KOTRA to support K-startups in European expansion

The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) announced on Wednesday the establishment of a South Korean pavilion at the upcoming SLUSH 2023, Europe’s largest startup conference.

The pavilion will serve as a hub for Korean startups to engage in one-on-one meetings and showcase events with potential investors and buyers, enhancing their visibility in the international market.

KOTRA is partnering with the Gyeonggi Province Business and Science Accelerator (GBSA) to establish the pavilion. The pavilion will be located in the main hall of the Slush event and will feature over 20 Korean startups.

The Korean delegation to SLUSH 2023 will include over 200 venture capitalists, limited partners, support agencies and startup officials. The delegation will focus on showcasing innovations in areas such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), digital healthcare, smart medical devices and visual effects (VFX) for content.

SLUSH 2023 is expected to draw an audience of over 13,000 people, including investors, startups and media representatives from across the globe. The event will take place in Helsinki, Finland, over two days starting from November 30.

KOTRA has played a pivotal role in supporting Korean startups since 2013. The agency has actively facilitated the participation of Korean startups in events such as SLUSH and has also provided them with funding and other resources.

In a related development, KOTRA recently organized a "K-Startup Demo Day" in Finland. This event, held in partnership with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Finland and the Helsinki K-Startup Center (KSC), supported the European market entry of 15 Korean startups.

Write to Han-Shin Park at phs@hankyung.com