The largest disruptive innovation event in South Korea

What is NextRise?

Get ready to foresee the emerging stars in Asian startups. NextRise, the largest startup fair in South Korea, is celebrating its 6th year. Venture and startup entrepreneurs, accelerators, venture capitalists, industry leaders, and other members of the startup ecosystem come together annually to share insights. The event features startup booths from Korea, Asia, the U.S., and Europe showcasing an array of amazing and innovative technologies. There are also various talk sessions in the main exhibition hall and sub-stages, as well as business consultations in the conference room. Job fairs and pitching events are also held for job seekers. Visitors have the opportunity to experience startup technologies and services in the exhibition area, allowing them to forecast the latest global trends. Last year’s event featured more than 450 exhibits and IRs, and approximately 2,260 business cooperation and investment counseling meetups. This year, NextRise was held on June 13-14 at COEX in Seoul, and was larger than ever with more than 500 startups and 250 large and mid-sized companies, venture capitalists, and startup support organizations from around the world participating. Admission to NextRise is free and open to everyone. Visitors can pre-register on the official website or register on-site and use a QR code to enter the event.

What makes NextRise 2024 special?

One important keyword we’ll remember is “global.” This year’s event brought together over 100 startups from 21 countries across the US, Europe, and Asia. NextRise introduced a host country program for the first time this year, with Japan being the first host country. The focus was on strengthening cooperation between Korea and Japan, given the active exchange of startups in recent years. The event saw participation from representative Japanese companies such as Mitsubishi, Mizuho, Sony, and Rakuten, along with 15 investment companies like incubate funds and 30 other Japanese startups. Additionally, there was a Korea-Japan Open Innovation Summit, which brought together large corporations and startups from both countries. Furthermore, the event featured a session on Korea-Japan venture capital cooperation hosted by Lotte Ventures, and a Korea-Japan ecosystem exchange hosted by JETRO. According to the Korea International Trade Association, which organized the event, NextRise will continue to expand its cooperation to global startup ecosystems such as Germany and Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) through the annual host country program. Various events were organized to connect Korea with the global market, including pitching stages for global startups and lectures on understanding the startup ecosystem and investment environment in different countries, including the Middle East, Europe, and Japan.

Enjoy colorful programs

Exhibition

At this year’s Nextrise event, there were eight main themes: AI & Big Data, Innovation, Sustainable Economy, Fintech, ICT, BioHealth, Future Tech, and Lifestyle. The AI & Big Data booths were the most popular, with 78 booths attracting the most visitors. Attendees were impressed by the opportunity to experience cutting-edge technology up close, including using AI to measure their skin age, 360-degree cameras, and XR headphones. The BioHealthcare and Lifestyle zones, which integrate technology into our daily lives, also drew large crowds. Visitors were able to see food tech that develops non-decomposing plastic, wearable brain imaging devices that enhance cognitive function, and biotech that uses AI-equipped cameras to prevent cancer. Nextrise was a place where people could experience technology in our lives.

Conference

There were three conference stages in the exhibition hall, hosting a total of 64 sessions over two days. The central theme of the conference was AI. The ‘AI Semiconductor’ session, held on both days, was the most popular talk. Technical experts from AI chip startups such as Rebellion, Semifive, and Deepx, which have recently received investment from Korea, gathered to review industry trends and share their knowledge and insights. Additionally, there were lectures and discussions on generative AI, AI ethics, LLM, and more. Attendees had the opportunity to listen to renowned speakers from big tech companies such as Nvidia, Google, AWS, and Naver, as well as startup executives. If you want to gain insights from current employees of big tech companies and startup executives, you can join Nextrise next year.

1:1 Meet up

The event was the largest business consultation in Asia, providing crucial investment and business cooperation opportunities for startups. Notably, French luxury goods giant Louis Vuitton Moet & Hennessy (LVMH) and global conglomerates such as Airbus, Renault, and Intel took part in the event. Over 60 investors and domestic companies, along with 160 investors, joined one-on-one meetups to discuss business cooperation plans for Korean startups looking to expand globally. During the event, startup founders and C-level executives were highly engaged in networking with various investors. They also went all out to promote their booths to the attendees.

Partner events

Attention startup owners! Don’t miss the chance to participate in an exclusive pitching event organized by our partners. The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI) hosts Nextrise winners to pitch in front of German industry leaders and an international audience, offering great exposure for your startup. South by Southwest (SXSW) recently held a business conference aimed at Korean startups looking to expand into the U.S. market. La French Tech Seoul also organized an innovation day to facilitate connections between the French, European, and Korean tech ecosystems. Additionally, the Turkic Investment Agency and the Embassy of Israel in Korea have arranged tech conferences specifically focused on promising Korean startups. For startups to become ‘global’, they need to innovate across borders. That’s where Nextrise came in.