Invest Korea Week 2021 (IKW 2021), a leading program for investors, startups and those interested in the Korean business world to network, communicate, invest, and progress, kicked off on November 3rd. The program this year will be held from November 3rd to 5th, 2021, through online and broadcast media.
IKW 2021 brings together global investors, Korean entrepreneurs and policymakers from central and local governments on the same platform. IKW 2021 is hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and organized by Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and Arirang TV. IKW 2021 theme this year is to focus on investing in innovative and sustainable Korean businesses. IKW 2021 is available online through its website: https://ikw.kotra.biz.
IKW 2021 will also be broadcast live through ArirangTV, the IKW website and YouTube channel. IKW 2021 hosts over 100 foreign investors and 150 Korean companies, including startups, local government organizations, FEZs and relevant organizations.
President’s address, eminent speakers & panel talks
The IKW 2021 opened with a speech from Korean President Moon Jae-in. He talked about Korea’s progress in the 4th industrial revolution and the government’s support for the startups and business community.
“Korea is currently engaged in a largescale national project known as New Deal 2.0 centered on Green New Deal and Digital New Deal. Even in difficult times of Covid-19, foreign investment to Korea recorded second highest in the history including in the areas of K- New Deal,” the President said as he invited world business leaders and global investors to invest in Korea.
KOTRA president and CEO Jeoung Yeol Yu welcomed everyone at IKW 2021 with a welcome keynote speech. Simon Segars ARM Holdings CEO also gave a keynote speech. The sessions organized on day one include topics like ‘Change of Global Investment Environment and Innovative Growth Strategy of Korea’ and balanced National Development Strategy and ‘Investment Environment in the Leading Regional Specialization Industry.’
Speakers for the sessions included Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Professor of Hofstra University, Robert S. Langer, Professor, MIT, Wook Shin, Manager Korea Growth Investment Corporation and Yang-paeng Kim, Senior Researcher Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade, Sun-ki Kim, Vice director of Presidential Committee for Balanced National Development Director-General of Planning, Sung-il Ahn, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Free Economic Zone Planning Office.
Panel talks on ‘What are Korea’s plans in the post-/with-COVID era?’ and ‘The Change in the Global Investment Environment and Why is Korea Currently Sought After?’ were also held. The panelists included Sean Blakeley, CEO of the British Chamber of Commerce in Korea – Francis Van Prays, Vice President Commercial Asia-Pacific of Cytiva – Mark Bueltel-Herz, Vice President of BASF company Korea – HakanCervell, President & CEO of Ericsson-LG – Jim Falteisek, President of 3M Korea, Dirk Lukat, Chairperson of the European Chamber of Commerce in Korea (CEO of Schenker Korea) – Jacques-Etienne Michel, Country Managing Director of Equinor Korea – Young-hoon Seo, CEO of SOLVAY Korea – Hyouk-gun Kwon, Head of Finance of Siemens Healthineers Ultrasound Korea – Kyung-Hwa Huh, CEO of Korea Innovative Medicines Consortium (Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association) – Matthias Bausenwein, President Asia-Pacific of Ørsted.
K-Startup Spotlight Talk
A global VC panel talk ‘K-Startup Spotlight,” was held to introduce highlights for international investors to the startup environment of Korea. The speakers for the panel talk include John Nam of Strong Ventures, Aaron Shin, co-founder and CEO of Ascendo venture, Eddy Hong, founder and CEO of Nextrans and moderated by James Jung, CEO of beSUCCESS. The VCs talked about the strengths of the Korean startup ecosystem and shared their experience as investors in Korea.
The IKW 2021 program on November 5th includes a conference with media persons and foreign media in Korea to promote foreign investment opportunities and introduce government policy. Korean businesses and startups will get the chance to have 1:1 online business partnering meetings with potential investors and VCs on both days. About 50 Korean startups are to participate in the 1:1 business meetings over the two days.
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