Choson Exchange

What Choson Exchange does

Choson Exchange is a Singapore-incorporated non-profit founded in 2007 (officially established in 2008 by Geoffrey K. See) that delivers entrepreneurship and business education to North Korean students, entrepreneurs, and policy makers. The organization operates three primary program channels: in-country workshops conducted inside the DPRK since 2010, the Project ChangeMakers (PCM) online lecture series delivered via video link since 2020, and overseas excursions that bring selected North Koreans to Singapore and Europe for seminars and internships. Supporting programs include a Women in Business track launched in 2013 and a digital content library of recorded lectures distributed to secondary audiences inside North Korea.

The underlying technology stack is deliberately low-tech and appropriate to the operating environment: standard video conferencing for live delivery to Pyongyang, a content library for asynchronous distribution, and commodity SaaS tools (Podio, Mailchimp) for contact management and newsletters. There is no proprietary AI, ML, or data platform disclosed; value creation comes from human lecturers, in-country partner coordination, and curriculum design rather than software differentiation.

As a non-profit, Choson Exchange generates no commercial revenue. Programs are provided free of charge to North Korean participants, and the operating model is funded through donations, grants, and extensive pro bono contributions from volunteer lecturers and staff. Quantitative financial signals are limited to a 2010 disclosure of US$126,000 in pro bono work and US$22,500 in cash donations; no subsequent financial data is publicly available. The organization has trained over 2,500 students cumulatively since 2007 and is overseen by a Board of Directors, with full-time staff primarily in Beijing and Singapore, a Seoul resident representative, and a Pyongyang office led by a Kim Il Sung University graduate.

Name

Choson Exchange

Legal name

Choson Exchange

Website

https://chosonexchange.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Choson Exchange is a Singapore-registered non-profit, founded in 2007, that delivers entrepreneurship and business education to North Korean students, entrepreneurs, and policy makers through in-country workshops, an online video lecture series, and overseas excursions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship Education Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional & Executive Short Courses (Non-Degree, International) (EDAIAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Career Exploration & Industry Exposure (Guest Speakers, Company Visits) (EDAMAHAJ), Virtual/Blended Exchange (COIL) Partnerships (EDAIABAH)

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship education
• Nonprofit training programs
• Business skills workshops
• Online lecture series
• Workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Pro Bono Work: As a non-profit organization incorporated in Singapore, Choson Exchange operates through donations, volunteer contributions, and pro bono work. In 2010, the team contributed US$126,000 of pro bono work, with volunteers contributing US$22,500 in cash donations for logistical expenses and course materials.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Choson Exchange delivers entrepreneurship and business training to North Koreans through in-country workshops conducted inside the DPRK, the Project ChangeMakers (PCM) online lecture series delivered via video link, and overseas excursions to Asia and Europe. Programs cover entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, economics, sustainability, and service innovation, supported by a digital content library of recorded sessions distributed across North Korea.

