Participation from 46 countries worldwide, enhanced global influence with seven national pavilions, and the first-ever Future Founder initiative.

GANGNAM-GU, SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, December 27, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Korea Startup Forum (KSF) (Chairman: Sangwoo Han) announced on the 15th that ‘COMEUP 2025,’ the global startup festival held at COEX, Seoul, from December 10 to 12th, successfully concluded.

Now in its 7th year, COMEUP was hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS), supervised by the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development (KISED), and co-organized by KSF, the Korea Venture Business Association, and the Korea Venture Capital Association. This year, the slogan was “Recode the Future,” emphasizing the trend of startups redefining the future industrial landscape through technological innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. Specifically, the event significantly expanded exchange and cooperation among global startup ecosystem members by operating diverse programs—including exhibitions, conferences, IR (Investor Relations), and Open Innovation—centered on the core pillars of Deep Tech, Global, and Entrepreneurship.

The opening-day keynotes, featuring Tareq Amin, CEO of Saudi state-owned AI company HUMAIN, and Sunghyun Park, CEO of Rebellions, shared insights into industrial structural changes in the AI era and global expansion strategies, garnering significant attention.


? Investment Matching Success with 46 Countries Participating... Launching Global Business Connections

COMEUP 2025 saw participation from 46 countries worldwide, marking its largest-ever global expansion. A highlight was the active exchange among diverse ecosystem members—including domestic and international founders, investors, large corporations, and government officials—all gathered in one location. Notably, a total of 3,447 investment and business matches were concluded through the online platform, pre-matched 1:1 meetings, and consultations at investor booths, earning the event recognition as a platform that actively expanded global business opportunities.


? What Has Changed? Focus on “Program System Reorganization, Investment-Centric Operation, and Expanded Side Events”

COMEUP 2025 showed significant changes compared to last year, with an elaborate upgrade to its overall program structure. Based on the three core themes of Deep Tech, Global, and Entrepreneurship, conference sessions were organized with clear daily themes. Furthermore, the event enhanced audience engagement by creating a future-oriented stage production aligned with the slogan “A Time to Recode the Future.”

The first joint organization by the Korea Startup Forum, the Korea Venture Business Association, and the Korea Venture Capital Association further strengthened the broad alliance of the private startup ecosystem. This combined KSF’s startup network with the investment- and scale-up-focused capabilities of the Venture Business Association and the VC Association. The structure was reinforced to drive tangible, investment-centric results, from program planning to overall operation for startups, leading to this year’s success. This shift resulted in programming that specifically invited Global VCs, CVCs, and accelerators, expanding the venue for practical collaboration and investment review. Operations such as 1:1 meetups based on pre- and self-matching, investor booths, and linkage with venture investment briefings contributed to providing startups with concrete business opportunities.

The expanded side events also received a strong response. Programs like the ‘Startup Autobahn Korea 2025,’ ‘Challenge! The K-Startup King of Kings Final, ‘TIPS Scale-up Bridge,’ and the Senior Venture Roundtable attracted participation from various companies and organizations, providing richer content.
Moreover, the event did not overlook accessibility for the general public. Programs like the ‘COMEUP Docent Tour’ with experts, the B2C product-focused ‘COMEUP Flea Market,’ and presentations by university startup teams were implemented, effectively broadening public participation.


? Expanded Overseas Participation, Including 7 National Pavilions... Increased Global Exchange

One of the most significant achievements of this year’s COMEUP was the scale of expanded overseas participation. A total of seven countries—including Saudi Arabia, India, Japan, and Canada—operated national pavilions to introduce their technology and startup ecosystems. Furthermore, Australia and Sierra Leone participated in COMEUP for the first time this year, further expanding the global network. Professionals from startup ecosystems across continents participated in all areas—including IR, conferences, networking, and exhibitions—significantly increasing the density of international exchange.

Participation from global corporations and government agencies was also notable. A total of 35 companies, including Hyundai E&C, NVIDIA, and NHN Cloud, participated in the Open Innovation program, creating real opportunities for collaboration through exhibition booth operations, case presentation sessions, and 1:1 meetups. Crucially, HUMAIN, the Saudi state-owned AI company, participated as a keynote speaker on the first day of COMEUP 2025, leading to significant cooperative outcomes, including plans for collaboration activities with Korean AI startups and the establishment of ‘HUMAIN Korea.’


? First Introduction of ‘Future Founder’ to Diffuse Entrepreneurial Value... Key Themes include Climate Tech and Generation Z

In addition to technology trends and global solidarity, this year’s COMEUP focused on disseminating the ‘value of entrepreneurship’ across society and industry. The ‘Future Founder’ program, newly established this year, drew attention as a session dedicated to nurturing next-generation entrepreneurs and prospective entrepreneurial talent. Sessions, including presentations by student startup teams, mentoring, and stories from Gen Z founders, reinforced the importance of cultivating entrepreneurial talent for future national competitiveness.

Furthermore, various sessions based on social value were presented. A session focusing on Climate Crisis Response Technology shared cases of technology-based social problem-solving. At the same time, other diverse programs—such as trend analysis by Gen Z founders and a talk on the entrepreneur’s life from a family’s perspective—also received significant interest. Finally, the ‘COMEUP Stars 2025’ Final Pitch for entry into the U.S., Europe, China, and Japan markets, the government’s 10-ministry joint startup competition ‘Challenge! K-Startup 2025 King of Kings Final and the ‘K-Startup Grand Challenge (KSGC) Demo Day’ for foreign startup teams have had a positive impact across the entire startup ecosystem, from early-stage to global scale-up.

Sangwoo Han, Chairman of KSF, remarked about this year’s COMEUP, “It was a venue where founders, global corporations, and investors from around the world gathered to discuss a new future based on technology and entrepreneurship. Startups are the subjects who are rewriting the standards of the future beyond national and industrial borders, and we will continue to strengthen our role to ensure they can grow at the center of global innovation.”
COMEUP 2025 can be viewed again through its official YouTube channel.

Sangha Lee
Korea Startup Forum
+821071080003 ext.
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