• Topics
    • AI & Big Data
    • AR & VR
    • Blockchain
    • Clean Technology
    • Content & Games
    • Cybersecurity
    • Enterprise & SaaS
    • FinTech
    • Gadgets & Electronics
    • Health & Bio
    • IoT
    • Marketplaces & E-commerce
    • Robotics
    • Transportation & Logistics
    • Investments
    • Ecosystem & Lists
  • Interviews
  • Events
    • ComeUp
    • NextRise
  • Governments
    • KISA
    • KISED
    • KOCCA
    • KOTRA
    • KTO
    • MSS
    • NIPA
    • SBA
    • SFL
  • Programs
    • SGSC Global Bootcamp 2021
    • LAUNCHPAD
    • COMEUP STARS 120
    • K-Startup Grand Challenge
    • TIPS X beSUCCESS Global Project
    • SFL Global Program
    • KTO Global Showcase
  • Investment Opportunities
    • SGSC Demo Day
    • Launchpad France Demoday
    • TIPS Global Demoday
    • Launchpad USA Demoday
    • Launchpad Indonesia Demoday
  • Submit an Article
  • register
  • login
KoreaTechDesk
No Result
View All Result
KoreaTechDesk
No Result
View All Result
Home Ecosystem & Lists

13 Reasons Why Seoul is the best city for startups to launch their business 

Aditi Dave by Aditi Dave
June 15, 2022
in Ecosystem & Lists
1
News about Korean startup ecosystem: Baby Unicorns, International partnerships & upgrades 

Seoul subway skyline.

0
SHARES
846
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

South Korea has a healthy and thriving startup ecosystem, and the capital Seoul is not only the business hub but also a breeding ground for innovations and creations. In its annual report on the global startup ecosystem, research firm Startup Genome named Seoul the 10th best city for startups.

The Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2022 by the firm, dedicated to improving the startup ecosystem of each city, surveyed 280 cities across some 100 nations for the latest results announced in London.

Global Startup Ecosystem Report
Global Startup Ecosystem Report

The report ranked Seoul as 10th strongest in the startup ecosystem category, up from 16th last year and 20th in 2020. So what makes Seoul one of the best cities in the world to launch a startup?

1.) Heart of startup activity in South Korea 

Seoul Startup Hub Seongsu
Seoul Startup Hub Seongsu

More than 60% of startups in South Korea exist in Seoul, and out of the total 18 Korean unicorns, 15 are based here. The Startup Genome report puts the value of Seoul’s startup ecosystem at 223 trillion won (US$173.4 billion), sharply up from 54 trillion won a year earlier.

2.) Home to top Incubators centers & Accelerators 

Seoul Fintech Lab
Seoul Fintech Lab

Seoul has more than 200 accelerators, and incubation centers, creating an ecosystem value of $5 billion.

3.) Host of global startup festivals & tech events

K-startup-Grand-Challenge-held-annually-country-source-collect
K-startup Grand Challenge is held annually.

Seoul hosts global startup festivals like K-Startup Grand Challenge, COMEUP and numerous tech events.

4.) Head offices of the world’s leading corporate brands 

Samsung Seoul
Samsung Seoul

More than 70% of the world’s largest corporate brands are in Seoul, including Samsung, LG, and Hyundai.

5.) Booming Venture scene 

Venture Capital
Venture Capital record rise in 1Q 2022.

In 2021 VC funding increased by 34% compared to the previous year, to $7.7 billion. Venture investment in Korean startups grew 78% year-on-year in 2021 to surpass $6.4 billion. Seoul accounts for 56% of the total investment, hitting a record high.

6.) Smart city Seoul 

Seoul ranked 11th on Monocle list of the Livable Cities for Quality of Life Index 2021. Photo: @@Seoul_gov

Seoul has an optimal business atmosphere with a high-speed communication network (5G) and free public wifi.

7.) Advance R&D & technology facilities

Biomedical research
Biomedical research

Seoul was ranked the fourth-most active cluster in science and technology in 2021, according to the Global Innovation Index (WIPO). In 2019, Korea invested $102 billion in R&D, making it the fifth-largest spender among OECD countries.

8.) Evolved consumer market 

Virtual Reality
Students who visited the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul experiencing the battle in the VR. Source: Yonhap

Korea was ranked first in the population who attained tertiary education at the age of 25–34 among OECD countries in 2021. According to CNBC, Korea will be the third largest e-commerce market in the world in five years.

9.) Hub for talented human resource  

Seoul National University
Seoul National University Asia Center

Seoul is home to 54 universities, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government aims to foster 40,000 future talents by 2025 through Seoul Software Academy (SeSac), a technical training center.

10.) Major industrial clusters located here 

AI Yangjae Hub established by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in 2017.
AI Yangjae Hub established by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in 2017.

Seoul has seven major industrial clusters such as Biotechnology (Hong-neung), AI and Big Data (Yangjae), Fintech (Yeouido), Robots (Suseo), and IoT (G-valley).

