KSEA held its 5th Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Partners’ Upscale Program (STEP-UP) at Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park in Atlanta, Georgia for 2 days on April 20~21, 2024 with the mission to promote and enrich the KSEA members’ entrepreneurship and to discuss the success of innovative ventures, especially in the fields of biotech, healthcare, ICT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and their applications.
STEP-UP holds great significance as it strives to foster and enhance entrepreneurship and partnership activities among KSEA members, their friends and colleagues, and professionals in diverse and critical sectors of the startup ecosystem. This year, considering the technical and scientific strength of the Atlanta area, we aimed to empower Korean-American innovators in technology and health so that they can bridge the gap between their vision and entrepreneurial success.
Program
The STEP-UP 2024 Program consisted of 18 presentations in 8 sessions including the keynote session, but excluding the opening session, closing session, and networking sessions. Program At a Glance is shown below:
April 19:
Welcome Networking Dinner
April 20:
Opening Session
Session 1: Showcase of Success: Biotech & Healthcare
Session 2: Road to Success – Fundraising
Session 3: Social Ventures and Technology
Session 4: Startup Pitch
Keynote Session (Anthony Paek, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman, Lunit)
Banquet
April 21:
Session 5: Support of Korean Government for Korean-American Startups
Session 6: Road to Success – Laws & Intellectual Properties
Session 7: Showcase of Success: Data, Networks, and AI
Closing Session
Dinner Networking
Before the banquet on the first official day, April 20th, we had a Keynote Speech, titled “Building a Global Company based in Seoul: High-stake Decisions We Made” by Dr. Anthony Paek, Co-founder & Executive Chairman of Lunit, where co-founder Paek shared his dramatic experience from starting the company to the exit through KOSDAQ (Korean Securities Dealers Automated Quotation).
The two Showcase of Success Sessions featured successful startup founders who shared their insights, experience, and knowledge with the attendees. This opportunity coupled with the other two Road to Success Sessions, covering key topics including fundraising, intellectual properties, FDA certification, and business laws, equipped the attendees with essential tools for navigating entrepreneurship, catering to participants’ unique needs and aspirations.
In the Startup Pitch Session, 8 budding entrepreneurs gave pitches to their peers, potential investors, and professionals about how their solution seeks to improve the people’s lives and how they plan to grow to become successful in the global market and got feedback with scores in various areas. Those who have not participated in the startup pitch also had a chance to introduce themselves through Elevator Pitch during lunch and banquet on April 20 and 21.
This year, we tried to expand our business/entrepreneurial fields of interest to cover social ventures that utilize disruptive scientific findings and technologies to make greater impacts to the global society, especially benefiting underserved and underprivileged billions in the Global South as well as billions of children who are exposed to the risk of traffic accidents.
In addition, STEP-UP 2024 invited two speakers from Korea who have played important roles in promoting R&D collaboration between Korean startups and Korean-American scientists and engineers and discussed and learned how we, Korean-Americans, can benefit from the programs of Korean government and government agencies when starting tech ventures. For details, please refer to the Program Book at: https://bit.ly/STEPUP2024ProgramBook
Participants Feedback We ran a post-event survey asking the participants feedback questions. 39 participants responded and provided various opinions and suggestions along with great testimonials. For the question about rating their overall STEP-UP 2024 experience, a majority of the survey responders (74.4%) gave a perfect score (10 out of 10) or 9 out of 10. On average, the responders gave 9.23 (out of 10) points. The summary plot below shows the results.
Participants Testimonials: (selected)
“I was able to make great connections with good people that would help me continue my entrepreneurial journey.”
“As an aspiring entrepreneur, what I valued the most was the diverse range of individuals I met— from bright-eyed undergraduates to seasoned industry veterans, from budding talents to established experts. This special cocktail of people enriched every interaction, providing fresh insights that broadened my understanding of startups.”
“The STEP-UP 2024 was one of the best conferences that I have attended in my research career. Through the intense two-day conference, the speakers shared their pains and their tips about how to overcome them with the people vividly and relentlessly.”
“What a fantastic program for entrepreneurs – once you experience it, it’s easy to why this would be a great resource for Korean scientists and engineers with entrepreneurial vision.”
“A great opportunity to connect with a range of different people at different stages of their career, working on different stages of businesses across a different range of industries was a great experience. The common connection you find under the umbrella of “Korea” provides an immediate connection and comradery.”
“Amongst great things about the conference, what makes the event special is the engaged attendees. Everyone participated in, tried to contribute, and support each other. Although STEP-UP is relatively small sized and two days event, the value of attending the conference always has been unique and distinguished.”
“I highly recommend this event to anyone who is interested in learning about startups and ecosystems, as well as making connections with brilliant founders, investors, and mentors. It is a must-attend workshop for individuals who aim to succeed in launching and managing startups.”
“I attended the Step-Up Conference for the first time and it was great to meet so many outstanding leaders in the startup industry. The content of the program speakers was also excellent. I will try to attend again next year.”
“The event is full of industry professionals who are knowledgeable, and who are wanting to help or seek help from others interested in start-ups. Truly learned a lot at the event. The sessions by successful founders were incredible.”
“This is one of the best startup events for both new and experienced entrepreneurs. You will be welcomed and surrounded by lots of valuable information; above all, by your future partners and friends who are facing similar challenges.”
“The event provided insightful knowledge, materials, and resources. However, I must emphasize that attending the networking dinners was the most crucial aspect for anyone preparing to launch a startup company. As the saying goes, ‘you need to invest money to make money.’ It was disheartening to see some individuals decide against attending the event or the networking dinner due to the associated fee. Yet, the potential gains from these experiences could be enormous.”
Fully appreciate the dedication and commitment of the organizing team to keep the event engaging “and stimulating as well as quality meals and networking opportunities.”
“The event provided a comprehensive experience that enriched my understanding of the startup industry. The opportunity to learn from established professionals, whose stories were particularly inspiring, and the well-organized networking sessions allowed me to connect with potential collaborators and investors.”
“The most enriching conference. I attended the event unprepared, not knowing anyone, but just wanting to learn about a startup. Beyond learning practical knowledge and invaluable experiences about launching and operating a startup, I was deeply motivated and inspired by exceptional stories, mentors, and colleagues.”
“STEP-UP 2024 was an eye-opening experience for a full-time academic like me, who has no previous exposure to the startup world. Despite having no ties to startups, I felt welcomed by the organizers and attendees from diverse stages and backgrounds. The keynote speakers gave wonderful talks that were both inspiring and relatable. The conference has motivated me to think about the practical aspects of my own research. I highly recommend this conference to students seeking to leverage their knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact on the world.”
“Great networking events with some excellent keynote speakers. Loved the food as well. Thank everyone for organizing such an amazing event!”
Closing
Overall, this startup outreach event was a great success, and we should continue our efforts to connect our members, entrepreneurs and professionals, promote KSEA members’ entrepreneurial activities, and facilitate collaborations between KSEA and other business-oriented communities.
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