Seoul, South Korea Dec 11, 2024 (Issuewire.com) - South Korea’s largest global startup event, ‘COMEUP 2024,’ officially opened on December 11 at COEX, Seoul, hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) led by Minister Youngju Oh.
The opening ceremony featured speeches from leading innovators, including Chan Yoon, CEO of EverEx Inc., and Sina Albanese, CEO of Koralo, representing domestic and international participants. EverEx, recognized for its digital rehabilitation solutions for musculoskeletal disorders, won an innovation award at CES 2024 after being selected for COMEUP Stars 2022. Koralo, specializing in plant-based seafood alternatives, won the K-Startup Grand Challenge 2022 and established its Korean headquarters.
Minister Youngju Oh welcomed global entrepreneurs, emphasizing that startups continue to find breakthroughs and solve societal issues through innovation. She outlined MSS’s goals to transform South Korea into a worldwide top-four venture capital hub, support startups’ overseas expansion, and attract top foreign entrepreneurs through policy enhancements.
COMEUP 2024, themed “Innovation Beyond Borders,” runs from December 11 to 12 and will include over 40 countries. Key themes include Deep Tech, Inbound Innovation, and Sustainable Innovation by Startups (SIS). Programs include conferences, exhibitions, IR pitches, open innovation showcases, and legal consulting sessions.
The “Future Talk” conference segment features keynotes from global startup ecosystem leaders, including Qamar Aftab from Wa’ed Ventures (Saudi Aramco’s CVC) and Sunghyun Park, CEO of Rebellions Inc., discussing cross-border innovation. Deep-tech companies will showcase new products and technologies on the “Tech Talk 15” stage.
COMEUP Stars 2024’s public IR pitch event, “Startup Valley,” includes pitches from Rookie and Runners League finalists and fireside sessions featuring Rocket League companies. The second-day highlights industry-government collaborations through open innovation showcases, reverse pitches, and results-sharing sessions.
The “Global Community” segment facilitates networking and pitching opportunities for startups from regions like the UAE, India, and Africa. The “COMEUP X” initiative, supported by organizations like AWS, KISA, and Asan Nanum Foundation, offers various startup support programs.
Approximately 260 startups are participating, over half from overseas, with national pavilions from countries such as the UAE, India, Japan, and Sweden. Exhibitions cover deep-tech fields, including big data, AI, biotech, and health tech, allowing visitors to experience cutting-edge innovations.
Global business leaders, CVCs, government officials, and investors are attending to explore startup-led partnerships and investments. More than 70 prominent international VCs are expected to scout emerging companies.
International startup founders interested in entering the Korean market also have dedicated exhibition spaces, including the “Startup Korea Pavilion,” featuring over 20 foreign startups. Carlos El-Kik Lloret, CEO of AiMA Beyond AI, the first recipient of the “Startup Korea Special Visa,” is among the participating entrepreneurs. The Spanish startup, specializing in AI-powered digital human solutions, overcame previous visa hurdles thanks to the new program’s focus on innovation over formal qualifications.
Detailed event programs and real-time updates are available on the official COMEUP website (https://comeup.org), with live streaming on the official YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@COMEUP_org).
Media Contact
Korea Startup Forum sangha@kstartupforum.org http://kstartupforum.org
