Announcing the K - Startup Grand Challenge 2017, an initiative by the Government of the Republic of Korea

I am writing to you on behalf of NIPA (National IT Industry Promotion Agency) which is a non-profit governmental organization of the Republic of Korea. This is with regard to the announcement of NIPA’s initiative of the ‘K – Startup Grand Challenge’ in India, a project conducted and financed by the Government of the Republic of Korea. It is the 2nd year wherein NIPA is conducting the K-Startup Grand Challenge in India.

The quality and creativity of the Indian start-up ecosystem has put the nation on the global radar & this initiative will give an opportunity for Indian start-ups to apply, get into the accelerator program with a view to collaborating with, selling to or getting funds from Korean VCs/Government etc.

The core objective of the K-Startup Grand Challenge is to promote the expansion of an open entrepreneurship ecosystem in Asia and to assist in South Korea's evolution into a prominent start-up business hub in the region. The challenge will open gates for the Indian Technology startups – catering to different categories to enter the Korean market and further expand its reach to global customers.

In recent years, a great number of large Korean conglomerates have expressed their interest in collaborating with foreign start-ups. The K-Startup Grand Challenge program offers the opportunity for such start-ups to interact with the world’s most innovative and influential Chaebols and to work with large conglomerates (Samsung, LG, Hyundai Motors, KT, kakao, Naver, CJ, SK, POSCO, etc.)

To share more light on this global opportunity, we would be glad to arrange for an interaction with Mr. Lee Kyung-hwan, Executive Director of India-Korea SW Cooperation Center to know what’s in store for the Indian Start-ups. During the interaction, Mr. Lee Kyung-hwan will take you through the following topics:

· Objective of K-Startup Grand challenge
· Overview of the last year’s K-Startup Grand challenge in India
· Why India? And who are they looking at for this programme?
· Opportunities and exposure in store for the Indian start-ups by the Korean government
· Funding to be provided to the Indian Startups

Lee Kyung-hwan
Executive Director of India-Korea SW Cooperation Center

Lee Kyung-hwan is the Executive director of India-Korea SW Cooperation Center and is in charge of ICT co-operation between India and Korea. Mr. Lee makes every effort to enhance the mutual cooperation in start-up areas and advance the global openness of the startup ecosystem.

As part of the National IT Industry Promotion Agency(NIPA) of Republic of Korea, he has worked and is specialized in G2G Cooperation Activities where he has developed and provided informatization consulting on e-Government Projects in many countries including Indonesia, Philippines, Russia, Tanzania, Rwanda, etc.

He also comes with an accumulated and rich global experience and reference in G2B, G4C cooperation in the same areas.