RCS - Habitus Associates - Habitus Associates Secures Seed Investment
18/09/2023 08:15
For best results when printing this announcement, please click on link below: http://newsfile.refinitiv.com/getnewsfile/v1/story?guid=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20230918:nRSR6772Ma&default-theme=true RNS Number : 6772M Habitus Associates Co., LTD 18 September 2023 SoftBank Ventures Asia Invests in Habitus Associates Co., LTD., Leading the Digital Transition of the Art Industry SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / ACCESSWIRE / September 17, 2023 / Habitus Associates Co., LTD., the entity behind the online art platform 'Artue' and under the leadership of Bo Young SONG, has secured a seed investment of 4 billion won. This investment round was led by SoftBank Ventures Asia with several angel investors also taking part. Related Image (https://www.accesswire.com/users/newswire/images/784622/aae46b6aa3782094bcf1ac91471f.jpg) Artue_Logo Artue, powered by Habitus Associates Co., LTD, is pioneering the art industry's digital transformation. The platform is revolutionizing the traditionally offline, high-barrier art brokerage, providing emerging artists with market entry opportunities and reducing purchasing barriers for collectors. A notable feature of Artue is its digital twin technology, enabling a virtual experience that mirrors physical art spaces. With the integration of online transactional capabilities, Artue is also enhancing its digital Catalogue Raisonné service and introducing resale functionalities. The team at Habitus Associates Co., LTD. comprises industry veterans from influential corporations like Naver, Kakao, Credit-Suisse, LG, Hyundai Motor Group, Kukje Gallery, and Korea Arts Management Service. The advisory board includes Eugene Whang, with two decades at Apple; Alan Lau, previously of Tencent and now with Animoca Brands; Changwook Kim of Naver; and Federico Tan, a communications specialist with clients including Sacai and Takashi Murakami. With the new funds, the company intends to further develop and hone Artue's offerings, boost its technical capabilities, and expand its reach. Strategic talent acquisition and international artist promotion are also on the agenda, along with securing additional intellectual properties to diversify Artue's portfolio. In 2022, the global art market was valued at an impressive 80 trillion won, with projections indicating continued growth driven by an increase in affluent individuals and the expanding digital landscape. Remarkably, South Korea's art market achieved over 1 trillion won in sales during the challenging pandemic year. Estimates for 2022 show potential growth to 1.377 trillion won. With Seoul witnessing a surge in global galleries and auction houses, South Korea is positioning itself as a significant player in the art market alongside giants like the US, UK, China, and Japan. Bo Young SONG, co-founder of Habitus Associates Co., LTD., has served as a member of the Selection Committee member of Art Basel Hong Kong for a decade and as the first Asian partner and the regional CEO of renowned European art publisher Cahiers d'Art. She stated, "Artue is our response to the digital era. Beyond traditional art experiences, our platform aims to expedite and enhance the journey of gallerists, artists, and collectors." JP Lee, CEO of SoftBank Ventures Asia, added, "Habitus Associates Co., LTD. seamlessly integrates art with IT, revolutionizing the traditional art market. We will actively support the continued growth of Artue and, furthermore, the digital transition of the art market." Contact Information Ines On Sim Communications Manager ines@artue.io (mailto:ines@artue.io) +82-10-6298-5999 Related Files About SoftBank Ventures Asia & Habitus Associates.docx (https://pr.report/dCKofgNq) SOURCE: Habitus Associates Co., LTD This information is provided by Reach, the non-regulatory press release distribution service of RNS, part of the London Stock Exchange. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com (mailto:rns@lseg.com) or visit www.rns.com (http://www.rns.com/) . RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our Privacy Policy (https://www.lseg.com/privacy-and-cookie-policy) . END NRALAMRTMTABBLJ