SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) and the Korea Startup Forum (KSF) announced that COMEUP 2025, Korea’s flagship global startup festival, successfully concluded after a three-day run from December 10 to 12 at COEX in Seoul.
On-site view of COMEUP 2025
Now in its seventh year, COMEUP 2025 was hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, overseen by the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development (KISED), and co-organized by the Korea Startup Forum, the Korea Venture Business Association, and the Korea Venture Capital Association. Held under the slogan “Recode the Future,” this year’s event highlighted how startups are redefining the future of industries through technological innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. Centered on the three core themes of Deep Tech, Global, and Entrepreneurship, COMEUP 2025 featured a wide range of programs including exhibitions, conferences, IR pitching sessions, and open innovation initiatives, further strengthening collaboration and exchange across the global startup ecosystem.
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COMEUP 2025 welcomed participants from 46 countries, marking its largest global presence to date. The event brought together a diverse group of startup founders, investors, large enterprises, and government officials from Korea and abroad, creating a highly dynamic environment for exchange and collaboration. In particular, a total of 3,447 investment and business matchmaking meetings were successfully completed through a combination of online matchmaking platforms, pre-arranged 1:1 meetings, and on-site investor booth consultations, earning strong recognition as a practical platform for expanding global business opportunities.
COMEUP 2025 introduced meaningful upgrades across its overall program structure compared to previous years. Conference sessions were reorganized around clearly defined daily themes aligned with the three core pillars of deep tech, global expansion, and entrepreneurship. In line with the festival’s slogan, stages and sessions were designed with a future-oriented approach, significantly enhancing audience engagement.
Another notable change was the first-ever joint organization by the Korea Startup Forum, the Korea Venture Business Association, and the Korea Venture Capital Association, which strengthened collaboration across the private startup ecosystem. This shift led to a stronger focus on inviting global VCs, CVCs, and accelerators, expanding opportunities for concrete investment discussions and strategic partnerships. Pre-arranged and open 1:1 meetings, investor booths, and sessions linked to venture investment briefings played a key role in helping startups secure tangible business opportunities.
Expanded side events also drew strong interest. Programs such as Startup Autobahn Korea 2025, Challenge! K-Startup Grand Finale, TIPS Scale-up Bridge, and a senior venture roundtable enriched the overall program and encouraged broader participation from companies and institutions. Programs designed for the general public were also strengthened, including the COMEUP Docent Tour, a B2C-focused COMEUP Flea Market, and pitch sessions by university startup teams, further broadening public engagement.
One of the most significant achievements of COMEUP 2025 was the expansion of international participation. A total of seven countries, including Saudi Arabia, India, Japan, and Canada, operated national pavilions to showcase their startup ecosystems and technologies. Australia and Sierra Leone joined the festival for the first time, further expanding COMEUP’s global network. Startup ecosystem stakeholders from across continents actively took part in IR pitching, conferences, networking sessions, and exhibitions, significantly increasing the density of global exchange.
Beyond technology trends and global collaboration, COMEUP 2025 placed a strong emphasis on spreading entrepreneurial values across society and industry. Newly introduced this year, the “Future Founder” program spotlighted the next generation of entrepreneurs and aspiring founders. Through student startup presentations, mentoring sessions, and talks by Gen Z founders, the program underscored the importance of nurturing entrepreneurial talent as a foundation for future national competitiveness.
Additional sessions focused on social value creation also garnered attention. These included discussions on climate-tech solutions addressing the climate crisis, trend analysis sessions led by Gen Z entrepreneurs, and talks exploring the life of founders from a family perspective. Major startup competitions such as the COMEUP Stars 2025 Final Pitch, the Challenge! K-Startup 2025 Grand Finale jointly hosted by 10 government ministries, and the K-Startup Grand Challenge (KSGC) Demo Day for foreign startups further highlighted the full spectrum of the startup ecosystem—from early-stage founders to globally scaling ventures.
COMEUP 2025 will be available for on-demand viewing through the festival’s official YouTube channel.
