Busan Slush'D 2024: South Korea's Regional Startup Push

Busan, South Korea - Busan Slush'D 2024, an event aimed at fostering startup growth in South Korea's southeastern region, concluded Tuesday with more than 1,000 attendees, including local startups, international investors, and students.

The Korea Startup Forum organized the event to address regional challenges such as job loss and brain drain. 

Keynote speakers included Yang Jae-sung, chairman of the Busan Chamber of Commerce, and Han Sang-woo, Chairman of the Korea Startup Forum.

Discussions focused on strategies for developing local startup ecosystems and global expansion. 

Notable sessions included debates on regional economic development and presentations by student entrepreneurs.

The event featured pitching competitions, with startups Ready Space, Lorentz Company, and E-Flow winning top honors in their respective categories. 

The winners will receive support to participate in the main Slush event in Helsinki in November.

International attendees included venture capitalists from India, Malaysia, Sweden, and Finland looking for regional investment opportunities.

While the event highlighted Busan's potential as a startup hub, challenges remain in competing with established centers such as Seoul.

The long-term impact on the region's startup ecosystem remains to be seen.

The success of Busan's startup ambitions will likely depend on sustained efforts to build a supportive ecosystem, attract investment, and retain talent. 

These factors go beyond the scope of a single event, regardless of its international branding.