ASEAN-Korea Startup Week 2025 promotes innovation, collaboration

ASEAN-Korea Centre Secretary-General Kim Jae-shin speaks during the ASEAN-Korea Startup Week 2025 in Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of ASEAN-Korea Startup Week 2025

The ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC) hosted the ASEAN-Korea Startup Week 2025, a five-day event aimed at promoting innovation and investment cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Korea. The event, held from Monday to Friday at Ondream Society in Seoul, brought together 30 promising startups from 10 ASEAN member states.

Established in 2018, the annual Startup Week identifies early-stage startups across ASEAN with strong growth potential and connected them with investors, accelerators, and venture capital networks in Korea.

This year’s edition went beyond the traditional pitching competition, placing a stronger focus on capacity building. Participants — selected through recommendations by ASEAN embassies in Seoul and the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME) — represented sectors such as artificial intelligence, health care, climate technology and education.

Throughout the week, startups attended workshops led by Korean experts and investors, covering topics such as the local startup ecosystem, market entry strategies and investor relations. For the first time, the AKC transitioned its acceleration course from online to an in-person format, allowing deeper engagement and mentorship.

A key highlight was a networking session Wednesday featuring opening remarks by AKC Secretary-General Kim Jae-shin and congratulatory remarks by Singaporean Ambassador Wong Kai Jiun, who also served as chair of the ASEAN Committee in Seoul. The event included special lectures from the ASEAN Secretariat and Korean food-tech startup Togi, exploring opportunities for ASEAN-Korea startup collaboration.

Participants also took part in field visits to Korea’s leading innovation centers, including the Daegu Future Innovation Tech Expo and the Seoul AI Smart City Center, to gain firsthand insights into Korea’s advanced technology landscape.

Outstanding startups were invited to join NextRise 2026 — Korea’s largest startup exhibition co-hosted by the Korea Development Bank and the Korea International Trade Association — for additional exposure to potential investors and business partners.

“ASEAN is rapidly emerging as a hub of innovation driven by young and creative talents,” Kim said. “Through ASEAN-Korea Startup Week 2025, the AKC played a vital role in strengthening innovation-driven cooperation and building bridges between ASEAN and Korea’s startup ecosystems.”