NAVER Shines a Light on the Digital Tech Ecosystem Encompassing SMEs, Creators, and Startups
NAVER Shines a Light on the Digital Tech Ecosystem Encompassing SMEs, Creators, and Startups
NAVER Shines a Light on the Digital Tech Ecosystem Encompassing SMEs, Creators, and Startups
- NAVER released the “2023 Digital Ecosystem Report,” showcasing its tech ecosystem achievements- NAVER continuously expands the range and scale of support for partners, including SMEs, global creators, and startups
- The total enterprise value of startups invested in by D2SF reached KRW 4 trillion, and NAVER Pay’s accumulated quick settlement payment exceeded KRW 24.7 trillion.
September 19, 2023
NAVER Corporation (CEO Choi Soo-yeon) released the “2023 Digital Ecosystem Report” on September 19. The report highlighted the direction and importance of the technological ecosystem NAVER is collaboratively building with diverse partners, encompassing SMEs, creators, and startups, leveraging future technologies such as cloud, AI, and big data.
According to the “2023 Digital Ecosystem Report,” partners who are growing through this tech ecosystem by utilizing NAVER’s cloud, AI, big data, and other technologies or participating directly in educational programs are consistently expanding in both numbers and the scale of support they receive.
NAVER’s strategic investment organization, D2SF, has invested in startups with a combined enterprise value of KRW 4 trillion. Startups that participated in the AI RUSH 2023 Project, an initiative by NAVER Cloud leveraging HyperCLOVA X to foster startup growth, have received over KRW 2 billion in combined support. Moreover, 65% of the NAVER Commerce Solution Market comprises external startups, while 17,000 institutions and schools have incorporated Whalespace so far. As of last year, the cumulative number of participants for Boost Course, an online IT training program by the NAVER Connect Foundation, reached 450,000.
The number of SMEs and creators growing with NAVER technology is also increasing. Over 45,000 sellers on NAVER Smart Store have annual sales exceeding KRW 100 million, and 44.6% of the entire Smart Store sellers belong to the 2030 age group. Out of the total transaction value of NAVER Shopping Live, SMEs account for 50%.
Moreover, the cumulative support amount for fees and growth points targeting SMEs exceeded KRW 106 billion, and the accumulated payment from NAVER Pay’s quick settlement surpassed KRW 24.7 trillion. The number of sellers enrolled in the tech-fin insurance service “Return Relief Care*” provided by NAVER Pay is 36,000, and the monthly transaction amount of those sellers utilizing the service has increased by 29%.
* Return Relief Care: An insurance offering that covers the initial delivery, return shipping, and exchange shipping costs, regardless of whether the buyer or seller is at fault, when a purchase is returned or exchanged by the buyer
The global creator ecosystem involving WEBTOON and ZEPETO is also expanding. As of last year, the scale of NAVER WEBTOON’s creator profit model package, the Partners Profit Share (PPS) program, exceeded KRW 2.255 trillion. Through the “Toon Radar” technology, which blocks unauthorized content distribution, creators see an estimated safeguarding of their earnings of around KRW 300 billion annually. Creators on ZEPETO have released over 11 million items so far, with the number of profitable ZEPETO creators soaring by 800% last year.
Since launching the “D-commerce Report” in 2018, NAVER has consistently published various reports, including the “D-Place Report,” “Tech-fin Report,” and “Local Brand Review.” In partnership with the academic sector, NAVER has delved into growth models for those involved in the ecosystem and cultivated deeper understandings. The “Digital Ecosystem Report,” published for the second time this year, encompasses digital ecosystems analyzed in various fields, such as e-commerce, tech-fin, and local sectors, offering an overview of digital entrepreneurship and the overall tech ecosystem.