#South Korea #Seoul #Korea Startup Forum #MSS #COMEUP 2025

Successful Conclusion of COMEUP 2025

The COMEUP 2025 festival, which took place from December 10-12 at COEX in Seoul, has successfully wrapped up, highlighting the potentials of startups and their role in innovation. This event, a premier global startup festival in South Korea, was orchestrated by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) alongside the Korea Startup Forum (KSF). The festival's slogan, "Recode the Future," encapsulated the transformative impact that startups are poised to have across different sectors.

Now in its seventh year, COMEUP welcomed participants from an impressive 46 countries, marking a record in global representation. The festival saw a vibrant mix of startup founders, investors, corporate leaders, and governmental figures, fostering a fertile ground for ideas and collaborations. A total of 3,447 investment and business matchmaking meetings were facilitated through a combination of online and on-site interactions, underscoring COMEUP’s position as a practical platform for startup ecosystems worldwide.

The structure of the festival underwent significant enhancements compared to previous years. This year, conference sessions were carefully curated to align with three main themes—Deep Tech, Global Expansion, and Entrepreneurship—promoting a cohesive and focused dialogue on these essential topics. The festival made strides not only in thematic organization but also in increasing audience engagement through innovative stage designs and interactive sessions tailored to the future of industries.

One of the key developments this year was the collaborative effort between the Korea Startup Forum, the Korea Venture Business Association, and the Korea Venture Capital Association. This partnership aimed at strengthening synergies within the private startup landscape, focusing on inviting prominent global investors, corporate venture capital entities, and accelerators, thereby facilitating impactful discussions around investments and partnerships.

In a bid to broaden appeal and participation, a variety of side events captivated attendees, including exciting initiatives like Startup Autobahn Korea 2025 and the Challenge! K-Startup Grand Finale. These programs, aimed at driving interest from both companies and the general public, showcased an inclusive approach that encouraged community engagement. The event also included a B2C-driven COMEUP Flea Market and student pitch sessions, reinforcing the importance of nurturing emerging talent and captaining a supportive ecosystem.

International representation was a crucial achievement of this year's festival, with several countries, including Saudi Arabia, India, Japan, and Canada, establishing national pavilions. This broadened the global network of COMEUP, driving cross-border innovation and collaboration. Newcomers like Australia and Sierra Leone joined for the first time, contributing to the festival’s diverse landscape.

Beyond technology and investment trends, COMEUP 2025 focused on fostering entrepreneurial values through initiatives like the "Future Founder" program. This program spotlighted emerging entrepreneurs and provided mentorship opportunities, emphasizing the role of entrepreneurial education in bolstering national competitiveness.

Significant discussions centered on creating social value and addressing pressing global issues such as climate change, showcasing innovative solutions from the startup community. Events like the COMEUP Stars 2025 Final Pitch and various competitions engaged participants in exploring viable paths for scaling ventures globally.

As a testament to its impact, COMEUP 2025 will offer an on-demand viewing experience on its official YouTube channel, allowing more stakeholders to engage with the enriching content shared during the festival. This global gathering of innovation not only showcased technological advancements but also set the tone for future collaborations and the sustainable growth of the startup ecosystem in Korea and beyond.

To summarize, COMEUP 2025 epitomized the spirit of innovation and collaboration, propelling startups towards redefining industries and establishing a flourishing entrepreneurial landscape for the future.