11.) World-class working spaces 

fastfive
Fast five Work space, Seoul

There are over 100 coworking space providers, including WeWork and FastFive. Fab Lab, Seoul Startup Hub, Google Campus Seoul, Maru180, and more.

12.) Tax incentives & easy regulations 

Source:Yonhap
Source:Yonhap

South Korea encourages the growth of the startup scene by endorsing tax breaks and incentives for angel investors and venture capitalists, tax benefits for mergers and acquisitions in the technology and R&D sectors, and improvements in visa regulations for startups and entrepreneurs from abroad.

13.) Seoul government support 

Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) to help startups with financial package.

Seoul Metropolitan Government launched an investment promotion agency, Invest Seoul, in February 2022 to help international businesses successfully relocate to Seoul. The initiative will attract $30 billion in foreign direct investment by 2030. Seoul has also set up a startup ladder, a special plan for strategic collaborations between existing companies and startups.

Also Read, 

  • ‘2022 Seoul FinTech Lab Global Accelerator Program’ to support Korean startups reach global shores 
  • K-Startup Grand Challenge 2022: Startups grow your business in the world’s most tech-savvy country South Korea
  • Venture investment in the Korean startup ecosystem for 1Q 2022 shows a record rise  
  • Foreign startups that are getting success in South Korea
What’s your thoughts?
+1
0
Upvote
+1
0
Clap
+1
0
Clap
+1
0
On fire
+1
0
Meh
+1
0
Clap
+1
0
Tags: CorporatesEconomyInvest in SeoulKorean GovernmentKorean StartupsSeoulStartup in SeoulStartups
Previous Post

CJ ENM invests in luxury commerce company ‘Must It’ to create a strategic partnership

Next Post

Women’s sexual wellness startup Arooo gets selected for the TIPS program for its unique app

Next Post
Arooo

Women's sexual wellness startup Arooo gets selected for the TIPS program for its unique app

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Login
Notify of
Please login to comment
1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
trackback
Lincoln Georgis
2 months ago

Lincoln Georgis

[…]Here are some of the internet sites we advise for our visitors[…]

0
No Result
View All Result

Follow Us

FREE NEWSLETTER

Ecosystem Partners




PRODUCTS

Most Popular

  • 10 K-Dramas to watch for some ‘money matters’

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Korean startups fall short on global readiness, finds Open Innovation Trend survey

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • UNDP-Citi Foundation’s impact startup acceleration programme ‘Citypreneurs 2023’ to promote innovative solutions for urban sustainability

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Top Korean Dating apps that can help you make new connections in South Korea

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Digital Healthcare startup CenacleSoft secures investment from Naver Cloud for its EMR platform

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Three Restaurant Apps to try out for a fine dining experience in South Korea  

    9 shares
    Share 9 Tweet 0
  • Fabless semiconductor startup Fadu raises pre-IPO funding, becomes this year’s first Korean unicorn

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Quantit secures  30 billion won Series A investment from Smilegate Holdings for AI-based FinTech Asset Management Services

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • AI-smart farm solution startup Croft attracts seed investment from Future Play

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Korean startup launching a nose-print identification for dogs, an alternate to the microchip embedding process

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2023 KoreaTechDesk | About Us | Sponsorships| Terms of Use |Privacy Policy |Cookie Policy Contact: [email protected] DMCA.com Protection Status

No Result
View All Result
  • Topics
    • AI & Big Data
    • AR & VR
    • Blockchain
    • Clean Technology
    • Content & Games
    • Cybersecurity
    • Enterprise & SaaS
    • FinTech
    • Gadgets & Electronics
    • Health & Bio
    • IoT
    • Marketplaces & E-commerce
    • Robotics
    • Transportation & Logistics
    • Investments
    • Ecosystem & Lists
  • Interviews
  • Events
    • ComeUp
    • NextRise
  • Governments
    • KISA
    • KISED
    • KOCCA
    • KTO
    • KOTRA
    • MSS
    • NIPA
    • SBA
    • SFL
  • Programs
    • LAUNCHPAD
    • COMEUP STARS 120
    • K-Startup Grand Challenge
    • TIPS X beSUCCESS Global Project
    • SFL Global Program
    • KTO Global Showcase
  • Investment Opportunities
    • Launchpad France Demoday
    • TIPS Global Demoday
    • Launchpad USA Demoday
    • Launchpad Indonesia Demoday
  • Submit an Article
  • Forums
  • register
  • login

Copyright © 2023 KoreaTechDesk | About Us | Sponsorships| Terms of Use |Privacy Policy |Cookie Policy Contact: [email protected] DMCA.com Protection Status

wpDiscuz
1
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x
| Reply

We hope you enjoy our content, May you please give us Feedback regarding our website!

Single Post Feedback

dgdfgfdgdf

What you think about Koreatechdesk, Share your idea with us!

feedback popup

Invitation submission has been closed

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

    No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.