Seoul Business Agency successfully concluded its efforts at CES 2024, from the largest-ever Seoul Pavilion to increased CES Innovation Award Winners.

SEOUL, REPUBLIC OF KOREA (SOUTH), January 19, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Seoul Business Agency (SBA), Seoul’s support organization for small and medium-sized enterprises, announced that it successfully exhibited the ‘Seoul Integrated Pavilion’ at CES 2024 (Consumer Electronic Show 2024) held in Las Vegas from January 9th to 12th, local time.

The participating companies in the Seoul Integrated Pavilion were provided with various support programs such as Unveiled participation, open IR pitching, business matching, MOU between participating companies, and media interviews.

The Seoul Integrated Pavilion at CES 2024 was created in collaboration with 13 institutions, including major universities, districts in Seoul, and startup facilities. It expanded to 670㎡, 1.5 times larger than the Seoul Pavilion, which operated independently in 2023.

SBA gathered and supported 81 promising startups by collaborating with eight major Seoul-based universities, one city district (Gwanak-gu), and three city startup facilities (Seoul Bio Hub, Seoul AI Hub, Campus Town). The participating companies were divided into categories such as healthcare (31), AI (25), manufacturing (11), mobility (7), ESG (4), and quantum (3).

Meanwhile, the Seoul Integrated Pavilion creatively expressed the diverse charm of Seoul by incorporating the 2024 Seoul color theme, ‘Sky Coral,’ through an LED panorama lighting display.

In addition to exhibiting their products, seven companies from the Seoul Integrated Pavilion participated in the official media event’ CES 2024 Unveiled’ held on January 7th at CES. This event, targeting official CES media, provided a valuable opportunity for startups to gain media exposure.

The participating companies in ‘CES 2024 Unveiled’ included NationA, Hurotics, ENHANCE, LordSystem, DNA Corporation, Solive Ventures, and BarunBio. Due to the nature of CES, where leading global companies take the spotlight, it can be challenging for startups with lower visibility to gain media exposure. Therefore, ‘CES 2024 Unveiled’ provided a valuable opportunity for startups to address their thirst for media publicity by receiving concentrated attention from global media.

On the evening of January 9th, the Seoul Innovation Forum CES 2024 was held, facilitating technical insight sharing among domestic and international companies participating in CES. The forum, organized by SBA, was the largest corporate event within CES, attended by over 200 people, including representatives from major domestic companies (Samsung, LG, SK, etc.), mid-sized companies, startup support organizations, and global corporations.

The participating companies in the Seoul Integrated Pavilion were given the opportunity for open IR pitching. The IR pitching sessions were divided into six categories: ESG, mobility, quantum, manufacturing, data and AI, and healthcare. The companies pitched their technologies on the stage inside the Seoul Integrated Pavilion.

The Seoul Integrated Pavilion facilitated multiple MOU signings, business matching sessions, and on-site coverage of excellent companies. Six MOUs were signed between participating companies, other institutions, and foreign companies, promoting cooperation among Seoul startups.

MOUs were signed between ▲Hurotics (Central University) - BarunBio (Yonsei University) ▲Plcoskin (Yonsei University) - BarunBio (Yonsei University) ▲KEVIT (Yonsei University) - Nextgrid - TBU - e-TESS - BetterWhy - BI ENERGY ▲XAIMED (Seoul Bio Hub) - MHF ▲Ko-Mapper (SBA) - DroneHub ▲Ko-Mapper (SBA) - USAKO Group.

In the case of business matching, substantial achievements were made by conducting virtual meetings through prior consultations and matching with foreign companies interested in business. Moreover, for outstanding companies, video interviews conducted by foreign reporters were provided, enhancing the global media exposure of exhibited products and technologies beyond simple exhibitions.

