“2024 Startup Platform – WadizProject
Inspiring Everyday Challenges… Beta Launch of ‘Let’s,’ a Crowdfunding Service That Cheers You On
Exhibited at ‘Space WadizStore, Now a Hotspot in Seongsu
Small Business Owners Still Eager to Expand Offline…Helping with On-Site Experiences
Senior entrepreneurship on the rise… Explosive response from supporters vetted by experts
Wadiz(CEO Shin Hye-seong) has been steadily lowering the barrier to entry for crowdfunding campaigns in response to market demand. A recent development is the beta launch of “Let’s,” a crowdfunding service designed to support projects. This service ensures that 100% of the funds raised go directly to the project leader, enabling people to take on small challenges in their daily lives. A wide variety of projects are emerging, ranging from personal sponsorship and animal welfare to self-realization and fan community activities.
According to the company, setting up a project takes about three minutes. Users simply need to access the “Let’s” service within Wadiz app and enter basic information such as the project title and hashtags. Projects can run for up to two months, with a minimum fundraising goal of 10,000 won. The feature is currently available exclusively on the iOS app. The official service, including support for Android OS, will launch in April.
A Wadiz representative said, “We developed ‘Let’s,’ a crowdfunding service designed to create a world where anyone can take on new challenges and receive support,” adding, “Through Let’s, which makes it easy to pursue your dreams in any field and receive encouragement, we aim to build an ecosystem where taking on challenges and offering support comes naturally.”
The team selected as the Best Let's Project will be granted a one-week free exhibition in the basement gallery of the flagship store "Space Wadizin Seongsu. Additionally, challenge grants—including 1 million won for outstanding projects—will be provided.
Wadiz Flagship Store in Seongsu (Wadiz)
Space Wadizis an offline lifestyle concept store that bridges the needs of small business owners and corporations. While online sales channels—which offer relatively low barriers to entry and cost savings—are the current trend, small business owners still dream of expanding into the offline market. This is because they want to gauge customer reactions firsthand and engage with them directly.
Only carefully curated products from popular brands are featured at the Wadiz Flagship Store in Seongsu. This store allows customers to experience and purchase over 350 high-quality products across various categories—including fashion, beauty, tech, food, and home living—that help them pursue a “Better Life.”
Artworks by emerging artists from both Korea and abroad were also on display. At the gallery, presented asWadiz Collect Pink,” visitors can view and purchase trendy pieces such as paintings, framed art, and small decorative items, including European art prints and eco-friendly paper objects from around the world.
Wadizefforts to boost funding are also evident in the field of senior entrepreneurship.
An analysis of the age groups of creators who launched projects on the platform revealed that the proportion of those in their 50s and 60s, which stood at 3.1% in 2015, surged to 20.1% in 2023. When including those in their 40s, seniors accounted for 44.1% of creators who launched funding projects Wadizlast year.
Looking at the categories of funding campaigns launched by the 50-60 age group, the most common were ▲Home & Living ▲Fashion & Accessories ▲Tech & Appliances ▲Food ▲Beauty, in that order, while those aged 60 and older stood out in the “Home & Living” and “Food” categories. Since 2019, there has also been a noticeable increase in funding campaigns in the “Pets” and “Classes & Consulting” categories.
In fact, a maker in her early 50s known as “Neuseon,” who made a name for herself in the beauty category Wadiz last year, raised over 230 million won through a crowdfunding campaign for fermented ampoules she developed by leveraging her background as a retired cosmetics researcher. Over 6,000 supporters recognized the uniqueness of the project and backed it, leading to a follow-up funding round.
Mattresses from “Daniel Jang,” a brand founded by a former executive of a well-known bedding company, have also garnered attention. Leveraging 35 years of mattress research experience, the brand launched a crowdfunding campaign highlighting its high-quality products—designed with a focus on sleep and health—along with detailed stories and manufacturing processes. Offering the quality of a premium brand at one-sixth the price, the product achieved an 8,012% funding goal during its first Wadiz campaign, garnered high satisfaction from backers, and is currently running an encore campaign.
Here are some notable examples selected Wadizof people who have embarked on a new chapter in their lives.
Kwon Byung-wook, Director of Philcos, creator of ‘Neuseon’
"Neuseon," a brand created by a 50-something cosmetics executive preparing for retirement
"Neuseon," a concept-driven cosmetics brand that raised 100 million won in just two days during its first crowdfunding campaignWadiz, ultimately securing a total of 230 million won
▲Product: “I.M. Ampoule,” a skincare ampoule specifically formulated to address pores, skin texture, and skin tone
▲Funding Results: Over 300 million won raised
(Startup and Development Story) Two years ago, Director Kwon Byung-wook was preparing for retirement after suffering from panic disorder and depression following a major life shock. He joined the company at the suggestion of Philcos, where he currently works. For the director, who wanted to lead one last brand to make his retirement meaningful, this was an opportunity to make a comeback. Product development alone took over 16 months. His two daughters identified eco-friendly packaging and refill systems, secured vegan certification, and—rather than relying on a manufacturer’s formula—curated the ingredients themselves to create a “clean beauty” product with 25 or fewer ingredients. Having spent 26 years in the cosmetics industry despite a background in the humanities, she faced dismissal from researchers with science backgrounds. However, in today’s market where storytelling is paramount, her ability to articulate the brand’s narrative has become a significant advantage.
Lee Ji-sook, CEO of ‘Lopeco,’ who took on the challenge of product development and fundraising based on notes left by her husband
CEO Lee Ji-sook, who started as the first-year CEO of a 15-year-old company
Taking on a crowdfunding challenge with “Damageseet,” developed from a “notebook” left behind by her husband
▲Product: "Damageseat" 90% Heat-Blocking Seat Cover
▲Funding Results: 12 million won (approx. 100 backers)
(Startup and Development Story) Lee Ji-sook, CEO of Lopeco, discovered a document while sorting through belongings in the basement laboratory of her husband’s company after his funeral. The materials included everything from the initial concept to nationally certified test reports verifying the product’s performance—the technology and product were fully prepared. As the first-year CEO of a 15-year-old company, Lee decided to take over the business and continue her husband’s legacy. The product Lopeco unveiled through its crowdfunding campaign is the “Damager Sheet,” a composite insulation film. It blocks the cold in winter and the heat in summer. Its key advantages include easy application and removal, as well as the ability to apply it by spraying water. CEO Lee stated that she took on this challenge through Wadiz crowdfunding to share the story behind the development of window insulation technology, hoping it would serve as a cornerstone for the company’s growth.
An "All-in-One Home Workout Machine" Dad Built for His Children's Health
An all-in-one home workout equipment kit crafted over three years by a master craftsman with 30 years of experience in fitness equipment manufacturing, who poured his heart and soul into it for the sake of his children’s health
▲All-in-one home workout equipment
▲Crowdfunding results: 40 million won (190 backers)
(Startup and Development Story) Seeing his son, who works in the IT sector, and his daughter, who works in an office job, struggling with declining physical health due to heavy workloads, he developed exercise equipment to help them stay healthy. It took three years to complete the product development alone, and the project garnered a positive response on the crowdfunding platform thanks to thoughtful considerations such as affordability, versatility, and ease of storage and transport. He launched the project on Wadiz to gather diverse feedback.
(Original: ‘Open to Everyone’— Wadiz Captures the Senior Market and Seongsu’s Hottest Spots)
