ASEAN-Korea Centre 's office in Seoul / Courtesy of ASEAN-Korea Centre
The ASEAN-Korea Centre is set to host ASEAN-Korea Startup Week 2023, an offline pitch contest aimed at bringing together promising startups from the ASEAN region.
The event will take place on Thursday and Friday, creating a platform for startups from 10 ASEAN member states to showcase their innovative business ideas and connect with venture capitalists from Korea.
Since its inception in 2018, the ASEAN-Korea Startup Week has sought to enhance networking opportunities between startups from ASEAN and Korea, ultimately paving the way for investment prospects in the ASEAN startup ecosystem.
“Contribution to the strengthened cooperation of ASEAN and Korea in the startup sector through the successful hosting of the ASEAN-Korea Startup Week.” Secretary-General Kim Hae-yong said.
A total of 30 promising early-stage startups have been meticulously selected by ASEAN embassies in Korea and the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME) to participate in the pitch contest. These startups represent a diverse range of sectors, including artificial intelligence (AI), e-commerce platforms, fintech, education and tourism.
The winner of the pitch contest will not only receive a prestigious award of $30,000 (40 million won) but will also secure an invitation to attend NextRise, Korea's largest startup exhibition, scheduled for 2024.
In conjunction with the pitch contest, the ASEAN-Korea Centre conducted a comprehensive two-week Acceleration Program from Sept. 11 to 22. The program, carried out in collaboration with SolBridge International School of Business and Stony Brook University, State University of New York, aimed to empower the participating ASEAN startups by connecting them with potential business partners and offering capacity-building activities.
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