[2026 Seoul Fintech Lab 2 Startup CEO] ThaPhum, An enterprise focusing on the development and supply of the enterprise virtualization solution ‘VirtOn’

Seungnam Ahn, CEO of ThaPhum

-VirtOn is a Type 1 (Bare-Metal) enterprise server virtualization solution developed based on Proxmox VE, a globally verified open-source hypervisor

-VirtOn is virtually the only solution that fulfills the core objectives of virtualization deployment: ‘cost reduction’ ‘management convenience’ and ‘scalability’

ThaPhum is an enterprise that focuses on the development and supply of its enterprise virtualization solution, ‘VirtOn’, while also providing comprehensive IT consulting and Backup/DR (Disaster Recovery) infrastructure services. The company was founded in July 2022 by CEO Seungnam Ahn (52).

VirtOn is a Type 1 (Bare-Metal) enterprise server virtualization solution developed on the foundation of Proxmox VE, a globally proven open-source hypervisor. It enables the integrated management of KVM-based virtualization and LXC containers through a single web GUI. Furthermore, it natively incorporates essential features required for enterprise infrastructure operations, including High Availability (HA) clusters, Ceph-based HCI (Hyperconverged Infrastructure), live migration, incremental backup, and WAN DR integration.

“Currently, the virtualization market is facing significant challenges due to massive price hikes stemming from the transition of foreign solutions like VMware to subscription models, as well as the difficulties in stably operating domestic solutions based on OpenStack”, said CEO Ahn. “We take pride in the fact that ThaPhum's VirtOn is virtually the only solution that fulfills the core objectives of virtualization deployment: ‘cost reduction’ ‘management convenience’ and scalability.”

CEO Ahn emphasized, “VirtOn's significant advantage over competitors is its ability to perfectly satisfy the requirements of cost reduction, management convenience, and scalability.”

“VirtOn allows customers to choose between subscription-based and perpetual purchase models, implementing a licensing policy capable of realizing over 50% in cost savings based on a 5-year TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) compared to foreign solutions”, Ahn explained. “Moreover, because it is developed based on the globally verified Proxmox, it guarantees seamless compatibility with global hardware and software solutions, such as NVIDIA, Veeam, and Acronis. Through this, customers can efficiently operate and manage their virtual environments while scaling out with ease.”

ThaPhum employs a sales strategy heavily centered around specialized B2B partners (channels). The company has currently established partnership agreements with 47 major domestic IT infrastructure partners, collaborating extensively on sales and marketing. To establish a robust technical support system, ThaPhum also conducts regular training sessions exclusively for partner engineers.

“To accelerate our entry into the public and financial sectors, we obtained the GS (Good Software) Certification on July 20th and are simultaneously pursuing the acquisition of the Security Functional Confirmation”, stated Ahn. “We are diversifying our public and private sales channels simultaneously, which includes preparing to register on the Public Procurement Service's Nara Marketplace (KONEPS) within the third quarter. ThaPhum is conducting various marketing activities in parallel, such as YouTube channels, blogs, and webinars, to enhance the brand awareness of our company and solutions and to broaden customer touchpoints.”

ThaPhum has been steadily expanding its revenue based on stable internal management focused on its technological prowess. The company is now planning to attract investments to aggressively expand R&D and grow its market share. “Through alignment with the TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startup) program, we plan to carry out advanced projects to integrate AI-based AIOps (Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations) and autonomous control virtualization technology directly into VirtOn”, Ahn revealed.

When asked what motivated him to establish the company, CEO Ahn replied, “Rather than a specific turning point, I started the business with the desire to work enjoyably while realizing my own management philosophy. I find starting a business deeply rewarding when planned goals become a reality and when I encounter new experiences. I also feel a great sense of accomplishment when receiving positive responses from customers after launching VirtOn to replace foreign virtualization solutions. Recently, having obtained the GS Certification and with the public procurement registration in sight, my expectations for pioneering new frontiers are growing. Collaborating with our young employees provides me with numerous innovative ideas across development, marketing, and technical support. It brings me immense pride to see that we are all growing together.”

ThaPhum is comprised of eight members in total, including CEO Ahn. This consists of three members in the VirtOn development team, two in the technical support team, and three in sales and marketing. “Excluding myself, the average age is 29, making us quite a young company. Built upon the CEO's deep experience and the ambitious drive of our young employees, we work under the motto: Deep in Experience, Young in Ideas.”

Regarding his future plans, CEO Ahn shared, “I had several core goals when I founded this company. The representative ones include building a company that grows alongside its customers, partners, and employees, developing and launching proprietary solutions and expanding into overseas markets. Moving forward, we will never forget our initial goals and will continue to grow and advance.”

Date of Establishment: July 2022
Core Business: Development and supply of the virtualization solution 'VirtOn'; backup & DR infrastructure deployment and services
Key Achievements: VirtOn deployed and currently operating across 47 organizations, including Lotte Card, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, and MBC; VirtOn obtained GS Certification on July 20, 2026; VirtOn scheduled for KONEPS procurement registration in Q3 2026; currently in the process of acquiring the NIS (National Intelligence Service) Security Functional Confirmation (expected Q1 2027).

reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com