The Korea Development Bank (KDB) hosted a kickoff and onboarding event for the inaugural cohort of KDB NextONE Busan on July 9 at its dedicated center in Busan.

Launched in July 2020, KDB NextONE is KDB's flagship early-stage startup acceleration program. To expand South Korea's venture ecosystem beyond the Seoul Metropolitan Area, KDB officially opened KDB NextONE Busan in June.

The inaugural Busan cohort drew strong interest, with 113 startups applying for a competition rate of roughly 7 to 1. Following a rigorous two-stage evaluation process consisting of document reviews and oral interviews, 17 outstanding startups—including MarinaChain—were selected.

The final cohort features companies in national strategic technology sectors such as AI, biotech, and rechargeable batteries, alongside regionally tailored innovators in maritime sectors including international shipping and seafood trade. KDB will provide these startups with dedicated office space, tailored mentoring, IR consulting, Demo Day opportunities, and direct support for fundraising and business development.

Additionally, KDB plans to revitalize the Southeast region's venture ecosystem by connecting these startups with capital-area venture capital firms and offering joint training programs. KDB will further strengthen its support network by integrating the initiative with its existing venture platforms, including the flagship investment platform KDB NextRound, global startup fair NextRise, and regional venture platform V:Launch.

Source : https://www.busan.com/view/busan/view.php?code=2024071018254425666