Asan Nanum Foundation: 'MaruSF' Silicon Valley Hub 70% Complete

The dream of entering Silicon Valley, now a reality! MaruSF, Asan Nanum Foundation's global community hub for domestic startups to successfully establish themselves in the U.S. market, is accelerating its final preparations ahead of its official opening in November. Currently over 70% complete and progressing smoothly, MaruSF will be more than just a space; it will serve as a bridge connecting Korean startups directly with the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem and accelerating their growth. Located in San Mateo, California, USA, MaruSF is designed as a short-term residential community hub. It provides an optimized environment for domestic startups to intensively explore the local U.S. market, build key Silicon Valley networks, and engage in exchanges. Since May, it has welcomed its first cohort of membership startups through a pilot operation, and based on their valuable feedback, facilities and programs are being meticulously refined. MaruSF features short-term residential spaces capable of accommodating up to 30 people, along with a cozy common lounge. Membership startups can stay here for up to 16 weeks over a year, gaining opportunities to directly communicate with local entrepreneurs, investors, and Silicon Valley experts. In addition to diverse community-focused networking programs and events, a new networking platform set to debut at the November opening ceremony will enable even stronger connections. Choi Yu-na, Head of Management at Asan Nanum Foundation, stated her ambition, saying, "Based on user experiences gained from the pilot operation, we are completing MaruSF as a sophisticated space to support global expansion," and "With the official opening in November, the Silicon Valley success stories of Korean startups will begin." A representative from BuildBlock, responsible for construction, also emphasized that progress is smoothly on schedule. MaruSF holds significant meaning as the first facility introduced by the Asan Nanum Foundation overseas, following 'Maru180' and 'Maru360,' key hubs in the domestic startup ecosystem. While Maru180 and Maru360 provided a foundation for growth for early-stage domestic startups, MaruSF will open wide the doors to Silicon Valley for startups dreaming of entering the U.S. market. The Foundation plans to actively support startups' successful global leap through cooperation with leading domestic and international venture capitalists, accelerators, and government agencies. Now it's time to step onto the global stage with MaruSF!