COMEUP and its ambition to bring the Korean entrepreneurial spirit to the world.

The Korea Startup Forum will support startups throughout the next year, guiding them to target markets, connecting them with potential customers and local partners, and assisting in setting up representative offices.

After more than half a decade of organization, COMEUP – the largest startup event in South Korea hosted by the Korea Startup Forum (KSF) – is entering a new phase of transformation, with the ambition to not only be a "startup meeting point," but also to become a platform that promotes a socially and globally-oriented entrepreneurial spirit.

Speaking with VietnamPlus on the sidelines of this year's COMEUP, which recently took place in Seoul, South Korea, Josh Choi, representative of the Korea Startup Forum, said that the event had seen significant progress in both scale and quality compared to previous seasons.

COMEUP 2025: Bigger, more diverse, and more "open" to the public.

According to Josh Choi, this year's COMEUP attracted approximately 15,000 registrations, a significant increase from the 11,000 of the previous year. Beyond the increase in attendance, the event also showed a clear improvement in the diversity of startup nationalities, the quality of the program, and the networking atmosphere throughout the exhibition space.

"We're investing more in the overall experience, from the design of the exhibition areas and welcoming spaces to organizing business networking activities in a more coherent and friendly way," Mr. Choi shared.

A new highlight of this year's COMEUP is expanding its target audience beyond the professional startup community, especially targeting students and parents. On the final day of the event, many programs were designed specifically for young people, featuring teenage founders, and even a 12-year-old speaker sharing their startup story.

According to KSF representatives, this is a deliberate step aimed at making entrepreneurship a serious career choice, alongside traditional paths such as becoming a doctor, lawyer, or civil servant – which still hold a dominant position in the mindset of many Korean families.

It's not just a competition, it's a global acceleration journey.

Another significant change in this year's COMEUP lies in the COMEUP Stars program model. Instead of organizing a competition in the traditional way, the organizers have selected 20 outstanding startups, each group linked to a target market including the US, Europe, Japan, and China.

"Startups not only present their ideas, but also have to provide a concrete market entry plan, and the entire pitching process takes place in English – something unprecedented at major startup events in South Korea," said Josh Choi.

More importantly, COMEUP doesn't stop at just awarding prizes. According to the plan, KSF will support these startups throughout the next year, helping them reach target markets, connect them with potential customers and local partners, and assist in setting up representative offices.

Korean Startups: Pressure from Domestic Regulations, Motivation from the Global Market

Looking at the broader picture, KSF representatives acknowledged that the South Korean startup ecosystem is facing a paradox: abundant financial resources are hampered by overlapping and stringent regulations across many sectors.

"The South Korean government has many excellent fundraising support programs, but when it comes to specific industries, startups face significant legal hurdles. This forces many businesses to consider expanding or relocating overseas," Choi observed.

Against this backdrop, the trend of globalization is becoming increasingly evident, although the percentage of Korean startups that actually raise capital from international markets remains below 5%. According to KSF, the biggest challenge lies not in the adventurous spirit – a strength of Korean founders – but in the lack of experience in international legal matters, compliance, and market strategy.

Vietnam - a destination with great potential for startup collaboration.

Assessing Southeast Asia, Josh Choi believes that Vietnam is emerging as a strategic market thanks to its large population, rapid technological growth, and high-quality workforce of engineers and programmers.

"Vietnam is not only a consumer market, but also has a very good source of technological human resources. Many Korean startups have seen opportunities for cooperation, from product development to market expansion," Mr. Choi said.

According to KSF representatives, delegations from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have frequently visited South Korea recently to seek cooperation opportunities, indicating significant potential for connection between the two ecosystems.

The ambition to take the COMEUP brand to the world.

Not content with being just a domestic event, the Korea Startup Forum is gradually expanding COMEUP internationally. In the last two years, KSF has implemented collaborative programs in Africa and South America and worked with many global startup organizations.

“COMEUPs in each country can take on a different form, suited to the local context – some focus on business networking, others emphasize innovation or technology transfer,” shared Josh Choi.

In the future, COMEUP versions in Japan, China, or even Southeast Asia are not a far-fetched scenario, as South Korea aims to expand its startup support model regionally and globally.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/comeup-va-tham-vong-dua-tinh-than-khoi-nghiep-han-quoc-ra-toan-cau-post1083306.vnp