Open Innovation Expansion in Gangwon: Enterprise-Startup Mutual Collaboration

Promising startups poised to lead the future of the Gangwon region and leading domestic large corporations gathered in one place to explore innovative cooperation strategies. The '2025 Gangwon Open Innovation Connect Day', held on the 23rd at the Chuncheon ICT Venture Center and hosted by the Gangwon Center for Creative Economy & Innovation, was a significant event that injected new vitality into the provincial startup ecosystem. This event drew much anticipation with the participation of over 30 Gangwon startups and companies representing various sectors, including Naver Cloud, Korea Road Traffic Authority, and Jetema. It was organized with the aim of fostering practical collaboration between promising startups and large-to-mid-sized enterprises, and disseminating a growth ecosystem based on open innovation across the Gangwon region. Key officials, including Kim Man-ho, Director-General of the Economic Bureau of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, and Park Soon-hong, Head of the Gangwon Regional Office of SMEs and Startups, also attended, expressing their strong commitment to supporting regional startups. In Part 1, following the introduction of Gangwon CCEI's open innovation program, Naver Cloud presented its 'Greenhouse' program for the growth of technology-based startups, while the Korea Road Traffic Authority announced its plans for overseas demonstration and export support in the traffic safety sector, thereby expanding collaboration opportunities with startups. Jetema, a specialized aesthetics company, attracted attention by sharing a case of bio-aesthetics collaboration currently underway jointly with the center. In the subsequent Part 2, active 1:1 consultations were held between startups and demand-side companies, providing a platform for in-depth discussions on each company's specific commercialization potential and cooperation strategies. Kim Man-ho, Director-General of the Economic Bureau of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, stated that the event confirmed the 'potential' of Gangwon's open innovation ecosystem, and pledged unstinting support for startups' leap forward. Park Soon-hong, Head of the Gangwon Regional Office of SMEs and Startups, also emphasized the importance of this 'platform for practical collaboration,' and stated that they would expand policy support to ensure that an innovation ecosystem firmly takes root in the Gangwon region. This 'Connect Day' is expected to serve as both a stepping stone for Gangwon startups to advance to a larger stage and a crucial turning point for establishing a sustainable innovation model that will contribute to regional economic revitalization.