Rootrix Raises $3.2M Series A to Digitize Tree Distribution

Tree distribution platform Rootrix secured 4.5 billion won ($3.2 million) in Series A funding, according to venture investment platform TheVC on the 25th.

The round included existing investor Smilegate Investment, along with CJ Investment, IBK Industrial Bank, and D.Camp (Banks Foundation for Young Entrepreneurs).

Rootrix is a startup that distributes trees based on data from approximately 700 specialized tree farms. The company currently serves 102 landscaping construction firms as clients.

The company's business aims to eliminate uncertainty in tree supply and demand, the biggest challenge in landscaping construction sites. Landscaping projects have long faced issues including price fluctuations, quality inconsistencies, and delivery delays. Rootrix manages these risks through a data-based system, supporting on-time delivery of quality-verified trees at prices guaranteed in quotations.

With this investment, Rootrix plans to expand its customer base beyond large construction companies to include small and mid-sized landscaping contractors. The company also plans to establish a stable procurement environment within the first half of this year, allowing tree quotation requests via KakaoTalk channel with confirmed trees delivered to construction sites.

Netform R&D Raises $2.8M in Pre-IPO Round

Building renovation solutions company Netform R&D completed a 4 billion won pre-IPO investment round with participation from venture capital firm WeVentures.

Netform R&D has maintained operating profit margins above 25% annually since its founding. The company recorded average annual revenue growth of 50% over the past three years. Last year, it achieved record performance with 15.3 billion won in revenue and 5 billion won in operating profit. This performance stems from technological competitiveness, with the company holding 60 patents and approximately 100 product types. About 250 construction companies nationwide use its solutions.

Netform R&D plans to use the funding to establish local subsidiaries for global market expansion and build overseas partnerships to localize its services. The company will also acquire startups with AI-based safety ICT technology to create synergies with its existing renovation business.

Mental Healthcare Firm Leesol Secures $2.1M

Mental healthcare tech company Leesol, which possesses brainwave entrainment technology, successfully raised 3 billion won in Series A2 bridge funding. BNK Venture Capital and Spacetime Investment participated in the round.

Leesol's flagship product is the Sleepisol series of wearable devices. The product improves sleep quality using technology capable of brainwave entrainment reaching deep brain regions. Clinical trials at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital led to publication in an SCI-level journal. More than 50,000 units have been sold across Korea, the United States, and Japan. The company achieved 2.6 billion won in revenue last year and projects over 6 billion won this year.

Leesol plans to invest the funding in advancing digital therapeutics and electroceutical technologies while developing new wellness devices. This year, the company will introduce a subscription model based on sleep status and cognitive ability analysis reports to establish a stable revenue structure.