– 140,000 participants in 2025 alone… Cumulative funding of 12.2 billion won and over 1,000 projects completed
– From local small business owners to aspiring entrepreneurs and startups… The social and economic impact of crowdfunding
Wadiz Wadiz, a subsidiary of Wadiz specializing in education and government projects, has announced its key achievements in creating social and economic value through crowdfunding for local small business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, and startups throughout 2025.
Wadiz(CEO Shin Hye-seong, www.wadiz.kr) announced that over 140,000 people have participated in more than 1,000 projects launched by local small business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, and startups, raising a cumulative total of 12.2 billion won.
Wadizhas been operating the “Our Neighborhood Crowdfunding Support Program” in partnership with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Small Business and Market Service, providing support for local small business owners to secure funding and expand their sales channels. In 2025 alone, a cumulative total of over 400 small business owners participated in the program, raising 8.4 billion won, with more than 93,000 supporters contributing to the projects.
In particular, this year we expanded our local crowdfunding support program to a global format, providing funding for global marketing and advertising, and helping small business owners gain a foothold in the global market.
There have been a number of cases where food and lifestyle brands that highlight local characteristics have used Wadiz crowdfunding to validate initial demand, which has subsequently led to the expansion of their distribution channels.
Through the “2025 Agri-Food Crowdfunding” support program, operated in collaboration with the Agricultural Policy Insurance and Finance Institute, a cumulative total of 2.3 billion won in funding was raised for 144 agri-food companies. A wide range of agri-food projects—from farm-fresh fruits to processed foods and unique products made with imported ingredients—have demonstrated their market potential through this funding.
Support through Wadiz crowdfunding has also continued in the climate tech sector. The “Gyeonggi Region Climate Tech Startup Crowdfunding Support Program,” launched for the first time in 2025, attracted applications from over 100 companies, and 20 startups were ultimately selected based on their technological capabilities, market potential, and social value.
The selected companies received support throughout the entire funding process—including in-person funding training, product page creation, tailored advertising, and exposure in special promotions—and raised approximately 200 million won with the participation of 2,200 backers.
Projects proposing climate-friendly solutions—such as eco-friendly materials, resource recycling, and vegan and upcycled products—garnered significant attention in a short period of time.
This achievement demonstrates that crowdfunding is being utilized across various sectors—including local small businesses, aspiring entrepreneurs, and startups—as a means of validating the market potential of early-stage ventures. It is considered significant because it indicates that a structure is taking root whereby businesses at the idea stage can verify actual demand through supporter participation and subsequently pursue growth.
Choi Dong-cheol, CEO Wadiz, said, “The achievements of 2025 demonstrate that crowdfunding can generate both social value and economic returns,” adding, “We plan to expand our support so that local businesses and innovative startups can validate opportunities and grow in both domestic and international markets.”
