Yanolja becomes first Korean unicorn to join UAE's startup incubator
Kim Jong-yoon, CEO of Yanolja / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Yanolja, leading Korean travel platform operator, said Thursday it has been tapped as the first Korean startup to join the United Arab Emirates' startup incubator as a member.
Yanolja joined the Global Unicorn Center in Dubai as a member during the World Government Summit event held last week, it said.
A total of 15 startup companies have been accepted as members this year, with Yanolja being the only Korean company, it said.
The startup incubator is part of the Dubai government's plan to grow $30 billion companies by the next decade. Along with educational and policy support from the UAE government, members can receive the "golden visa," which permits long-term resident stays for eligible individuals, including foreign investors, entrepreneurs, scientists and outstanding students.
Yanolja said it plans to strengthen its global competitiveness by utilizing regional networks provided by the center, while accelerating digitalization in the Middle East by developing new software solutions for regional clients.
"As a member, we plan to share insights on the global digital economy while strengthening research and development in our respective field," Kim Jong-yoon, CEO of Yanolja, said. (Yonhap)