Jeju Center Launches 'Chang-eop-BuS M-JOIN' for Deep Tech Startup Discovery

Jeju Creative Economy Innovation Center has opened the door to revitalizing the local startup ecosystem. On March 27th, the center successfully hosted its first monthly IR event, "M-JOIN", as part of the 'ChangUp-BuS' program designed to discover promising startups. At this "M-JOIN" event, five innovative companies, carefully selected from the weekly 'W-JOIN' IR sessions, presented before investors. Key investment stakeholders, including fund managers for the 'Jeju Early-Stage Startup Incubation Fund' and the 'Daegu·Jeju·Gwangju Regional Innovation Venture Fund', attended and meticulously evaluated the companies' presentations. The participating companies left a deep impression with their unique ideas, which leveraged Jeju's distinct characteristics. Tobus showcased eco-friendly value by developing cosmetics utilizing Sargassum horneri, a troublesome seaweed in Jeju. Megaplan presented the potential for mass production of live mackerel for sashimi using artificial spawning technology. K-jeju Hwasun Fishery Co. Ltd. introduced smart seafood processing facilities and an innovative B2B distribution platform. JooEun Bio Agricultural Co. Ltd. envisioned a circular economy through the valorization of Jeju tangerine byproducts and eco-friendly business models. CrossHub showcased future technology with its next-generation hybrid identity verification service, 'ID Block'. The 'ChangUp-BuS' program targets startups less than 7 years old in the fields of aerospace, eco-friendly energy, and AI/big data. It selects excellent companies through regular 'W-JOIN' and 'M-JOIN' events. The program promises exceptional support to finally selected companies, including not only investment screening opportunities but also recommendations for TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startup) upon securing investment within the year. A Jeju Center official stated, "We hope this M-JOIN serves as a platform for promising Jeju startups to achieve tangible investment attraction and networking," adding, "We will continuously strive to discover companies and connect them with investments to foster the growth of Jeju's deep tech startup ecosystem." 'ChangUp-BuS', launched by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups in May last year, is a national project that continuously discovers excellent regional deep tech startups throughout the year and provides rapid linked support from initial to follow-up investments. In the five centers that were pilot-operated last year, 406 companies were discovered, and among them, 110 companies successfully attracted approximately 29.6 billion KRW in direct and indirect investments. This year, three additional centers, including Jeju, have been added, expanding the program to a total of eight centers, and is expected to further accelerate innovative growth in the Jeju region.