Startup & Bio Innovation Forum Held at Handong Global University on the 25th
Over 100 Participants Including UC Davis and Sacramento Economic Delegation
Pohang City held the "Pohang City - Sacramento, USA Startup & Bio Innovation Forum" on the 25th at Handong Global University Grace School.
Pohang City held the "Pohang City - U.S. Sacramento Startup & Bio Innovation Forum" on the 25th at Handong Global University Grace School. Photo by Pohang City
This event was organized as a follow-up exchange after the visit to Biocom California, the largest bio association in the United States, in January 2023.
Key officials from organizations such as the Greater Sacramento Economic Council and UC Davis Health Ventures visited Pohang to observe domestic industry trends and discuss possibilities for strategic cooperation.
The forum was jointly hosted by Pohang City, FLANN Inc. (the Korean partner of Biocom California), and the Handong Global University Glocal Project Group. Over 100 participants, including the Sacramento economic delegation, UC Davis Health Ventures, local bio companies, and university representatives, gathered to foster global exchange.
The event began with a keynote speech by Kim Seongyoung, President of the Pohang Bio Industry Association, followed by presentations on the current state of Pohang's bio industry, the vision for the Global Corporate Innovation Park and the Clinical Specialty Hospital, and an introduction to the Sacramento bio innovation cluster (Aggie Square).
In addition, Pohang's leading bio companies-Three Brook Therapeutics, InExoFlat, and Hesed Bio-presented their innovative technologies, exploring possibilities for overseas expansion.
Next, a panel discussion was held under the moderation of Kim Hyunjong, CEO of FLANN Inc., with participants including Donald Taylor from UC Health Ventures and Professor Lee Jeongmin from Handong Global University. The discussion focused on "Niche Strategies for Entering the U.S. Market and Utilizing Emerging Bio Clusters."
Finally, city officials, the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, UC Davis, and CEOs of local bio companies participated in a networking session to explore practical cooperation measures such as joint research, investment, and talent exchange.
On the same day, the opening ceremony for the Gyeongbuk branch of global venture capital firm SparkLabs Partners was also held, supporting the expansion of Pohang's startup ecosystem. SparkLabs Partners plans to discover and invest in promising startups in the AI and bio sectors based on its strategic partnership with Pohang City and Handong Global University, and will also support bio and healthcare startups in connection with the Clinical Specialty Hospital.
A city official emphasized, "Pohang is ready to become a global bio hub, based on the establishment of the Corporate Innovation Park and the Clinical Specialty Hospital." In response, Troels Adrian, Vice President of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, stated, "The collaboration between California’s Aggie Square, Pohang’s Corporate Innovation Park, and Handong Global University’s Glocal Project Group will lead to mutual development in the future."
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