NextRise 2026 Plans Seoul Startup Fair
NextRise 2026 brings more than 530 startups to Seoul for business meetings, investment discussions, and recruitment events.
Korea International Trade Association and Korea Development Bank will co-host NextRise 2026, Seoul at COEX in Seoul on June 18 and 19. The eighth edition is expected to bring together more than 530 startups and over 270 global corporations and investors. Organizers have scheduled more than 3,800 individual meetings for partnership and investment discussions through its 1:1 Business Meetup program. Startups can apply to participate through May 11, 2026.
Meetings for Startups and Investors
Exhibition booths will feature startups alongside 23 global companies and institutions in AI, biotechnology, and other advanced industries. More than 150 large and mid-sized corporations, including LG Group, Hyundai Motor, SK Telecom, Korean Air, and Renault, are set to take part alongside more than 120 venture capital firms.
The 1:1 Business Meetup program will host partnership and investment discussions across the two-day event.
“With the largest-ever lineup of Korean conglomerates and venture capital firms participating this year, NextRise will serve as a gateway for startups from around the world looking to enter the Asian market,”
France Takes Guest Role
Special exhibition zones will expand their focus on global startups and international corporations, with France named this year’s Guest of Honor country. French companies including Renault and L’Oréal are among the confirmed participants.
The agenda includes keynote speeches, panel discussions, an Open Innovation Concert, and a Startup and Employment Concert. A startup recruitment meetup will connect early-stage companies with young AI developers, while the NextRise Awards program will select startups for dedicated global expansion support.
Building on 2025 Results
NextRise has been held since 2019. At the 2025 event, 205 startups secured tangible business outcomes, and 104 raised a combined KRW 500 billion in investment. The prior edition drew participants from 28 countries, with Germany as Guest of Honor.
“We hope this event becomes a forum where the key players of the global innovation ecosystem come together in Korea to explore opportunities for collaboration and growth.”
From an announcement by Korea International Trade Association.
