#South Korea #Seoul #KITA #KDB #NextRise 2026

NextRise 2026: Celebrating Innovation and Collaboration

On June 19, 2026, Seoul hosted the highly anticipated NextRise 2026, a significant event in the Asian startup ecosystem, co-organized by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) and the Korea Development Bank (KDB). The convention, held at COEX in Samseong-dong, marked a successful culmination of two days filled with networking, innovation showcases, and insight-rich conferences.

This year’s edition was notably remarkable, featuring the largest participation in the event’s history. Over 540 startups including around 140 international companies from 30 countries showcased cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions across various sectors. The diverse representation highlighted the global outlook of the startup community and emphasized the collaborative spirit necessary for fostering innovation.

Among the notable attendees were 23 multinational companies including giants like LG, CJ, Hanwha Aerospace, Google Cloud, and Renault, all eager to explore potential alliances with emerging startups. The event facilitated more than 4,000 one-on-one meetings, providing an invaluable platform for startups to connect with major corporations, investors, and venture capitalists. This initiative is considered one of the largest of its kind in Asia, designed to identify viable business cooperation and investment opportunities.

The conference portion of the event included over 60 sessions led by experts focusing on industry foresights, practical advice, and future trends in strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and the creative industries. Highlights from the conference included a talk by Marc Manara, Head of Startups at OpenAI, on the upcoming era of AI, alongside insights from other prominent figures in the industry, like Robert Langer from MIT, who discussed biotech innovation, and Hee-jun Lee from CJ CheilJedang, addressing the sustainable growth of Korean food products.

NextRise also introduced new initiatives aimed at broadening participation within the startup ecosystem. Attendees had the opportunity to explore experiential zones showcasing potential future unicorn technologies, including humanoid robots, AI-powered drones, and security solutions. Additionally, programs tailored for startups, job fairs, and recruitment one-on-ones helped connect startups with talented young developers specializing in AI.

A total of 32 startups were recognized at the NextRise 2026 Awards for various achievements, further highlighting the event's commitment to innovation. Winners included MangoBoost, awarded for Top Innovator in AI infrastructure, and AmtixBio for biotechnology and health.

The award categories showcased groundbreaking concepts, with startups like MakinaRocks and EverEx being celebrated for their progressive approaches in physical AI and digital health, respectively. Many startups received accolades, such as Qunova Computing and WithPoints, which were recognized for advances in quantum computing and robotic process automation.

The event concluded with remarks from KITA officials, emphasizing the necessity of innovative startups in tackling the challenges posed by transformative technologies like AI. KITA expressed their commitment to promoting these innovations, aiming to bridge governmental support and corporate sectors to generate actionable outcomes.

Conclusion

As NextRise 2026 showcased an impressive array of startups, technologies, and networking opportunities, it reaffirmed the growing importance of innovation and collaboration in the Asian business landscape. With the spotlight now on the participating startups, the future of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Asia looks bright and promising, driven by ingenuity and shared purpose.