'Youth ideas will change Seongbuk's tomorrow': startup festival set for Sunday

Seongbuk-gu in Seoul is set to bring together university students and local young entrepreneurs to share startup ideas and energize the district's entrepreneurship ecosystem.

The district announced it will host the "2026 SB Startup Networking Festival" on Sunday at Bunsu Maru plaza along Seongbuk Stream, near Hansung University Station.

The event is organized by Seongbuk-gu and co-hosted by six universities in the area — Korea University, Kookmin University, Dongduk Women's University, Seokyeong University, Sungshin Women's University and Hansung University. It was designed to support youth entrepreneurship and build a community-centered startup ecosystem by connecting universities' research and startup infrastructure with local resources.

At the opening ceremony, Seongbuk-gu and participating institutions will sign an MOU to establish the "SB Seongbuk Cluster." The signatories plan to collaborate on nurturing young startups and expanding the district's entrepreneurship base by linking university infrastructure with local resources.

A highlight of the festival will be the unveiling of ideas and services developed by young participants using AI to tackle local issues.

The "AI-Based Local Problem-Solving Hackathon," held Friday and Saturday, drew 54 students from the six universities and local youth, who formed 10 teams. Participants developed AI-powered app and web services across five fields: education and self-governance, environment and safety, urban development and transportation, culture and tourism, and economy and employment.

The festival will screen a sketch video documenting the hackathon process and present awards to four outstanding teams — grand prize, excellence award, merit award and popularity award. The popularity award will be determined by a public vote during an exhibition of the teams' work at Bunsu Maru plaza on Friday and Saturday. Residents can scan QR codes attached to each display to review the teams' services and cast their votes.

The event will also feature hands-on experiences with technologies and products from university-affiliated startups — including a humanoid robot, a generative AI prompt marketplace and eco-friendly pet supplies. Family-friendly programs such as a photo zone, traditional games, caricature drawing and a bubble show will round out the offerings.

"Seongbuk-gu is a university city with more universities than any other district in Seoul," District Mayor Lee Seung-ro said. "Through this event, we will build a virtuous cycle in which young people's fresh ideas lead to startups, and the results flow back to benefit the community."