Product overview

Choson Exchange is a non-profit educational organization that supports entrepreneurship in North Korea through multiple programme types. The core offerings include Project ChangeMakers (PCM) - online video lecture series delivering entrepreneurship education to North Korean students, and In-Country Workshops - in-person training conducted inside North Korea. Supporting programmes include a Women in Business programme, Overseas Excursions bringing North Koreans to Asia and Europe, Singapore Internship placements at startup incubators, and a Digital Content Library of recorded sessions for distribution within North Korea. Since 2007, the organization has engaged with the DPRK to train over 2,500 budding innovators through these combined programme types.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Project ChangeMakers (PCM) Online Lecture Series Online live lecture series delivering entrepreneurship education to North Korean students and practitioners via video link, covering topics including service innovation, education, sustainability, and entrepreneurship.
• In-Country Workshops In-person entrepreneurship and business training workshops conducted inside North Korea since 2010. Workshop leaders travel to North Korea to teach entrepreneurship, business, marketing, and related skills directly to North Korean students.
• Women in Business Program Focused programme targeting young and high-potential female business managers and entrepreneurs in North Korea, providing networking opportunities, leadership skills training, and international business exposure.
• Overseas Excursions Program that brings selected North Korean students out of the DPRK to attend seminars across Asia and Europe, providing international exposure and hands-on entrepreneurial learning experiences.
• Singapore Internship Program Overseas program housing DPRK interns at a startup incubator in Singapore, providing unstructured work experience and a realistic introduction to entrepreneurship.
• Digital Content Library Repository of recorded sessions and educational materials, including presentations and infographics, created by Choson Exchange and distributed for viewing by secondary audiences in North Korea through a content distribution network.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trained over 2,500 students since 2007
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Singapore Management University (SMU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023New partnership established in 2023 as part of Choson Exchange's expanded institutional connections for its online education programs.
• IE Business School (Madrid, Spain)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023New partnership established in 2023 for collaborative education programs and knowledge exchange.
• National University of SingaporecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership for PCM9 on Innovation in Sustainability and Environmental Entrepreneurship, with presenters from the university.
• World BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration for PCM9 on sustainability and environmental entrepreneurship, with World Bank experts presenting.
• EU Business School (Geneva)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaborated to design curriculum focused on service innovation in hotel management, design thinking, customer service, and branding for tourism. Students awarded certificates upon completion.
• Konrad Adenauer StiftungminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner acknowledged for support in Project ChangeMakers programming.
• Hanns Seidel FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Collaborated on Rason training programs and trade/investment fair visits. Conducted economic policy and business training in Rason Special Economic Zone.
• Podio (by Citrix)minorOthersUsed to manage contacts and customer relationships. Podio uses Amazon Web Services to host data in Dublin, Ireland.
• MailchimpminorOthersUsed to distribute email newsletter and follow-up emails to subscribers.
• DPRK Partners in PyongyangcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIn-country partners who coordinate live video link sessions, distribute recorded content, and facilitate in-country workshops. Coordinate and distribute course material into online library for future students.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Teach For All: Global network of independent educational non-profits placing leaders in under-resourced schools. Comparable as an internationally distributed educational non-profit model with similar reliance on volunteer talent, foundation funding, and cross-border knowledge transfer.
• AIESEC: Global youth-run non-profit running international exchange and professional development programs, including entrepreneurship tracks. Comparable in delivering non-degree, cross-border educational and entrepreneurship experiences to students and young professionals.

Broad incumbents

• The Asia Foundation: Large international development organization with active North Korea engagement programs including research, dialogue, and small-scale people-to-people exchanges. Comparable as a broader, better-funded institution operating education/engagement programs in the DPRK space.
• Babson College (Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership): Globally leading entrepreneurship-education institution that develops curricula and trains educators worldwide. Comparable as a source of entrepreneurship curriculum and pedagogy that Choson Exchange draws upon for PCM and workshop content.
• Endeavor: Global non-profit supporting high-impact entrepreneurs through mentorship, networks, and education. Comparable as an internationally distributed entrepreneurship-training non-profit with similar reliance on volunteer experts and foundation funding.
• World Learning: International NGO running exchange, training, and capacity-building programs in dozens of countries. Comparable as a larger, established operator of cross-border professional and educational programs targeting emerging-economy participants.

Regional players

• Korea Society: US-based non-profit focused on promoting understanding of Korea through education, cultural programs, and professional exchanges. Comparable as a Korea-focused educational non-profit that runs exchange, training, and dialogue programs targeting similar themes of entrepreneurship and international exposure.
• Korea Economic Institute (KEI): US-based think tank focused on the US–Korea economic relationship, running educational and exchange programs. Comparable as a Korea-focused organization promoting entrepreneurship, economic understanding, and people-to-people exchange in the Korean Peninsula context.

Direct peers

• Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST): Operates tertiary education inside the DPRK with foreign faculty and a focus on science, business, and entrepreneurship. Directly comparable as one of the only foreign-linked higher education programs inside North Korea serving a similar student population.
• Hanns Seidel Foundation: German political foundation that has partnered with Choson Exchange on Rason training and economic policy programs in the DPRK. Directly comparable as a European foundation running entrepreneurship and economic education inside North Korea, often as a partner or complementary actor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chosonexchange
• Facebookfacebook.com/choson.exchange
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1896779

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Choson Exchange