The CES 2024 Seoul Integrated Pavilion opening ceremony occurred on January 9th at 11 a.m. on the stage inside the pavilion. Instead of a traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony, the event featured the ‘Seoul Startup Innovation Tree lighting ceremony,’ symbolizing the growth process of startups. The ceremony was significant as it celebrated the Seoul Integrated Pavilion’s establishment and supported Seoul startups taking their first step into the global market through CES.

Particularly, as the participants stepped onto the stage, receiving ‘mini trees’ and installing them on the platform, the responsive ‘Seoul Startup Innovation Tree’ began to shine in various colors, captivating the audience’s attention. This symbolizes Seoul’s aspirations to foster its startups into global unicorns through collaboration between the private and public sectors.

Subsequently, the audience adorned the conclusion of the ceremony. Gathering in front of the stage, they raised cheering sticks with ‘Seoul My Soul’ written on them, expressing support for the participating companies in the Seoul Integrated Pavilion and wishing success for the pavilion. The ‘Seoul Startup Innovation Tree’ radiance persisted until the conclusion of CES 2024, illuminating the Seoul Integrated Pavilion.

On the day of the opening ceremony, the event was graced by the presence of Oh Se-hoon, Mayor of Seoul Metropolitan Government, Gary Shapiro, President of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the organizer of CES, as well as representatives from 81 exhibitors at the Seoul Integrated Pavilion and over 100 officials from collaborating organizations. Gary Shapiro, the President of CTA, is a prominent figure representing 1,500 consumer electronics companies as CTA’s CEO and a bestselling author known for works like “Ninja Innovation: The Ten Killer Strategies of the World’s Most Successful Businesses,” published in 2013. Additionally, key personnel from eight major universities in Seoul (Korea University, Konkuk University, Kyung Hee University, Kookmin University, Chung-Ang University, Sogang University, Yonsei University, Hanyang University), one municipal district (Gwanak-gu), and three municipal startup facilities (Seoul Bio Hub, Seoul AI Hub, Seoul Campus Town) participated in the event, showcasing the collaborative efforts involved in the creation of the Seoul Integrated Pavilion.

Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who attended the opening ceremony, congratulated the Seoul Integrated Pavilion’s opening and the global expansion of Seoul’s innovative startups. He expressed his ambition for the advanced development of ‘Future Seoul Lifestyles’ based on the innovative technologies possessed by Seoul startups.

Mayor Oh stated, “This year, 81 companies participated in Seoul Pavilion, the largest ever, thanks to the collaboration of 13 institutions.” He also highlighted that out of these companies, 18 received CES Innovation Awards, recognizing their technological capabilities and serving as a significant stepping stone for their growth.

Moreover, Mayor Oh emphasized the impact of participating in CES, saying, “After investigating 17 companies that received innovation awards in CES Seoul Pavilion last year, they attracted investments of KRW 36.5 billion within a year.” He pledged continued support for research and development, testbeds, business development, and startup spaces to help more innovative companies grow.

In conclusion, Mayor Oh expressed his thoughts on the opening of the Seoul Pavilion, stating, “Seeing the Seoul Pavilion adorned in Sky Coral, the symbol of Seoul, I feel assured that a pink-tinted future is guaranteed. I hope this CES participation will ensure a bright future for Korean companies.”

18 of 81 companies participating in the Seoul Integrated Pavilion received ‘CES 2024 Innovation Awards,’ and two even won the ‘CES 2024 Best Innovation Award.’ Seoul Business Agency provided CES Innovation Award specialized consulting to participating companies, contributing to their success. Notably, this year marked the first time in the history of Seoul-operated CES exhibition halls to produce a ‘Best Innovation Award,’ with LordSystem in the data and AI field and TopTable in the healthcare sector receiving the prestigious recognition.

Kim Hyun-woo, CEO of SBA, expressed his reflections, saying, “By operating CES 2024 Seoul Pavilion, we will actively promote Seoul’s changing lifestyle based on advanced technology to the global market and actively support Seoul’s promising startups with innovative technologies for global expansion.”

Davis Kim
Seoul Business Agency
+82 2-856-3276
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