Shinhan Securities co-hosts Korea-Japan deep tech conference with UMI Ventures

Shinhan Securities announced Thursday that it co-hosted a "Korea-Japan Deep Tech Conference" with Japanese venture capital firm UMI Ventures at its Yeouido headquarters in Seoul on Tuesday.

The event was a follow-up to a session held in Tokyo in August that introduced Korean deep tech companies to Japanese investors. This time, the conference aimed to present Japanese innovators to South Korea's investment community and identify opportunities for business cooperation and investment between companies from the two countries. About 30 organizations attended, including domestic venture capital firms, asset management companies, brokerages, corporate venture capital arms of large conglomerates, and research institutions.

Japanese deep tech companies JEPLAN and Tsubame BHB each presented their core technologies and growth strategies. JEPLAN specializes in chemical recycling technology that converts waste plastics and discarded clothing back into raw materials. Tsubame BHB has developed a catalyst technology for producing ammonia under low-temperature, low-pressure conditions and is expanding into eco-friendly fertilizers and hydrogen carriers. Following the presentations, participants discussed potential business cooperation, joint research and development, and strategic investment.

Shinhan Securities and UMI Ventures signed an MOU in August to establish a cross-border venture fund for joint investment in Korean and Japanese deep tech companies. The two firms have since held back-to-back events in Tokyo and Seoul to introduce companies from both countries, building on that partnership.

"Through the two events in Tokyo and Seoul, we confirmed strong demand for cooperation in advanced technology between Korean and Japanese companies," a Shinhan Securities official said. "We will continue to identify business cooperation and investment opportunities between the two countries through regular exchange programs, and further strengthen our role as a platform connecting the Korean and Japanese deep tech ecosystems."

Shinhan Securities is also broadening its cooperation with Japanese financial institutions. Chief Executive Lee Seon-hun met last month in Tokyo with senior executives from Mizuho Securities and Rakuten Securities to discuss business collaboration. With Mizuho Securities in particular, the two sides agreed to leverage Shinhan Securities' research capabilities to attract global investors to companies from both countries. They also plan to introduce Korean and Japanese firms to global institutional investors through the "Mizuho Investment Conference."