Incheon Center, E-Land E-Valley Strengthen Strategic Cooperation for Startup China Entry

## Incheon Center for Creative Economy & Innovation – E-Land China EIV, Strengthening Comprehensive Cooperation for the Successful Establishment of Korean Startups in the Chinese Market A strong bridgehead has been established for Korean startups to enter the Chinese market. The Incheon Center for Creative Economy & Innovation (hereinafter 'Incheon Center') and E-Land China E-Innovation Valley (hereinafter 'EIV') have signed a strategic partnership, pursuing large-scale cooperation to systematically support Korean startups' entry into the Chinese market and strengthen their global competitiveness. The relationship between the two organizations dates back to their collaboration on China market entry, which began in 2019. In particular, the Incheon Center has established a unique position as a center specializing in China market entry among all Centers for Creative Economy & Innovation nationwide. It has widely secured regional partner networks in China and, by collaborating closely with local partner organizations, has accumulated experience and know-how in proactively supporting Korean startups' entry into the Chinese market. EIV, which will serve as the core hub for this cooperation, is a state-of-the-art industrial complex spanning an area equivalent to about 60 soccer fields (approximately 350,000 m²). Here, all the infrastructure necessary for startup growth and market expansion is concentrated, including E-Land China's headquarters, smart automated logistics centers, R&D centers, speed factories, and filming and live commerce studios. Particularly noteworthy is the presence of offices for the Small and Medium Business Corporation's Shanghai Global Business Center (GBC), the Shanghai Minhang District Enterprise Service Center, and shared office facilities within the 'Korea-China Business Center'. This is designed to serve as a 'one-stop platform' for Korean companies to successfully establish themselves and expand their businesses in the Chinese market. EIV provides comprehensive support to companies wishing to enter China, starting from the initial settlement phase. Through expert matching services in various fields such as finance, corporate establishment, legal affairs, finance, HR, PR, trademark rights, and intellectual property management, it helps startups quickly adapt to complex local procedures. Furthermore, based on E-Land China's strong network and infrastructure capabilities accumulated over decades in China, it provides startups with not only key business partner matching but also various tangible and intangible infrastructure services, maximizing the likelihood of business success. The specific scope of cooperation is very broad. It will encompass multifaceted support for actual growth, ranging from startup acceleration support within the Chinese market to corporate establishment and local partner matching, connection to stable distribution channels, and support for the execution of PoC (Proof of Concept) and pilot projects within China. Concurrently, plans include jointly operating global technology exchange seminars and investment attraction briefings, actively discovering and promoting successful Korea-China startup cases, and driving meet-ups and open innovation collaborations with Chinese companies and investors, thereby providing continuous growth momentum. Through this cooperation with EIV, the Incheon Center plans to further solidify its status as a global startup hub. Recently, it has been accelerating global business expansion by strengthening cooperation not only with China but also with major countries such as the United States, Vietnam, and Japan. In 2024, it has already achieved successful results by conducting a total of 5 seminars, roadshows, and IR programs targeting key global regions like China, the US, and Singapore, thereby supporting the global expansion of 23 companies. Notably, a total of 485 entrepreneurs participated in the global programs operated by the Incheon Center in 2024, and five Korean companies achieved the remarkable feat of winning awards in the finals of the Golden Panda Global Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition hosted by Chengdu City, China, marking the highest and largest performance to date. This agreement goes beyond a simple MOU signing; it aims to actually operate startup support programs within this year to create concrete success stories where startups actually move into EIV and generate tangible results. Park Jung-geun, CEO of E-Land China EIV, emphasized, "E-Land has successfully served as a bridge, attracting excellent Korean companies to Shanghai as an officially certified global investment attraction strategic partner of the Shanghai Minhang District Government," adding, "We will further strengthen our role as a Korea-China enterprise platform in the future." Lee Han-seop, CEO of the Incheon Center, also stated his aspiration, "This agreement has laid a solid foundation for Korean startups to stably enter and continuously grow in the Chinese market," and "the Incheon Center will actively expand global partnerships in the future to more powerfully support startups' overseas expansion." The cooperation between the two organizations is expected to open a new chapter in writing the global success stories of Korean startups.