Jeong Gwangcheon, 11th President of InnoBiz Association, "We Will Establish an Advanced Country Leading Model"

Announcing Four Key Focus Areas: Preparing for the Future, Global Expansion, R&D, and Enhancing Member Services

Jung Kwang-cheon, the newly appointed president of the Inno-Biz Association, emphasized that "the association will become the focal point for Inno-Biz companies (technology-innovative small and medium enterprises) and create synergy with government policies to transform from an advanced country's 'follower model' to a 'leader model'."

The Inno-Biz Association (Small and Medium Enterprise Technology Innovation Association) held the '10th and 11th President Handover Ceremony' on the 21st at The-K Hotel in Yangjae-dong, Seoul.

Jung Kwang-cheon, who assumed office as the 11th president and began a three-year term, founded Ivy Leaders in 2003. The company is recognized as an innovative solution provider for the 'Aviation Safety Information System' by streamlining operations in aviation information, navigation, maintenance, and navigation facilities, and providing a one-stop public aviation information service system.

At a press conference held on the 21st at The-K Hotel in Yangjae-dong, Seoul, Jung Kwan-cheon, president of the Inno-Biz Association, is speaking.

At a press conference prior to the inauguration ceremony, newly appointed President Jung stated, "Although the approximately 23,000 Inno-Biz companies account for only 2.9% of all small and medium enterprises, they are responsible for 35% of the total SME exports," and expressed his ambition, saying, "We will achieve growth and development by activating connection and cooperation based on communication and participation."

He continued, "High interest rates and high prices are expected to persist for some time, and overall growth is difficult due to sluggish facility investment caused by inventory burdens," adding, "There has been much consideration about what role the association can play in this challenging environment."

President Jung then announced four key focus tasks based on the value of 'Beopgochangsin,' which means 'the old is not obsolete but the foundation for creating something new,' by inheriting, utilizing, and developing the traditions and assets accumulated by the association. The four tasks are ▲ Strengthening Inno-Biz companies' capabilities to prepare for the future and respond to the environment ▲ Globalization of Inno-Biz companies ▲ Providing an Inno-Biz R&D platform ▲ Expanding member services.

First, the association plans to strengthen Inno-Biz companies' capabilities to prepare for the future and respond to environmental changes. It will fully operate the digital transformation training course, which was piloted last year, enhance expertise through cooperation with specialized institutions in the field, and provide customized training programs for Inno-Biz companies on topics such as ESG response and next-generation management to promote practical, field-centered, and cooperative activities among participating companies.

The globalization of Inno-Biz companies will also be promoted. The association will establish a tentative 'Inno-Biz Global Network' that includes domestic Inno-Biz companies, domestic companies' overseas bases, overseas Korean companies, and experts, using it as a foundation to promote overseas expansion of Inno-Biz companies.

Additionally, to activate technological cooperation with innovative SMEs overseas in countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam, the association plans to create a regular exchange platform between 'Korea-ASEAN Inno-Biz companies.' Since Inno-Biz companies account for 61.6% of G-PASS companies, which are promising for overseas procurement market entry, the association will also prepare measures to promote overseas expansion through international procurement, strengthening global technology export capabilities and localization support.

The association will provide a research and development (R&D) platform for Inno-Biz companies. To participate in fostering government national strategic technologies such as semiconductors, secondary batteries, and next-generation communications, it will form a technology innovation exchange group with member companies and plan public-private cooperative R&D projects based on the technological value evaluation capabilities of the Inno-Biz technology certification evaluation team to propose to the government. Furthermore, the association plans to actively operate a program that discovers excellent Inno-Biz companies directly and provides investment attraction opportunities by creating meeting opportunities with venture capitalists.