15 Korean App & Game Startups Learn US Market Entry Strategies at Google HQ

Google Play Successfully Concludes 'Immersion Trip' for Korean Startups' Success in the US Market Google Play has successfully concluded a special training program, the 'Immersion Trip,' in San Francisco, USA, to support Korean app and game startups in their successful global leap. The program, held for three days from August 13th to 15th at Google headquarters, was attended by 15 promising domestic developers that have participated in or graduated from the 'Changgu Program,' which Google Play operates in cooperation with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development. The participating companies, totaling 15, included 14 companies from Changgu Batch 7 – Jamjam Therapeutics, Detail Games, Moonis, Sigma Studio, Supervillain Labs, Rydeok, ICLO, Pomelo, NomadHer, MoneyGuard Service, Liberty Dust, Atelier Mirage, Triggers, Code Crayon – and Eazle, a graduate of Changgu Batch 1, all of whom fostered their dreams of entering the US market. This Immersion Trip was composed of diverse content, ranging from in-depth analysis of the US startup ecosystem and app/game market to local marketing strategies, monetization methods, and practical exchanges with Silicon Valley investors and local startups. Matt Reidnaur, Google's Head of US Startup Accelerators, shared insights on opportunities in the US market and effective fundraising strategies, while Michelle Tan and Eunju Lee, Managers at Google Play, analyzed and shared the latest US app and game trends. In particular, Mindy Stanislavovas, Senior Vice President at MFG US, introduced the unique media consumption characteristics of the US market, such as the high proportion of long-form video, streaming TV, and podcast content, and a strong reliance on social media, emphasizing the importance of localized marketing. Scott Hsiao, Senior Investment Director at Goodwater Capital, provided detailed advice on US venture capital investment approaches and fundraising know-how, and Jeonghee Jin, CEO of NC America, and Ray Zhang, CEO of Beats Film, shared their vivid experiences of entering the US market, providing great inspiration to the participating companies. Han Seoyoon, CEO of Pomelo, one of the participating companies, expressed high satisfaction, stating, "I had only a vague understanding of the US market, but this program provided a valuable opportunity to clearly envision the direction of our service." Shin Kyung-joon, Head of Google Play Korea Partnerships, stated, "This program was prepared to provide practical assistance to domestic startups struggling due to a lack of overseas market information," and expressed a strong commitment to "actively support promising domestic startups in their global expansion through the Changgu Program going forward." Following Japan in 2023 and Singapore in 2024, Google Play's Immersion Trip, held for the third time this year in the US, symbolizes Google's continuous efforts and support for Korean startups to challenge the global stage, injecting new vitality into the domestic startup ecosystem.