NextRise 2025, Asia’s largest innovation expo officially opened on June 26 at COEX in Samsung-dong, Seoul. Co-hosted by the Korea International Trade Association and Korea Development Bank, the seventh annual event, running through June 27, gathers global companies, startups, and investors at the forefront of future-defining industries like AI, mobility, sustainable technology, and healthcare.
This year’s NextRise has drawn 20,000 Korean and international entrepreneurs. They’ll engage in a rich array of programs, including exhibitions, conferences, partner events, and one-on-one meetups, all designed to foster collaboration. The one-on-one meetup sessions are the largest in the event’s history, facilitating over 3,600 scheduled consultations between more than 250 large corporations and investment firms and 1,100 ventures and startups from 28 countries worldwide.
Under the theme ‘Accelerate Innovation with AI at the Center,’ NextRise 2025 is a hub for discussing future industry directions and collaboration possibilities. Global corporations and innovative startups are sharing joint booths, engaging in business meetups, attending expert lectures, and participating in open innovation concerts.
Germany, this year’s guest of honor, has sent a robust 47-member delegation. Led by a government representative team from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), the delegation includes Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), German Accelerator, and 21 German startups showcasing their innovations at a dedicated national pavilion. Major German corporations such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Beiersdorf, Deutsche Bank, and Lufthansa are also actively exploring cooperation opportunities with Korean companies through seminars and meetups.
A highlight of NextRise 2025 is the unprecedented gathering of key figures from major global innovation exhibitions. Attendees include François Bitouzet, CEO of France’s Vivatech; Leif Lindner, CEO of Germany’s IFA; and Richard Ferraro, Director of Spain’s Mobile World Congress (MWC). These influential leaders will participate in an exchange forum to discuss cooperation strategies between global ecosystems. Additionally, special exhibition halls offer visitors a direct experience of cutting-edge technologies like AI and robotics.
Across three conference stages in Exhibition Halls A and B, domestic and international authorities and promising startups are delivering presentations on future strategic industries, including AI, mobility, and aerospace. These sessions cover industry trends and global expansion strategies. Three pitching stages are hosting IR presentations from approximately 130 participating startups. Unique reverse pitching sessions will also take place, where large corporations propose collaborations to startups, alongside open innovation concerts sharing innovative cases from the venture ecosystem.
Further enhancing business expansion opportunities, a total of 28 diverse partner programs are being held on the second floor at THE PLATZ and third and fourth-floor conference rooms at COEX. These include demo days, IR pitching sessions, and networking events organized by partner organizations like the Korea Venture Capital Association.
The highly anticipated 3rd NextRise Awards saw intense competition, with 702 companies vying for recognition. Following a rigorous selection process with a 23-to-1 ratio, 30 companies were ultimately chosen. Korean companies Mediwale (retina-based AI medical devices) and Unmanned Exploration Laboratory (lunar exploration robots) proudly received the Top Innovator awards. Innovation awards were also presented to multinational startups from Germany, Japan, Indonesia, Brazil, and other countries, underscoring the global impact of NextRise.
