SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — South Korea’s premier 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 event gathered startup leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs from over 40 countries, highlighting South Korea’s growing role in the global innovation ecosystem.
The opening ceremony featured speeches from prominent innovators, including Chan Yoon, CEO of EverEx Inc., and Sina Albanese, CEO of Koralo. EverEx, recognized for its digital rehabilitation solutions for musculoskeletal disorders, gained international acclaim after winning an innovation award at CES 2024. Koralo, known for its plant-based seafood alternatives, established its Korean headquarters after winning the K-Startup Grand Challenge 2022.
Minister Youngju Oh emphasized the significance of startups in solving global challenges through innovation. She outlined MSS’s strategic goals, including transforming South Korea into a worldwide top-four venture capital hub, facilitating overseas startup expansion, and attracting foreign entrepreneurs through policy reforms.
COMEUP 2024, themed “Innovation Beyond Borders,” runs from December 11 to 12 and features over 260 startups, with more than half coming from overseas. National pavilions from the UAE, India, Japan, and Sweden spotlight innovations like AI, biotech, and health tech.
Key programs include conferences, exhibitions, and investment events. The “Future Talk” segment features global startup leaders discussing cross-border innovation, including Qamar Aftab from Wa’ed Ventures and Sunghyun Park from Rebellions Inc.. Deep-tech companies present cutting-edge technologies on the “Tech Talk 15” stage.
The “Startup Valley” public IR pitch event highlights pitches from COMEUP Stars 2024 finalists and includes fireside chats with industry leaders. Open innovation showcases and reverse pitches enhance collaboration between startups and major corporations.
The “Global Community” segment supports startup networking and market entry opportunities in regions like the UAE, India, and Africa. The “COMEUP X” initiative, supported by organizations like AWS and KISA, provides specialized startup support programs.
International entrepreneurs, including Carlos El-Kik Lloret, CEO of AiMA Beyond AI and recipient of the “Startup Korea Special Visa,” are participating. His Spanish startup, specializing in AI-powered digital human solutions, benefited from South Korea’s pro-innovation visa policies.
Detailed event programs and real-time updates are available on the official COMEUP website and YouTube channel.
