‘Startup:Con 2024’ showcases innovative services

"We will deliver innovative experiences to our users."

At the 'Battlefield' audition during ' Startup:Con 2024,' held at Space Wadiz in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on Thursday, seven startups that reached the final round of the competition, out of more than 50 participants, passionately presented their company capabilities and market potential to the judges and audience. The startups represented a variety of fields, including AI audiobook automation services, IP transactions, IP-based games, copyright-compliant video production services, and interactive language content.

Startup:Con, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency, celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. The event was designed to help domestic content startups grow. Various programs, such as lectures, workshops, and one-on-one consultations, were held, including the 'Battlefield' audition, which awarded 100 million won in prize money to the three startups that passed the final round.

Kangsters Crew, the grand prize winner at the 'Battlefield' audition, presented 'Wheely-X,' which incorporates extended reality (XR) gaming to enable wheelchair users to safely enjoy aerobic exercise indoors. As users move their wheelchairs on a treadmill-like device, a connected screen simulates the effect of running on a track or road. “We made it possible for wheelchair users, who often find it difficult to go outdoors due to safety concerns, to enjoy aerobic exercise indoors,” said Lee Han-byul, a team leader at Kangsters.

This year's Startup:Con, themed 'Techtent' (a combination of tech and content), the latest buzzword in the content industry, hosted 37 experts. Taru Dahiya, head of Google Cloud Asia-Pacific; Frances Leung, Google Engineer; and Duan Wei, head of Investment at Alibaba Entertainment, were the main speakers. “We are looking for opportunities to collaborate with Korean companies that have excellent content creation capabilities to produce more successful global works,” Duan Wei said during his talk on Friday.


김기윤 기자 pep@donga.com