Gyeongsang National University Startup Support Group Holds Meeting with Startup-Related Organizations in Jinju Area

Continuous Cooperation, Building a Startup Ecosystem Around Chilam Campus

Gyeongsang National University Startup Support Group is holding a meeting with related startup organizations.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] The Startup Support Group of Gyeongsang National University held a meeting with startup-related organizations in the Jinju area on the afternoon of the 21st at the Chilam Campus Industry-Academia Cooperation Building, Chilam Startup Incubation Center seminar room.

The meeting was held to respond to recent changes in the industrial environment of the Jinju area, such as the selection for the Jinju Sangdae District Urban Regeneration Public Contest Project and the designation of the Space Business Cooperation District as a satellite-specialized district.

Attendees included Jeong Jae-woo, head of the Startup Support Group; Shin Yong-wook, director of the Startup Incubation Center; Kim Deok-gon, branch manager of the Jinju branch of the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund (hereafter Shinbo); Kim Ji-hoon, branch manager of the Jinju branch of the Korea Technology Finance Corporation (hereafter Kibo); Jeong Hee, director of the Jinju Center of the Small Enterprise and Market Service; and Jeon Gyeong-su, secretary general of the Jinju Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

At the meeting, Kim Deok-gon, branch manager of Shinbo Jinju, emphasized the importance of selecting and nurturing self-sustaining startups, stating, “The goal is not simply to establish a startup hub, but to help companies grow and succeed up to the point of listing on the stock market.” He added, “It is necessary to manage startups by selecting resident companies centered on DNA-US (Data, Network, AI, Untact, Digital Infrastructure) and conducting exclusive demo days to support fundraising from investors.”

Kim Ji-hoon, branch manager of Kibo Jinju, stressed cooperation with public institutions, saying, “The Jinju and Sancheong areas need to discover companies that create high added value in the anti-aging bioindustry and increase sales through exports in connection with the Small and Medium Business Corporation’s trade support projects.” He added, “To this end, the fact that the headquarters of the Small and Medium Business Corporation is located in Jinju should be actively utilized.”

Jeong Hee, director of the Jinju Center of the Small Enterprise and Market Service, proposed seeking investment opportunities for startups by stating, “Gyeongnam Province plans to relocate the Gyeongnam Investment Promotion Agency to the Gyeongnam Western Government Complex, which should be taken as an opportunity to attract investment for startups.”

Jeon Gyeong-su, secretary general of the Jinju Chamber of Commerce and Industry, suggested support measures for companies, saying, “In the case of Yangsan, the window for resolving business management difficulties is being unified.” He added, “In addition to physical windows, it is necessary to open a permanent window using online methods to maximize efficiency.”

Shin Yong-wook, director of the Startup Incubation Center, urged active efforts from local governments, stating, “To increase the success rate of early startups, the region must become a place where startup planners (AC) and venture capital companies (VC) visit. For this, active incentives from local governments to attract leading representative companies in the industry are necessary.”

Jeong Jae-woo, head of the Startup Support Group, emphasized, “In particular, education and corporate support for regional innovation youth centers and Chilam Campus startups and local creators must be linked to maximize the effect of urban regeneration, and cooperation from related organizations is essential.” He added, “By eliminating barriers between industry, academia, research, and government through open innovation and speaking with one voice, we can prevent regional extinction.”

He also stated, “Going forward, we will strengthen the startup ecosystem by signing memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with startup-related organizations and promoting human exchanges with the university’s Technology Business Center, the infectious disease specialized open laboratory in the university hospital, and the Small Giant R&D Special Zone.”