Seoul, South Korea Dec 12, 2024 (Issuewire.com) - Korea Startup Forum (KSF, Chairman Sangwoo Han), the official organizer of the global startup festival 'COMEUP,' announced an even more diverse program lineup for the second and final day of COMEUP 2024, held on December 12.
Opened on December 11 at COEX in Seoul, COMEUP 2024 kicked off under the theme Innovation Beyond Borders, bringing together startups and ecosystem stakeholders from 45 countries to celebrate a spectacular opening. The ceremony featured opening speeches by Chan Yoon, CEO of EverEx, and Sina Albanese, CEO of Koralo), representing domestic and global entrepreneurs, respectively, along with congratulatory remarks by Young-Ju Oh, Minister of SMEs and Startups. The keynote session drew attention with Qamar Aftab, Investment Manager at Waed Ventures (Saudi Aramcos CVC), and Sunghyun Park, CEO of Rebellionsthe first Korean startup to secure funding from Waed Venturesdiscussing cross-border innovation. Conference sessions, including Future Talk, provided expert insights into global expansion, deep-tech, and SIS(Sustainable Innovation by Startups).
Among the highlights, the IR pitching stage of COMEUP Stars 2024, which saw a record-breaking 1,208 applications, showcased 10 Rookie League finalists competing for the Top 3 slots. Finalists represent various deep-tech fields, including information security and on-device AI solutions, and hail from countries such as Korea, Sweden, and India, reflecting the global innovation momentum.
The Global Community program, a platform for startup ecosystem exchange, featured pitching stages by startups from the UAE, India, Africa, and Colombia on the first day. Networking sessions, organized by country and industry, were supported by international organizations such as the Embassy of Denmark, La French Tech, and AfDB, further enriching the program.
On December 12, the second day, the spotlight shifts to deep-tech trends and tailored strategies for international market entry. The keynote session features SooJong Kim, CEO of INNOSPACE, sharing insights on innovation in Koreas burgeoning space(K-Space) industry.
Future Talk sessions focus on the theme Globalization Guidebook, offering tailored strategies for market entry in different regions. Speakers include:
A session titled True Talk: Life as a Startup Founders Family aims to foster empathy and respect for entrepreneurs. Speakers Sunhae Kim (Futureschool, CEO), Ryu Jung hee (FuturePlay, CEO), and Innhye Jeong (Altos Ventures, Lead) will share personal experiences and perspectives on being part of an entrepreneurs support network.
The OI(Open Innovation) Ground features reverse pitching by SK Innovation and Hyundai E&C to nurture and discover climate-tech startups. Global tech leaders such as Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Siemens will share success stories, while prominent companies like LOréal Korea, Hyundai Motor Company, Musinsa Partners, and CJ E&M will discuss collaborative projects with startups.
The Global Community program continues with vibrant participation from 59 startups representing countries such as Japan, UAE, Uganda, India, and regions across Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Pitching sessions will culminate in awards ceremonies and networking opportunities. In addition, the startup showcase program COMEUP X, in collaboration with ecosystem partners such as Oracle, Markncompany, will also be available.
The Startup Valley program, highlighted by intense pitching from COMEUP Stars 2024, concludes with the final Rookie League session. The event will crown three finalists, offering them the opportunity to participate in Viva Technology 2025 in France, marking the grand finale of the two-day festival.
Replays of COMEUP 2024 will be available on its official YouTube channel after the event concludes.
Source :Korea Startup Forum
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