COMEUP (컴업)
COMEUP (컴업) is Korea's largest global startup festival, operated by the non-profit Korea Startup Forum under the Ministry of SME's and Startups. It runs an annual three-day COEX event plus year-round programs (COMEUP Stars global expansion, Open Innovation, Future Founder) connecting Korean startups to global investors and corporations across 46 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersSeoul, South Korea
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What COMEUP (컴업) does
COMEUP (컴업) is Korea's largest global startup festival, operated by the non-profit Korea Startup Forum (코리아스타트업포럼) under the official mandate of South Korea's Ministry of SME's and Startups (중소벤처기업부) and the Korea Institute of Startup & Venture Policy (창업진흥원, KISED). Founded in 2019, the organization runs a single annual three-day in-person event at COEX, Seoul (with prior editions at Dongdaemun Design Plaza from 2021–2023 and an online-only edition in 2020), supplemented by year-round YouTube streaming of recorded sessions. The 2026 edition is scheduled for December 9–11 and is structured around three thematic daily tracks — Technology, Global, and Public Engagement — with a dealmaking platform positioning that connects Korean startups to global VCs, CVCs, and corporations across approximately 46 countries.
COMEUP's core product portfolio consists of the flagship festival event and four sub-programs: COMEUP Stars (an outbound global expansion program placing Korean startups in US, Europe, Japan, China, Singapore, and India markets with market-specific mentoring and VC/corporate matching), the Open Innovation Program (corporate-startup partnership matchmaking), the Exhibition Booth service (paid showcase slots for startups), and the Future Founder student entrepreneurship program launched in 2025. The underlying technology stack is intentionally lightweight — a content/registration website at comeup.org, a membership portal with Google OAuth and email authentication, and YouTube as the streaming infrastructure — reflecting that COMEUP's value proposition is concentrated on convening the ecosystem rather than on proprietary software.
The revenue model is hybrid but modest in commercial terms: exhibition booth fees (₩2M early bird / ₩3M standard per booth, VAT excluded), negotiated sponsorship arrangements with service partners (TOKTOKHAN.DEV for app/web development, Miridih for booth materials, Riad for accommodations), and likely significant operational subsidy from the Ministry of SME's and Startups and KISED as a government-backed non-profit initiative. Customer segments are diversified across Korean startups seeking global exposure, global VC/CVC investors seeking deal flow in Asia, corporations pursuing open innovation, international startups/ecosystem organizations, media, and student founders — served via event-driven GTM motion with multi-channel outreach (website, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Stibee newsletter, earned media, and a volunteer "COMates" community).
COMEUP (컴업) firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- COMEUP (컴업)
- Legal name
- 코리아스타트업포럼 (Korea Startup Forum)
- Website
- https://comeup.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- COMEUP (컴업) is Korea's largest global startup festival, operated by the non-profit Korea Startup Forum under the Ministry of SME's and Startups. It runs an annual three-day COEX event plus year-round programs (COMEUP Stars global expansion, Open Innovation, Future Founder) connecting Korean startups to global investors and corporations across 46 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
COMEUP (컴업) industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Ecosystem Events and Conferences
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General & Multi-Industry Trade Show Organizers (THAHABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Technology & Innovation Expos Organizers (THAHABAE), Product & Innovation Summits (Roadmap, Launch Readiness, Innovation Days) (THAHAMAG)
Keywords
Where COMEUP (컴업) is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seoul
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
COMEUP (컴업) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Exhibition Booth Fees: Startups and companies pay to rent exhibition booths at the annual COMEUP festival to showcase their products and services to investors, corporations, and attendees. Participation fees are charged per booth with early bird discounts available.
- Sponsorship Partnerships: COMEUP generates revenue through sponsorship arrangements with corporate partners who receive branding, exhibition, and promotional benefits in exchange for financial support. Partners include Miridih (promotional materials), Riad Corporation (hotels), and TOKTOKHAN.DEV (development services).
- Open Innovation Program Participation: Corporations and institutions participate in the Open Innovation program by recruiting startups for potential collaboration, with application and participation processes managed through COMEUP.
