COMEUP Stars 2023 Selected from 21 Different Countries To Compete in Final Event in November

Korea Startup Forum (KSF), organizer of the highly anticipated COMEUP, event, has announced the results of the preliminary pitching round for ‘COMEUP Stars 2023’. The exciting competition, featuring the ‘COMEUP 100’ Rookie League startups, has now selected the ‘COMEUP 40′ companies that will advance to the main stage in November.

The preliminary pitching competition for ‘COMEUP 100’ unfolded in two phases. On August 18, an onsite pitching event was hosted at DreamPlus Gangnam in Seoul, followed by an online pitching event on August 21. Over 20 renowned venture capitalists and accelerators formed the judging panel, meticulously evaluating startups based on criteria such as market potential, innovation, and growth prospects.

The final lineup of ‘COMEUP 40’ consists of companies from a total of 10 countries, such as the US, Canada, Mexico, Norway, UAE, Nigeria, Singapore, South Korea, Indonesia, and Hong Kong. Notable companies like, ‘Os’ specializing in plasma semiconductor equipment manufacturing technology, ‘METLiT’ offering AI data analysis and diagnosis solutions for MRS, ‘HydroArt’ addressing food security, sustainable living, healthcare outcomes, and education, and ‘Filmplace’ the film location reservation platform, have advanced to the next round.

This preliminary round garnered significant attention, as it was the first time Investor – Startup matching and mentoring took place. Among the 10 COMEUP houses (VCs and accelerators) mentoring the Rookie League, SoftBank Ventures Asia and IMM Investment have advanced the most startups, as they each have 7 of their startups make it to COMEUP 40, which demonstrates their accelerating abilities.

COMEUP 40 are set to advance to the main stage in November. Prior to this they will receive mentoring and attend the COMEUP Preview event in the upcoming month. Selected companies from the Rocket League and Academy League are also attending the event. The COMEUP Preview event is one of COMEUP’s pre-events, with programs ranging from VIP conferences, investor meetings, and networking opportunities with Busan startups and startup community members. It aims to enhance COMEUP Stars’ pitching skills and provide valuable networking ahead of the main event. Afterwards, through mentoring with their matched accelerators, the COMEUP Stars will further refine their pitching skills and present their IR pitching on COMEUP’s main stage on Day 1. The top 10 teams, based on evaluations, will advance to the finals on the last day, with the winning startup receiving various benefits, including discounted admission to DreamPlus Gangnam.

Sungjin Choi, CEO of KSF said, “COMEUP 40 consists of startups innovating in various sectors, including semiconductors, generative AI, BioTech, AgTech, and big data.” Choi added, “This year, as COMEUP focuses on the keywords, ‘survival’ and ‘growth’, we believe the months of preparation have further enhanced the capabilities of the COMEUP Stars, and we look forward to witness their progress.”

Moreover, on August, the event ‘Alumni Day’ brought together over 200 key startup players, including the Rookie League startups, COMEUP Alumni, investors, and COMEUP’s advisory committee. Bumsuk Lee the CEO of Murex Partners, Donghwan Kim the CEO of Backpackr Inc., Jinsoo Kim the Director of KT Investment, Kyuseung Noh the Team Lead of Hyundai Motor Company ZER01NE, Max Han the CEO of Sopoong Ventures, Shina Chung the CEO of Kakao Ventures, and Taeho Kim the COO of HYBE engaged in Q&A sessions and gave valuable advice to the Academy League startups.

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