CEO Hey Kim's Startup Success Secrets

The 'Startup Morning Coffee' program, broadcast live every day at 8:40 AM on the YouTube channel 'Jeon Hwa-sung's CNTV' and hosted by CEO Jeon Hwa-sung, has firmly established itself as a valuable information platform for those interested in the startup ecosystem. The program provides in-depth information by thoroughly introducing the core competencies and market potential of various startups, facilitating interactive communication with viewers through real-time comments. Among the startups gaining attention through this innovative platform, 'Heykim' is challenging the global seaweed snack market by manufacturing premium seaweed snacks and focusing on product innovation and global branding. Heykim aims to create new value by transforming perceptions of existing seaweed products and introducing trendy seaweed snacks that target the 2030 generation. In particular, it successfully launched a unique lineup differentiated from existing products, including stick gimjaban (seasoned seaweed flakes) and early-harvested (chosari) seaweed. These products achieved remarkable results, including an annual revenue of 140 million KRW within a year of their launch in 2023 and selection as Amazon's Choice. Heykim also laid the foundation for its corporate growth by successfully completing the 'Dongguk University Startup CEO and Investment Reviewer Program,' jointly operated by CNT Tech and Dongguk University. The seaweed manufactured by Heykim offers differentiated value to consumers through a high-quality strategy, including 15% higher protein content compared to regular raw seaweed and the exclusive use of 100% early-harvested (chosari) raw seaweed. This highlights Heykim's effort to simultaneously achieve health and taste, going beyond a mere snack. CEO Jeon Hwa-sung highly praised Heykim's potential and emphasized the bright future of the seaweed industry. He stated, "The seaweed industry is steadily growing, with Korea's overseas seaweed exports increasing annually, showing remarkable growth, including surpassing 1 trillion KRW in export value in 2023. As continuous industry growth is expected, the growth of Heykim, which focuses on innovative products and targeting the global market, will be even more noteworthy in the future." He further suggested the possibility of Heykim growing beyond a mere snack manufacturer to become a key player in elevating the status of Korean seaweed in the global market. 'Startup Morning Coffee' continues to play a key role in revitalizing the startup ecosystem by discovering such innovative startups and highlighting their potential for success.