Sweet Spot

Sweet Spot, a South Korean proptech company founded in 2015 by CEO Kim Jeong-su, is strategically positioned within the commercial real estate market by transforming underutilized spaces into revenue-generating opportunities. Kim's background in real estate asset management at firms like CBRE and IBK Investment & Securities provided the foundational expertise for this venture. The company's core business revolves around a brokerage platform for short-term pop-up stores, connecting brands with idle spaces in high-traffic commercial buildings, such as office lobbies and subway corridors.

The business model addresses the needs of both property owners and brands. For building owners, Sweet Spot offers a way to monetize previously unused areas and increase foot traffic. For brands, it provides flexible, low-commitment retail spaces in prime locations with high consumer purchasing power, facilitated by a streamlined online booking process that bypasses complex, long-term lease agreements. The company's services have expanded beyond simple space brokerage to include comprehensive merchandising (MD) consulting, where it advises on the best tenant mix and layout to revitalize commercial districts. This is exemplified by its successful projects for major sites like 'Seongsu Naknak,' 'Yoido Finance Tower,' and 'Sheraton D Cube City' in Seoul.

Sweet Spot generates revenue through brokerage fees and consulting services. The company has demonstrated significant growth, reporting a 300% annual increase and achieving break-even in the latter half of 2021. A key milestone was its Series B funding round in January 2023, which raised 9.5 billion won ($7.7 million) from prominent investors including Shinsegae Group's CVC Signite Partners, Hanwha Investment & Securities, and Altos Ventures. This capital is being allocated to enhance its technological capabilities, specifically by building a commercial real estate library system and developing a retail asset management Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product. The company also operates a pop-up information platform called 'Popga' and recently launched 'Shop at Episode,' a B2B service that brings pop-up stores directly into corporate offices as an employee welfare benefit.

Keywords: proptech, commercial real estate, pop-up stores, retail brokerage, space monetization, merchandising consulting, asset management SaaS, short-term leasing, tenant curation, real estate data, commercial property, retail tech, space-as-a-service, Seoul real estate, landlord services, brand activation, retail leasing, property technology, commercial leasing, vacant space solutions, temporary retail