▲Connecting Advanced Technology Companies in AI, Bio, and Eco-friendly Energy with Investors such as Venture Capitalists
First Event on the 23rd... Three Outstanding Companies Selected to Receive a Total of 120 Million KRW in Commercialization Funds
Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) is hosting the ‘Startup Scale-up × Demo Day’ (hereinafter Demo Day), which provides promising companies with excellent technological capabilities opportunities for commercialization funding and investment attraction.
This year, Demo Day will be held a total of four times. The district plans to create a meeting place between startups with advanced technologies such as AI, bio, and eco-friendly energy, and large corporations’ corporate venture capitals (CVC), accelerators (AC), and venture capitals (VC), offering opportunities for commercialization and follow-up investment connections.
The district supports selected companies with up to 50 million KRW per company, totaling 300 million KRW annually in commercialization funds, and helps establish a practical foundation for stable market entry in the early stages of startups.
On the day of the event, an investment briefing session for the ‘Gwanak S Valley Corporate Support Fund’ worth 11.7 billion KRW, created by the district, will also be held. Seoul National University Technology Holdings, which manages the fund, will introduce major industry trends and investment directions for 2025, participate in the selection of excellent companies, and work with the district to discover promising companies.
Eligibility for Demo Day participation is limited to companies within seven years of establishment, and the final eight teams selected through preliminary document screening will advance to the final stage.
Finalist companies will receive a certificate in the name of the Gwanak-gu Mayor and a corporate diagnosis report including expert feedback. Additionally, companies selected as excellent in the finals will receive up to 50 million KRW in scale-up funds.
Companies wishing to participate in the first Demo Day, held on the 23rd, can apply on the Gwanak S Valley Scale-up Demo Day website by 6 p.m. on April 11.
Since the 7th local government term in 2018, the district has developed Gwanak S Valley, expanded startup infrastructure, implemented various corporate growth support measures, and strived to create a venture startup ecosystem. In the final stage of Gwanak S Valley 2.0 this year, the average sales of resident companies have grown approximately 68 times, and the cumulative investment attraction amount has surpassed 199.8 billion KRW.
In particular, Gwanak S Valley resident companies have been recognized for their technological capabilities and marketability on the global stage, winning innovation awards consecutively at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in 2022, 2024, and 2025.
In July, the district will establish the ‘Small and Medium Venture Promotion Agency,’ the first of its kind among autonomous districts, aiming to become a competitive ‘startup cluster’ and solidify its position as a global startup innovation hub.
Mayor Park Jun-hee said, “Companies that have been with Gwanak S Valley are experiencing a new turning point, receiving various proposals such as cooperation and technology partnerships from major domestic and international companies,” adding, “We will continue to actively support the growth of startups with excellent technological capabilities through various programs such as commercialization funding, investment attraction support, and networking, creating a city that is good for startups and a happy Gwanak-gu for residents.”
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