Kang Sung-Cheon, President of Gyeonggi Business & Science Accelerator
The ‘2024 Gyeonggi Startup Summit × South Summit Korea,’ hosted by Gyeonggi-do and co-organized by the Gyeonggi Business & Science Accelerator and Spain’s South Summit, kicked off on the 25th at the Suwon Convention Center.
This summit is Asia’s first international startup event to collaborate with South Summit. It is critical to realize Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon’s pledge to make Gyeonggi a “Startup Heaven.”
In his welcoming address, Kang Sung-Cheon, President of Gyeonggi Business & Science Accelerator, said, “This summit is a platform for startups to showcase their innovative technologies to the world,” emphasizing that Gyeonggi-do will strengthen its connection with the global startup ecosystem amidst the trends of digital transformation and AI innovation. He also declared, “Under the vision of creating a ‘Startup Heaven Gyeonggi-do,’ we will establish a startup ecosystem where anyone with a good idea can succeed globally.”
Kang outlined three key aspects. First, he emphasized the summit’s role as a global platform introducing the innovative technologies of AI and deep-tech startups, offering startups opportunities to create new business models. Second, he mentioned that this summit would accelerate the global expansion of Gyeonggi-based startups, with the collaboration with South Summit serving as a springboard for entering the international market. Lastly, he expected the summit to generate investment and business opportunities and facilitate practical meetings and outcomes between investors and startups.
Guests attending the event
The summit features 253 booths. 63 overseas startups from 10 countries, including Spain, China, India, and 190 Korean companies, participated.
Throughout the event, startups will showcase their AI and deep-tech innovations while promoting open innovation through collaboration with global big-tech companies. Over 80 speakers will present over 50 topics, including a keynote speech by renowned roboticist Professor Dennis Hong. More than 100 venture capital firms will also hold 1:1 meetings with startups.
The startup pitch event ‘The Next Big Thing’ and the ‘Global IR Challenge’ finals will take place on the final day. Gyeonggi-do will facilitate over 1,000 investment consultations over the three days to offer substantial investment opportunities.
Concluding his welcoming speech, Kang Sung-Cheon said, “This summit will be the starting point for innovators to explore new challenges and opportunities in the global market,” expressing high hopes for startups’ global expansion.
Pangyo Techno Valley is a global integrated R&D hub focused on IT, BT, CT, and NT, integrating Research (R), People (P), Information (I), and Trade (T). As Gyeonggi-do’s representative innovation cluster, Pangyo Techno Valley was established to secure national new growth drivers such as technological innovation, human resource development, job creation, and enhancing international business competitiveness. As of 2023, 1,666 companies employ 78,751 people, and it has positioned itself as the most innovative hub in South Korea, with sales amounting to 167.7 trillion KRW (125.5 billion USD).
Furthermore, the Techno Valley Innovation Division of the Gyeonggi-do Business & Science Accelerator (GBSA) holds monthly events such as the Pangyo Evening Meet-Up, Pan-Pan Day, and the Pangyo Startup Investment Exchange “In-Best Pangyo” to maximize the value of Pangyo Techno Valley. They also support the Pangyo Overseas Promotion Program to publicize information about Pangyo’s companies, products, and services to domestic and foreign investors and the media, thereby facilitating foreign investment.
