Helping Kiwi Tech entrepreneurs enter the South Korean market
“This is a great group of speakers from the Korean startup ecosystem and some of the local tech companies who share their journey to success in the Korean market,” said Nicole Upchurch, Chairperson of NZTech’s Korean Tech Working Group and Chief Marketing Officer at Centrality.AI. “Use this time to learn about the Korean business market and gain some perspective on what it will take to grow your business in this prosperous region – there is certainly demand for our innovative thinking and unique approach to tech in Korea if you are willing to take the step.”
As part of the Korea TechWeek Series, the Korea Tech Speakers Series Two was designed to showcase South Korea’s dynamic startup network, which provides support and helps investors to find partners, making the country one of the best in which to do business. The tech-savvy South Korean market offers an abundance of opportunity for New Zealand organisations who want to take their innovations beyond Kiwi borders, and Korea is a great first step to begin one’s quest for success.
The Speaker Series event featured a warm welcome from Ms. Upchurch, who remarked, “I’ve been a passionate ambassador for New Zealand tech and innovation for nearly 20 years. I’ve seen first-hand the appetite from Korea to work with Kiwi businesses.”
The Korea Tech Speaker Series Two featured top speakers from a range of organisations who provided context on Korea’s startup scene, the government support available for new businesses and the accelerator and foreign startup networks which are there for Kiwi firms to leverage. Participants included Jonghyun Lee, Manager, Global ICT Industry Division/ Global Startup Team, National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA); Jordon Monnet, CEO, NR2; Solomon Moos, Investor Relations Asia, Idinvest Partners; Marta Allina, Founder, Seoul Startups; Lin Hwang, CEO, DamoGO; and Eunse Lee, Managing Director, Techstars Korea Accelerator.
The speakers outlined what each of their organisations provide in Korea’s startup sphere and recommended Kiwi firms to create strong cross-cultural partnerships in an environment featuring a large number of startups coming to Korea. They also advised Kiwi businesses to join their networks to share experiences and receive insight on what it is like to do business in the Korean market.
Although the speakers mentioned Korea as being a potentially difficult place to do business – from an administrative, language and cultural barrier standpoint –Seoul Startups referenced the three core values of its community: give first, or giving back to the community; perseverance, based on a famous Korean saying which translates to “failure is not an end result, it’s a process”; and finally having fun.
“Korea is embarking on an exciting new phase to overcome the conditions imposed by COVID-19. This is not the first time Korea has had to rethink itself and its place in the world, and if history tells us anything, it will succeed,” said Dr. Tony Garrett, Chairman, The Kiwi Chamber. “Korea is perfectly placed and with its well-established business support networks and assistance from The Kiwi Chamber, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) and the New Zealand Embassy in Korea, Kiwi tech entrepreneurs can realise their goals in this market.”
“The New Zealand Tech Roadshow in June 2019 under the theme of ‘Inspire with Innovation,’ was an overwhelming success for The Kiwi Chamber and the aim is for an even bigger and better event this year,” said Anna Song, Project Manager, NZ-Korea TechWeek Series and NZ Tech Roadshow Korea. “The 2020 New Zealand Tech Roadshow we are planning for this October is fast approaching and we are excited about connecting innovative New Zealand and Korean tech companies at our next event. Please join us!”
For further information, please feel free to contact chamber@kiwichamber.com if there are any questions. Also, please see the testimonial link below to get a glimpse of last year’s tech roadshow.
The Korea TechWeek Series is a collaboration between The Kiwi Chamber and the New Zealand Embassy in Seoul with support from key organisations such as North Asia Cape, NZTE and NZTech.
Watch the testimonial: Brandon Hutcheson, Aware Group
