News
AI startup VoyagerX attracts $16.5 billion in new investment
Chosun Ilbo, 2024. 10. 10.
Artificial intelligence (AI)-based service startup VoyagerX announced on the 10th that it had attracted 16.5 billion won in investment.
InterVest and Murex Partners have newly participated in this investment. VoyagerX, founded in 2017, attracted 30 billion won in Series A investment from Altos Ventures, SBVA (formerly SoftBank Ventures Asia), and Yellowdog in 2021. With this investment, VoyagerX's total accumulated investment amount reaches 46.5 billion won.
VoyagerX continues to grow steadily by introducing video editor Vrew, mobile scanner vFlat, and customer consultation data analysis solution VOC Studio.
"Yes, You Are Wrong, and That's Natural" - Nam Se-dong, Manland Breaker, Part 2
CAREE UP, 2023. 05. 10.
VoyagerX's idea must meet three values: #users #teamwork #growth. There are many developers who want to write great code, but there are not many developers who want to create a service that users love. Se-dong's theory is that no matter what happens, you must overcome the closed nature of 'self-satisfaction'. So the first value of VoyagerX is none other than ‘users.’
Great things can never be done alone. Developers who create services need planners, designers, and marketers. A chef who prepares food needs numerous assistant chefs, hall managers, and well-trained servers. If you respect colleagues who are doing different things for the same goal with a healthy mind, you will soon be able to adjust to the different tempo and achieve better work. In that way, everyone grows up quickly. This is why VoyagerX puts the values of ‘teamwork’ and ‘growth’ first.
“Break Down” so it can be opened - Namse-dong Manland Breaker Part 1
CAREE UP, 2023. 05. 10.
he says The second goal is to create a service that boasts excellent technology and quality on the new wave of artificial intelligence, and the top goal is to create an organization where people can work together and create good energy.
“Everyone has a habit of saying, ‘I don’t want to work,’ but if we actually think about what it would be like if work disappeared from our lives. Humans can't live without work as much as we think. Even if the need for money is satisfied, humans continue to work to satisfy further needs. Why does Steven Spielberg keep making movies? You must have earned enough money. That's because there is ego involved. I believe that a company should be a place where people who want to realize their desires and self-realization beyond money gather. “I wanted to create an atmosphere where anyone can show off something they have and where it is natural to do so.”
Innovative entrepreneur met by Kim Ik-hwan (30) VoyagerX CEO Nam Se-dong
Forbes, 2021. 11. 23.
Like Netflix's 'No Rules Rules', I was impressed by the fact that they set the principle of minimizing and constantly changing the rules and operating an unlimited vacation system. In addition to this, is there a unique culture unique to VoyagerX?
I worry about how to get my employees to do their jobs. In other words, my job is to think about how to get employees to do what they want to do. In my experience, I let my employees come up with their own ideas and try them out, even if there's a good chance I'm right. Even if it's an idea that doesn't work, you have to take responsibility and do what you want to do to increase your chances of success. The moment you drag an idea into an idea that the employees don't want, the chances of failure increase, even if the idea has a high success rate. So I am happy even if my choices are wrong. VoyagerX's idea must meet the three major values of users, teamwork, and growth. When these three values conflict with others, the others are discarded.
AI service company 'VoyagerX' attracts Series A investment worth 30 billion won
Platum, 2021. 06. 23.
VoyagerX, which operates AI-based services such as vFlat and Vrew, has secured an investment of 30 billion KRW. This round of funding included participation from SoftBank Ventures, Altos Ventures, and Yellow Dog, with each of the three institutions jointly investing 10 billion KRW.
SoftBank Ventures noted that VoyagerX is composed of top developers in the AI field and excels not only in technology but also in product development and service capabilities. VoyagerX is expected to lead the expanding AI sector in the future, based on its ability to complete prototypes within two weeks and launch services within six months.
[MINT] Toss, VoyagerX… There are companies like Netflix in Korea too.
Nam Se-dong, a renowned founder known as a "genius developer," recently read the book introducing Netflix's corporate culture, "No Rules Rules," and immediately remarked, "We aim to work like this. Many Korean startups do the same." When you join VoyagerX, the AI software development company he founded in 2017, you receive an introductory document about the company. The first item is "No Rules."
Nam started as an intern at Neowiz in 1998, where he developed the web-based chat service "SayClub." After moving to Naver, he developed the photo app "B612," which has recorded 300 million downloads. He said, "I have been applying the lessons learned and the disappointments I felt while working at large companies to my own company."
Interview with CEO Nam Se-dong: “Listen only to half of what your senior says.”
JoongAng Ilbo, 2020. 05. 06.
“Most students who hear that they are good at studying in Korea say that they copy exactly what their teachers say and follow what their seniors say. Even college students just take what their professors say at face value. I hope not. Because the world keeps changing, you shouldn't listen too closely to what your seniors say. Isn't there something that a person who dreams of becoming a singer in an idol group can refer to and some things that aren't from a senior singer who only sang trot? “If we had accepted the advice, ‘Practice your singing while you’re on Twitter,’ BTS could not have been born.”
