Finals Kick Off in Jeju! 10th Anniversary 'Challenge K-Startup 2025'

In Jeju, the kickoff event for the integrated main competition of 'Challenge! K-Startup 2025,' the nation's largest startup competition, successfully commenced. This event, commemorating its 10th anniversary, was made even richer through the close cooperation of 10 ministries, including the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and the venue, filled with the fervent passion of young entrepreneurs, was abuzz with anticipation for future innovation. This event, which brought together 225 teams that passed the fierce preliminary rounds and past winners, significantly elevated its international status, particularly through its connection with the APEC SME Ministerial Meeting. The attendance of key figures from APEC member economies provided a valuable opportunity to directly witness the dynamism and excellence of Korea's startup ecosystem. Lee Se-young, CEO of Wrtn Technologies, who delivered a special lecture on this day, as a senior entrepreneur who won the grand prize at 'Challenge! K-Startup' in 2021, deeply resonated with junior entrepreneurs by presenting practical strategies and necessary attitudes for becoming an 'entrepreneur who succeeds not only on the domestic stage but also on the international stage.' CEO Lee's advice, given his impressive background including winning a CES Innovation Award in 2023 and participating in the government's 'Super Gap Startup 1000+ Project', served as an inspiration to the participants. In the 'Senior's Startup Notebook' talk show, a core program of the event, representatives of past award-winning companies generously shared their startup experiences and know-how, and the subsequent exchange session between senior and junior companies provided a platform for participants to explore practical collaboration opportunities through direct networking. This competition, jointly hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development (KISED), attracts keen interest from entrepreneurs by awarding the Presidential Award and prize money of up to 300 million won to the final winning team after a fierce journey through preliminaries, integrated main competition, and the grand finale. The integrated main competition evaluation will take place at the end of October, and the highly anticipated grand finale will be held in conjunction with a side event of 'Come-Up 2025' in December this year. Yoo Jong-pil, President of the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development, emphasized that this competition goes beyond being a mere contest, serving as a 'platform for startup ecosystem members to communicate and interact,' and placed great significance on providing international networking opportunities, especially through its connection with the APEC meeting. Han Seong-sook, Minister of SMEs and Startups, also delivered a congratulatory address, promising "continuous support to ensure that promising innovative entrepreneurs of the future can be competitive on the global stage," further boosting future growth potential. This kickoff event suggests a significant turning point for the Korean startup ecosystem, moving beyond quantitative growth to seek qualitative leaps, especially expansion onto the global stage. With the international foundation solidified through APEC linkage and the wisdom of senior entrepreneurs, it remains to be seen whether 'Challenge! K-Startup' will become a cradle for the birth of global unicorns.