Market & Policy

South Korea Shines as 'Country of the Year at Europe's Largest Start-up Event, Viva Technology 2023

by Philip Lee

Updated May 06, 2023

South Korea Shines as 'Country of the Year at Europe's Largest Start-up Event, Viva Technology 2023 — Photo by Bundo Kim / Unsplash

South Korea has been named “Country of the Year” for Viva Technology 2023, Europe’s largest start-up event, which will take place in Paris from June 14-17.

This prestigious partnership was only awarded to one country and was announced at an official press conference in Paris.

Viva Technology, which has been held since 2016, will adopt a hybrid online-offline format this year, allowing startups to participate in offline booth exhibitions, conferences, pitching sessions, and online promotions.

As the “Country of the Year,” South Korea and its participating startups will be given various opportunities such as keynote speeches, program participation, pitching, and media promotion.

A “K-Startup Integration Pavilion” will also be set up in the center of the event’s main hall.

Around 30 Korean startups and SMEs are expected to participate, giving them more opportunities for business promotion, investor meetings, and networking in the European market.

Minister of SMEs and Startups Lee Young highlighted Korea’s thriving startup ecosystem, which ranks 10th in the world in terms of unicorn companies, and shared her hope that the event will further elevate the status of K-startups.