K-Content Startups Gain Momentum for Overseas Expansion

Kocca Hosts 'NextRise, Seoul'
Providing Opportunities for Global Business Expansion

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) announced on the 17th that they provided numerous K-content startups with opportunities to expand their global business at 'NextRise 2024, Seoul,' which concluded on the 14th at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

NextRise is a global startup event that connects K-content startups with large and medium-sized enterprises and investors. This year, over 100 startups from 20 countries participated, along with major domestic and international corporations such as Hyundai Motor Company, LG Electronics, Microsoft, Intel, and Ford.

KOCCA operated the content startup exhibition hall called the 'Content Pavilion' and held a specialized pitching event named 'KNOCK Special Round.' The former featured ten content startups that demonstrated outstanding performance in KOCCA projects, including VideoMonster, PlayCurio, TagByCompany, HiLocal, Triniddle, TwigFarm, Verse Corporation, SoulX, ShareBox, and HighStranger. They showcased the latest technology and content convergence such as augmented reality, extended reality, media art, and artificial intelligence, attracting the attention of visitors and investors.

The latter is an investment attraction support program that connects private investors with promising content companies to discover and nurture excellent content. Participants recognized for their excellence in the new technology convergence content field included MuseBlossom, BrushTheater, VideoMonster, SketchSoft, GEmotion, Kai, Calibers, and TwigFarm, who persuaded investors and financial sector officials.

KOCCA makes various efforts to discover domestic content startups and foster the related ecosystem. Through step-by-step support programs, it discovers and nurtures prospective entrepreneurs and early-to-mid-stage startups, and conducts acceleration programs to enhance global capabilities. It also continuously supports residency spaces and production infrastructure.

Cho Hyun-rae, head of KOCCA, said, "Discovering and supporting the growth of domestic content startups is an important task that will change the future global content market landscape," adding, "We will actively prepare a foundation for companies with excellent capabilities and original ideas to grow."