Kmong 'IT Startup Challenge' Winner is Used Clothing Trading Platform 'Mint Collection'

Over 570 Teams Applied
Participants Aged from 19 to 69

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Cheol-hyun] Kmong, a freelance market operated by CEO Park Hyun-ho, announced on the 3rd that the secondhand clothing trading platform 'Mint Collection,' in its third year of startup this year, took first place in the '1st Kmong IT Startup Challenge.'

A total of about 570 teams applied for the Kmong IT Startup Challenge, held to promote startups by experts in various fields, covering various IT services such as artificial intelligence (AI), animal welfare, fashion, and medical care. Participants ranged in age from those born in 1952 to those born in 2002, with those born in the 1990s accounting for 80% of all applicants.

The event selected 10 teams to advance to the finals through the first document screening, and the finals were held through online presentations and Q&A sessions. The judges included Kmong CEO Park Hyun-ho, Rusrobo CEO Oh Sang-hoon, IT Donga CEO Kang Deok-won, Insomnia CEO Lee Sung-hoon, and Korea Standards Association judge Shin Ji-yoon.

The final first place with the highest score was taken by Mint Collection (CEO Noh Him-chan), a secondhand clothing trading platform. Mint Collection is characterized by providing high-quality secondhand clothing that has undergone a sterilization process at reasonable prices, with the goal of reducing the disposal rate of used clothes to 0%.

Second place went to the personal information management platform '2woldaegaebong,' and two teams tied for third place: the research operation platform through a university student community 'Pumasi' and the pharmaceutical prescription information convenience improvement service 'MediBuddy.'

Kmong will provide startup support funds of 30 million won for first place, 10 million won for second place, and 5 million won each for the two third-place teams. Park Hyun-ho, CEO of Kmong, said, "Although the event was held online due to COVID-19, we were able to successfully complete the first event with the participation of many startup teams," adding, "Kmong will strive to be a partner and stepping stone for those challenging IT startups."