- COMEUP Stars Global Program: The COMEUP Stars outbound global expansion program facilitates K-startup overseas market entry through market-specific mentoring, business matching with global VCs and corporations, and local networking programs in target markets including Singapore and India. Revenue model is likely subsidized by government/organizers (中小벤처기업부, 창업진흥원).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Exhibition Booth |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Early Bird Exhibition Booth |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | TOKTOKHAN.DEV App/Web Development Service Discount |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
COMEUP (컴업) product offering
Product offeringCore offering
COMEUP operates Korea's largest annual global startup festival, a three-day in-person event at COEX in Seoul complemented by YouTube streaming, that functions as a dealmaking platform connecting Korean startups with global VCs, CVCs, corporations, and ecosystem partners from approximately 46 countries. The portfolio is anchored by the COMEUP Stars outbound global expansion program (covering US, Europe, Japan, China, Singapore, and India), an Open Innovation corporate-startup matchmaking program, exhibition booth rentals, and the Future Founder student program. Revenue is generated through paid exhibition booths (₩2-3M per booth), corporate sponsorships, and program participation fees.
Product overview
COMEUP is a global startup festival platform operated by the Korea Startup Forum under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The core offering consists of the annual COMEUP Global Startup Festival event, complemented by the COMEUP Stars global expansion program, which helps Korean startups enter international markets. Additional programs include the Open Innovation Program for corporate-startup partnerships, Exhibition Booth services for startup promotion, Business Matching for investor connections, and the Future Founder program for student entrepreneurs. The platform also includes a membership portal for event registration and application management.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- COMEUP Stars: A global expansion program for promising startups aiming to enter international markets across the U.S., Europe, Japan, China, Singapore, and India.
Products and services
- COMEUP Global Startup Festival Annual three-day in-person global startup festival held at COEX in Seoul (with online YouTube streaming), organized around Technology, Global, and Public Engagement thematic tracks. Brings together startups, global VCs and CVCs, corporations, and ecosystem leaders from approximately 46 countries for dealmaking, exhibitions, keynotes, and cross-border collaboration.
- COMEUP Stars Global expansion program for promising Korean startups seeking to enter or grow in international markets across the United States, Europe, Japan, China, Singapore, and India. Provides market-specific mentoring, business matching with global VCs, corporations, and institutions, and local networking programs tailored to each target country and ecosystem.
- COMEUP Open Innovation Program Program connecting startups with corporations for open innovation collaboration, facilitating partnerships, co-development, M&A opportunities, and business matching between emerging companies and established Korean and multinational enterprises through formal application processes and collaboration proposal areas.
- COMEUP Future Founder Student program designed for university startup clubs, entrepreneurship centers, and aspiring student founders, providing firsthand exposure to the global startup ecosystem through pitch competitions, mentorship, mock investment experiences, and direct connections with investors, founders, and experts.
- COMEUP Exhibition Booth Paid exhibition booth program offered during COMEUP events for startups and companies to showcase their innovative products and services to investors, corporations, and global attendees, strengthening brand awareness and creating opportunities for global partnerships.
- COMEUP Business Matching Dealmaking platform service connecting startups with global VCs and CVCs for direct one-on-one interactions during the festival, creating opportunities for follow-on investments and strategic partnerships beyond simple stage exposure.
Quantifiable outcome
- The COMEUP Stars program has facilitated follow-on funding for participating startups, with alumni companies including Galaxy Corporation, Seoul Robotics, and GoPizza having achieved significant growth post-participation
Companies that use COMEUP (컴업)
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
COMEUP (컴업) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
COMEUP (컴업) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.
- Google for StartupsminorGoogle for Startups is represented on the COMEUP 2026 Advisory Committee (with Mike Kim as Head of Google for Startups), indicating a marketing/partnership relationship supporting Korean startup ecosystem engagement.
- AWS (Amazon Web Services)minorAWS is represented on the COMEUP 2026 Advisory Committee (with Kihyuk Lee as Head of AWS), indicating a marketing partnership supporting startup ecosystem cloud infrastructure and services.
