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Hanwha Ocean Geoje Shipyard. (Photo courtesy of Hanwha Ocean) |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] Hanwha Ocean is drawing attention as it moves to make large-scale investments in promising startups in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and defense, with a primary focus on the United States, industry sources said Sunday.
The initiative is aimed at identifying companies that can generate strategic synergies with Hanwha Ocean’s future businesses, with priority expected to be placed on technologies that can drive productivity innovation in shipbuilding and naval vessel construction, including at the company’s U.S. operations such as the Philly Shipyard.
According to industry sources, Hanwha Ocean plans to commit USD 100 million (approximately KRW 144.3 billion) next month to a private equity fund managed by affiliate Hanwha Asset Management. This marks the first time Hanwha Ocean has used a Hanwha Asset Management fund as a vehicle for overseas technology investments.
Other Hanwha Group affiliates are also considering participation in the fund, raising the possibility that the overall fund size could expand further. The move is widely seen as reflecting the group’s growing focus on future growth engines and its intention to strengthen investment and cooperation in the U.S. shipbuilding and defense sectors.
The fund, named Hanwha–8090 Nexus Growth, will primarily invest in global technology startups, with a strong emphasis on the U.S. market. Structured as a fund-of-funds, it will deploy capital through specialized local funds with deep knowledge of regional innovation ecosystems to identify and back high-potential companies.
A Hanwha Ocean official said that AI and robotics in the U.S. are attracting the most active investment flows globally, noting that their applications are expanding rapidly in shipbuilding processes and productivity enhancement. “This fund commitment is part of our efforts to secure promising global companies early on as potential business partners,” the official said.
The company added that given Hanwha Ocean’s expanding footprint in the U.S., technological collaboration with local startups is a natural step toward upgrading its operations and must be pursued in a systematic and carefully prepared manner.
Hanwha Ocean has been aggressively expanding its U.S. presence. At the end of 2024, it invested USD 100 million together with Hanwha Systems to acquire the Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, and has since entered the U.S. Navy’s maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) market, accelerating the expansion of its local shipbuilding and defense-related businesses.
Alphabiz Reporter Paul Lee(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
