The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister YU In Chon), in collaboration with the Korea Creative Content Agency (Acting Director YOO Hyun Seok, KOCCA) will host the 2024 Startup:CON on September 26-27 at Space Wadiz (Seongdong-gu, Seoul) with the aim of supporting the globalization of standout early-stage startups in the domestic content industry.

Celebrating its 10^th anniversary this year, Startup:CON offers a platform for early-stage startups, investors, content professionals, and creators from home and abroad to come together and revisit the current ecosystem of early-stage content startups and explore and share insights on global expansion opportunities. Under the theme “Boundless Content, Endless Discoveries,” the 2024  Startup:CON will showcase a variety of programs, including an Academic Conference (Conference), lecture sessions (Workshop), one-on-one business consultations (1:1 Meetup), investment pitch competitions [Battle Field and KNOCK], and networking events.

New Content Industry Buzzword: TechTent, Searching for a Win-win Strategy for Content and Technology

The academic conference will focus on the emerging keyword of the content industry, TechTent (Tech + conTent), discussing the ever-changing landscape of the content industry and how it has to evolve and adapt to rapid technological advancements, particularly with the advent of generative AI. A total of 22 sessions, including 13 lectures & panel discussions and nine workshops, will take place with participation from 37 content experts from around the world.

On September 26, Google Cloud APAC Managing Director Ms. Taru Dahiya and Google Customer Engineer Ms. Frances Leung will deliver a lecture on “Content Innovation Driven by Big Data and AI: Data-Based Creation and Curation,” while entertainer and entrepreneur Mr. HONG Seok Cheon will share his story of challenges and innovation as a business leader in a (Creator) special lecture.

On September 27, Mr. Duan Wei, Head of Investment at Alibaba Digital Media and Entertainment Group, and Mr. Jared Dougherty, Vice President and Head of APAC for Public Policy and External Affairs at Sony Pictures Entertainment, will share their insights on “The Value of Global IP as Seen by Alibaba and Sony.” Additionally, entertainer and Wave Entertainment CEO Mr. Tyler Rasch will share his entrepreneurial experiences as a foreigner in Korea.

Cleaning  fanatic Brian to panel for an audition program for early-stage startups to expand overseas

Investment pitches & briefings, business consultation sessions with 30 invited local and international investors

In addition, in celebration of its 10^th anniversary, this year’s event will showcase a broader range of programs that offer global expansion opportunities to early-stage startups. On September 26, the Battle Field competition, an audition program with a total prize of KRW 100 million, will offer early-stage startups the opportunity to pitch their strategies for international market entry. Business models of eight finalists will be evaluated and the winning top three startups will be awarded the main Battle Field prizes. Also, two additional startups will be selected for special awards, where they will have the opportunity to collaborate with The Sandbox Korea, a global metaverse platform based on blockchain technology, and LG Uplus, a leading telecommunications service provider with approximately 18.5 million subscribers in Korea. Notably, cleaning enthusiast Brian will be serving as a judge for the Battle Field audition program. Brian is an entrepreneur well-known for his past ventures in the floral business and consumer goods and is also an active YouTube content creator.

On September 27, KNOCK DEMO DAY will be held to attract investment for content companies. Promising startups discovered by KOCCA will pitch their business ideas to a group of content-focused investors, the KNOCK Partners[1], where a total of KRW 70 million will be awarded to outstanding companies. Ten leading startups from various content sectors—including drama, webtoon, story, characters, immersive performances, music technology, fandom business, and edutainment—will participate in the competition for investment opportunities.

In addition, 30 domestic and international investors from countries such as the United States and Singapore will be invited to provide even more opportunities for promising early-stage content startups to expand into global markets through a number of activities, including one-on-one business consultation meetings with content startups (1:1 Meetup), the New Content Academy Excellence Project Showcase, and networking events (Networking Party).

Those who wish to take part in the 2024 Startup:CON can sign up in advance on the official website (www.startupcon.kr). Early-stage startups interested in one-on-one business meetups can also submit their applications on the official website after reviewing the list of participating investors.

“As the nation’s only international content event, Startup:CON has played a pivotal role as a bridge that connects early-stage startups  with content experts and investors worldwide,” said Director General YOON Yang Soo, Head of the Content Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. “As the event has invited the largest number of international investors and market leaders in its history to celebrate its 10^th anniversary this year, the Ministry will continue its support to ensure that more early-stage K-content startups can enter the global market.”