Gyeongbuk Creative Center Hosts Daegu Local Creator Networking Event

The Gyeongbuk Center for Creative Economy & Innovation has taken a significant step to revitalize the local startup ecosystem and strengthen its capacity to attract investment. The ‘Local Creator Networking in Daegu’ event, held on July 23rd at the Daegu Scale-up Hub, focused on enhancing local entrepreneurs' understanding of investment and laying the groundwork for collaboration with venture companies in the agri-food sector. This was organized as a richer forum for exchange through close collaboration with the Korea Agricultural Technology Promotion Agency. The event proceeded in two parts. In the first part, a lecture by CEO Min Wook-jo of CSP deeply explored 'Investment Fundamentals and Maintenance Strategies'. CEO Min specifically helped attendees understand by vividly conveying practical investment attraction strategies applicable to local-based entrepreneurs, along with key elements often overlooked during the IR (Investor Relations) process, using real-world examples. Following this, the second part featured round-table group mentoring, with CEO Lee Tae-ho of WingWing and CEO Kang Kyung-hwan of Film Production Studio Nun participating as mentors. Participating entrepreneurs had a valuable opportunity to openly discuss challenges in the startup field and practical growth strategies with the mentors, receiving tailored advice. In particular, through meetings with representatives from the Korea Agricultural Technology Promotion Agency and their incubated companies, local entrepreneurs were able to explore potential collaboration opportunities with the agri-food sector and glimpse the possibility of creating synergy. A local entrepreneur who attended the event stated, "I used to think investment was exclusive to specific startups, but through this event, I realized that local-based businesses can also grow significantly through investment attraction." They added that thanks to the expert lectures and practical advice, they "gained a concrete understanding of the preparatory elements and the importance of a strategic approach needed for future business operations." An official from the Gyeongbuk Center emphasized that they hope this event "will serve as a meaningful opportunity for local creators to clearly recognize the importance of investment and IR, and to explore their own growth directions." They further pledged, "We will continue to provide practical networking and support programs to ensure local entrepreneurs can effectively connect with the investment ecosystem based on their unique content and business capabilities." Based on these efforts, the Gyeongbuk Center is accelerating the creation of a regional-based startup ecosystem to nurture entrepreneurial small business owners in the Yeongnam region and revitalize the Gyeongbuk area through various programs this year, including the 'Local Creator Nurturing Project', 'Gyeongbuk Local Change-up Project', and 'Local Content Activation Project by Living Area'.