May 12, 2025

Samsung Next Seeks Experts for Startup Investments in Key Sectors Print Editor Kim Eun-jin Samsung Electronics' home AI companion robot "Ballie" (Photo courtesy of Samsung Electronics) Samsung Electronics, which has resumed large-scale mergers and acquisitions (M&A) after an eight-year hiatus, is actively recruiting investment experts in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI). With Samsung Electronics recently investing in numerous startups in the robotics and AI sectors, expectations are rising that the company will secure new growth engines through big deals in related fields. According to industry sources on May 12, Samsung Next, the investment-specialized subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, is recruiting venture investment experts. The target candidates are professionals with more than three years of technical experience in the relevant industries. Those hired will participate in due diligence on technology and products, as well as initial investment discussions. Samsung Next particularly emphasized AI, robotics, and edge/cloud infrastructure as preferred areas of expertise, highlighting these industries as the company’s “technology focus areas.” This move is interpreted as a recruitment effort to increase startup investments in AI and robotics fields. This focus is also evident in Samsung Next’s recent investment portfolio. Out of eight startups invested in this year, seven are AI-related. Music AI and Safely You, invested in January, are companies developing AI-based music generation technology and fall prevention solutions combining cameras and AI-based sensors, respectively. Reality Defender, which received investment last month, is commercializing technology that detects and blocks deepfake impersonation through AI. The company was also actively identifying robot startups last year. Starting with 1X Technologies in January last year, Samsung Next participated in funding rounds for domestic and international robot startups including Standard Bots (July), VSim (September), and Aedin Robotics. It is noteworthy that investments were made across various areas within the robotics business, from humanoids to industrial collaborative robots and robot components, including sensors. Synergies between the invested startups and Samsung Electronics’ business are also intensifying. Samsung Next invested in Perplexity, a generative AI startup, last year, and recently Samsung Electronics has been discussing integrating Perplexity into Galaxy smartphones. This demonstrates how the company is creating synergies through startup investments in areas difficult to fulfill solely through in-house research and development (R&D). Samsung Electronics also actively pursued its own investments during a similar period. In May last year, the company acquired Sonit, a French AI development startup with obstetric ultrasound diagnostic reporting technology, and in July, it purchased Oxford Semantic Technologies, a UK startup possessing knowledge graph technology applicable to on-device AI business. Industry watchers view Samsung Next’s technology focus areas as indicative of Samsung Electronics’ areas of interest. This has led to observations that the group is likely to pursue new business development and M&A in these fields. At this year’s shareholders’ meeting in March, Samsung Electronics stated, “In an environment of intense global technology competition, acquiring new technologies and capabilities is essential for continuous growth,” and “We will pursue meaningful M&A this year to achieve tangible results.” In the same context, the acquisition of Masimo’s audio business division by Harman, Samsung Electronics’ automotive and audio subsidiary, for around 500 billion won on May 6 (local time) is considered particularly significant. As this is the largest M&A since Samsung Electronics completed the acquisition of Harman in 2017, it suggests the possibility of another big deal following this initiation of large-scale M&A.