and to use that growth as a stepping stone to move further.
Wadiz Partners will continue to fulfill its role as a partner designing the 'next growth' together with brands.
