Startup Support Centers Throughout Yeoksam-ro
Asan Nanum Foundation Operates Maru180 and Maru360
The Spaces Themselves Serve as Small Startup Ecosystems
Lunit, Remember, Tal-ing, MangoPlate... These companies, recognized as promising startups in their respective fields, share one commonality: they laid the foundation for their growth on Yeoksam-ro in Gangnam-gu. Along this street, the startup support centers 'Maru180' and 'Maru360,' operated by the Asan Nanum Foundation, as well as 'Tipstown' run by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Korea Angel Investment Association, the Gangnam Startup Center managed by Gangnam District Office, and 'Changeup Ground' operated by POSCO, are all gathered. Despite external factors such as a recent decline in startup investments, the 'unicorn dreams' sprouting here remain undiminished. We visited the startup ecosystem established in the heart of Gangnam.
The first to settle on this street was Maru180, operated by the Asan Nanum Foundation. Opened in April 2014, Maru180 has provided comprehensive startup-related solutions including office space, networking, investment, and education to early-stage entrepreneurs and startups. The Asan Nanum Foundation expanded the support scale of Maru180 and opened Maru360 at the end of last year. Startups moving into this space are selected twice a year and can receive office space for up to one year. As of this month, a total of 25 startups and 8 support organizations occupy the two buildings. A distinctive feature of Maru is that it forms a small startup ecosystem by housing offices of startups, venture capitalists, accelerators, and support organizations, along with collaborative spaces where they can work together. Cheon Seong-woo, head of the startup team at the Asan Nanum Foundation, explained, "By creating spaces called Maru180 and Maru360, the space itself can serve as a small startup ecosystem. In particular, startups, accelerators that help their growth, and investment firms that invest in them share floors, enabling communication among them."
Notably, startup communities have become more active post-endemic. The monthly town hall meetings bring together the foundation, resident companies, and partners to share achievements and experiences. The 'Maru Bansanghoe,' a gathering of short-term resident companies, is also held monthly to share insights on rapidly changing startup sectors. Community programs often emerge spontaneously. A representative example is the 'Maru Book Club,' which started in December 2020 as a reading group for entrepreneurs. It now holds regular meetings on various topics and includes discussion sessions. Additionally, voluntary exchanges such as developer study groups, sales seminars, and women entrepreneurs' meetings are actively taking place. To facilitate these, the Asan Nanum Foundation provides various supports to ensure smooth operation of diverse community programs.
It is also remarkable that many spaces are operated by startups themselves. The Kids Zone on the second floor of Maru360 is co-operated with Jaranda, a startup specializing in education and childcare matching. This area offers childcare services for children aged 4 to 13 for visitors to Maru. The studio in the basement level 2, used for filming and content creation necessary for e-commerce and testing startup products and services, is co-operated with the content startup Forty Welcome. This setup means that the spatial experience itself leads to startup ecosystem and startup service experiences. Team leader Cheon said, "We will support various startups to challenge and grow at Maru, and also help the entire startup ecosystem to develop."
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