Startup Alliance Expands to 23 Members, Naver Sole Sponsor

Startup Alliance unveiled 22 new member companies through the ‘Startup Ecosystem Conference 2025’ held in Changwon, broadening the horizon of cooperation in the Korean startup ecosystem. This expansion of membership is noteworthy as it moved beyond Naver's previous sole sponsorship system, drawing participation from across the entire ecosystem. The newly joined member companies consist of key players from various fields, including venture capital firms like D.CAMP, Altos Ventures, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Kakao, and IMM Investment, as well as large corporations and law firms. Including existing member Naver, the total number of companies is 23. It is especially anticipated that these new members, with their strong global networks, will contribute to accelerating the overseas expansion of Korean startups. Startup Alliance also plans to gradually expand its global linkage programs based on these partnerships. Center Director Lee Ki-dae stated that, for the time being, rather than recruiting additional members, they will focus on generating tangible results through close collaboration with current partners to contribute to the revitalization of the startup ecosystem. Meanwhile, the Startup Ecosystem Conference, marking its 10th anniversary this year, brought together key stakeholders from across the ecosystem, including investors, large corporations, government agencies, startup support organizations, and universities, to share key insights and discuss current issues in various fields such as AI, bio, and global expansion. Launched in 2014 as a private non-profit organization, Startup Alliance has aimed to vitalize the Korean startup ecosystem and connect its members. Currently, it is expanding its role by focusing on policy research and advocacy activities for the development of the startup ecosystem.