Gwanak-gu is recruiting promising local startups to participate in the Korea Electronics Show (KES) 2026, the country's largest IT exhibition.
Organized by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and hosted by the Korea Electronics Association, KES marks its 57th edition this year. The show runs from Oct. 13 to 16 at COEX, drawing around 500 companies and 70,000 visitors to explore the future of advanced industries including AI transformation and robotics.
Through the exhibition, the district plans to provide wide-ranging support to startups in the Gwanak S-Valley ecosystem, helping them generate tangible business results and open new market channels. The district will set up a dedicated "Gwanak S-Valley Hall" in Hall B of COEX for the four-day run, offering administrative and financial backing to help participating companies find global business partners.
Eligible applicants must be startups with their headquarters or primary place of business in Gwanak-gu as of the application announcement date, and must have a product or solution in fields covered by KES — such as AI and deep tech — that is ready for exhibition.
Applications are accepted online through the official website of the Gwanak Small and Venture Business Promotion Agency until 2 p.m. on Aug. 7.
The five companies selected through a screening process will receive a substantial benefits package. The district will fully cover the cost of a promotional booth — valued at around 5 million won ($3,410) per company — along with all standard exhibition fixtures including an information desk and a graphic lighting wall.
To move beyond simple product display toward actual investment and contracts, the district will pre-match each participating company with tailored buyers and venture capital firms ahead of the event, and will hold intensive on-site business meetups during the exhibition.
Participants will also have access to large-scale business matching programs — including overseas buyer consultations and domestic procurement meetings — as well as support to enter the KES Innovation Awards, which recognize standout products.
The district has already demonstrated Gwanak S-Valley's growth potential on the international stage. Gwanak S-Valley tenant companies have won innovation awards at CES in Las Vegas four times, and the district became the first autonomous gu in Seoul to operate a dedicated booth at MWC, the world's largest information and communications technology exhibition.
"Participating in KES, the country's largest IT show, will be the best opportunity for Gwanak S-Valley's promising startups to showcase their technological competitiveness to the world and open new markets," district mayor Park Jun-hee said. "We will continue to work with the Gwanak Small and Venture Business Promotion Agency to further advance our AI and deep tech company development framework, successfully drive forward 'Gwanak S-Valley 3.0,' and usher in an era of 1,000 venture companies — transforming Gwanak-gu into South Korea's premier hub for venture startups."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