Nam Se-dong, CEO of One-Click Chat at the age of 19, said, “Deep learning will turn the world upside down.”
JoongAng Ilbo, 2019. 11. 12.
“Deep learning (a computer self-learning method that analyzes patterns and makes inferences) will bring about a bigger paradigm change than PCs, the Internet, and smartphones. That's how much our lives will change. Many jobs will disappear and be created. It's natural for people to feel anxious and afraid. However, as with other technologies historically, artificial intelligence will allow humans to unleash greater potential and live happily. “I believe so.”
Interview with VoyagerX CEO Nam Se-dong
Estima's Internet Story, 2019. 03. 05.
Together with this group of young developers, half of whom are college student interns, Representative Nam is fiercely working on a project that solves problems with artificial intelligence. When a new idea comes up, we ask about it on social media and discuss and verify it intensely.
“I have worked on 20 to 30 projects. Some were thrown away after 2-3 weeks. “We are creating things that will produce amazing results that will make you say wow.”
Will AI, which adds subtitles as you speak, be the savior of ‘video labor’?
Biz Korea, 2018. 10. 26.
Transforming voice into text brought about surprising changes. The editing timeline can now be configured in a word processor or PowerPoint format rather than a 'bar' format. It is possible to understand at a glance what ‘I’ said in the video, when and where. You can also intuitively find editing points to ensure that the words you want in the video are connected well. For example, if you click on the text 'idiot', you can find the part of the video that says 'idiot', and if you delete the text 'idiot', the part of the video that says 'idiot' will be deleted.
Leaders
Jaewha Chang
Leader at Vrew Team
After joining VoyagerX in February 2018, he made a prototype of <Vrew> in 2 weeks and launched the service in 5 months.
At XL Games, he was the head of content programming for <Civilization Online> for 5 years, from 2012 to 2017.
At Nexon, he was responsible for the stable operation and content development of <Crazy Arcade> for 5 years, from 2007 to 2012.
He worked at CCR for 2 years, from 2003-2005, and developed anti-hacking solutions applied to <Fortress> and <RF Online>.
From 1999 to 2007 at Korea University, he majored in computer science, with a minor in business administration.
Jiyoung Choi
Leader at User Team
I never imagined that I, a humanities major, would end up working in the IT industry for so long.
I majored in Sociology and Korean Literature at Korea University.
My career in service planning began at Naver, where I worked for 2 years, followed by about 10 years at LINE. After spending 10 years in Japan, I returned to Korea and now handle all matters related to "users" (planning, communication, QA) at VoyagerX.
Creating good products requires good teamwork, so I am very interested in both individual and organizational growth. I believe that the workplace is the optimal place for self-discipline.
Jinok Kim
Leader at VOC STUDIO Team
I joined VoyagerX in February 2021 and collaborated with Krafton for a year to develop a Korean language model.
Subsequently, with a team of three members, I created the prototype for AI VoC (Voice of Customer) analysis SaaS, <VOC STUDIO>, and launched it in just three months.
Currently, through <VOC STUDIO>, I am helping companies grow based on customer feedback and maximize business impact.
Before joining VoyagerX, I spent four years at LG Innotek's CTO division from 2017, developing algorithms for vehicle and camera modules.
I studied Electronic Engineering at Sogang University from 2011 to 2015 and continued my research in the field of computer vision at the same university's graduate school until 2017.
Co-Founders
Nam, Sedong
Founder and CEO
VoyagerX Co-founder (2017-)
LINE Service Manager (2009-2015)
Naver Web Robot Development Team Leader (2006-2009)
Neowiz SayClub Development Team Leader, Planning Team Leader (1998-2005)
KAIST Department of Computer Science
Byung-gyu Chang
KRAFTON Chairman of the Board
VoyagerX Co-founder (2017-)
Chairman of the 4th Industrial Revolution Committee (2017-2019)
Co-founded Bon Angels (2008-2017)
Co-founded Krafton (formerly Bluehole) (2007-)
Founded First Snow (2005-2006)
Founded Neowiz (1996-2005)
KAIST Department of Computer Science
Advisor
Sunghyun Hwang
HR Advisor at VoyagerX
As the CEO of Quantum Insight Co., Ltd., he has been in charge of personnel advisory for VoyagerX since September 2020. He has been working in HR and organization planning for 28 years, with a focus on global tech and HR strategy consulting, and has worked with a variety of companies ranging from large domestic and foreign conglomerates to startups in Silicon Valley.
Currently, Seonghyun is focusing on HR consulting, management advice, and executive coaching for start-ups and large companies in high-tech industries such as AI, Robot, Biopharmaceuticals, Health, FinTech, and Entertainment & Media.