COMEUP 2025, Korea’s signature global startup festival, commenced on Wednesday at COEX in Seoul, marking its largest international gathering to date. The event garnered significant industry attention as headline speaker Tareq Amin, CEO of Saudi Arabia’s state-owned AI powerhouse Humain, revealed plans to establish HUMAIN KOREA next year.
During his keynote, Amin emphasized the strategic importance of the Korean technology ecosystem, stating that the establishment of a local entity would serve as a bridge for deeper AI collaboration between the Middle East and Korea’s deep-tech sector.
Now entering its seventh year, COMEUP 2025 runs through December 12 under the theme “Recode the Future.” The slogan reflects the ambition of startups to push beyond technological boundaries and reshape industries. This year’s edition has seen participation from more than 150 overseas startups representing 45 countries, underscoring the event’s growing influence as a global meeting point for founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders.
The program is organized around three core pillars: technology, globalization, and entrepreneurship. Alongside Amin, featured speakers included Park Sung-hyun, CEO of Rebellions, who discussed the evolving landscape of AI semiconductors.
A central feature of the 2025 event is an expanded emphasis on practical collaboration and liquidity. The invitation list was significantly broadened to include global VCs, CVCs, and accelerators, facilitating direct matchmaking opportunities. Dedicated investor booths and venture-investment briefings have been integrated into the main program to help early-stage founders secure strategic backing. Corporate participation is also stronger than ever. A total of 35 major enterprises—including Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai Motor Company, NVIDIA, and NHN—have joined the open-innovation program to share collaboration cases and hold individual meetings with startups.
International engagement has widened considerably, building on last year’s momentum. Seven countries, including Saudi Arabia, India, Japan, and Canada, are operating national pavilions. Newcomers such as Australia, Angola, and Sierra Leone are also participating in exhibitions, IR sessions, and networking programs. The festival also features a special track for social-impact startups addressing global challenges.
Parallel to the main festival, several side events are being held, including the opening of the OpenData X AI Challenge and the 2025 K-Startup Grand Challenge Demo Day, which spotlights leading foreign teams competing in Korea’s flagship acceleration program.