- OpenAI KoreaminorOpenAI Korea Country Manager (Kyounghoon Kim) serves on the COMEUP 2026 Advisory Committee, representing AI technology partnership and ecosystem engagement.
- Kauffman FellowsminorKauffman Fellows CEO Fernando Fabre Mendoza is a COMEUP 2026 speaker, representing a prominent entrepreneurship development organization.
- TOKTOKHAN.DEV (똑똑한개발자)minorTOKTOKHAN.DEV is a sponsorship partner offering exclusive app/web development discounts (up to 20% off) to COMEUP 2025 exhibitors. Services include MVP development for startup PMF validation and app/web development for new ventures.
- Riad Corporation (리아드코퍼레이션)minorRiad Corporation partnered with COMEUP 2025 to offer special hotel discounts for participants near COEX venue. Part of participant benefits package.
- Miridih (미리디)minorMiridih (offering MiriCanvas and Bizhouse services) partnered with COMEUP 2025 to provide special discounts on booth material design and production, and event supplies for exhibitors.
- Corporate Open Innovation Partners (unspecified)coreCOMEUP's Open Innovation Program recruits corporations seeking to collaborate with startups. Companies submit collaboration proposals through designated application forms. This program is a key GTM channel connecting corporations with innovative startups.
- 중소벤처기업부 (Ministry of SME's and Startups)flagshipThe Ministry of SME's and Startups (中小벤처기업부) is the official host of COMEUP, providing governmental backing and policy alignment for the startup festival. This is the primary government sponsor, lending institutional authority and reach across Korea's startup ecosystem.
- 창업진흥원 (KISED - Korea Institute of Startup & Venture Policy)flagshipThe Korea Institute of Startup & Venture Policy serves as the dedicated implementing organization for COMEUP, handling operational execution of the festival and related programs.
- 코리아스타트업포럼 (Korea Startup Forum / KSF)flagshipKorea Startup Forum (코스포) is the primary organizer of COMEUP and holds trademark rights to the COMEUP brand. It manages the overall strategy, planning, and execution of the festival.
- 벤처기업협회 (Korea Venture Business Association)coreKorea Venture Business Association (KVBA) co-organizes COMEUP, providing network reach into the Korean venture and startup ecosystem.
- 한국벤처캐피탈협회 (Korea Venture Capital Association)coreKorea Venture Capital Association (KVCA) co-organizes COMEUP, connecting the event with venture capital firms and investor networks for the dealmaking platform function.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
COMEUP (컴업) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
COMEUP (컴업) social profiles
Digital presenceCOMEUP (컴업) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
COMEUP (컴업) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
COMEUP (컴업) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
COMEUP (컴업) M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about COMEUP (컴업)
What does COMEUP (컴업) do?
COMEUP operates Korea's largest annual global startup festival, a three-day in-person event at COEX in Seoul complemented by YouTube streaming, that functions as a dealmaking platform connecting Korean startups with global VCs, CVCs, corporations, and ecosystem partners from approximately 46 countries. The portfolio is anchored by the COMEUP Stars outbound global expansion program (covering US, Europe, Japan, China, Singapore, and India), an Open Innovation corporate-startup matchmaking program, exhibition booth rentals, and the Future Founder student program. Revenue is generated through paid exhibition booths (₩2-3M per booth), corporate sponsorships, and program participation fees.
Is COMEUP (컴업) a public or private company?
COMEUP (컴업) is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was COMEUP (컴업) founded?
COMEUP (컴업) was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is COMEUP (컴업) based?
COMEUP (컴업) is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does COMEUP (컴업) make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Exhibition Booth Fees are the primary driver. The others are sponsorship Partnerships, open Innovation Program Participation and COMEUP Stars Global Program.
Does COMEUP (컴업) have an API?
No public API is recorded for COMEUP (컴업).
What industry is COMEUP (컴업) in?
COMEUP (컴업)'s product category is Startup Ecosystem Events and Conferences. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHABAA, General & Multi-Industry Trade Show Organizers, with a secondary code of THAHABAE, Technology & Innovation Expos Organizers. Its NAICS code is 56192.