Asia’s premier startup fair NextRise 2026 kicked off at COEX in Seoul on June 18. Over 1,700 startups from 30 countries gathered alongside 270 global corporations and investors for the two-day event.
Co-hosted by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) and Korea Development Bank, the fair runs through June 19. The Korea Venture Business Association and Korea Venture Capital Association also joined as co-organizers. Now in its eighth year since launching in 2019, NextRise has grown into a flagship platform connecting Korean startups with global partners.
The headline draw this year is the largest-ever participation from global AI leaders. OpenAI, Anthropic, Palantir, Perplexity, and NVIDIA are participating in conference sessions and one-on-one meetups to explore collaboration opportunities with Korean startups.
OpenAI’s head of startups is set to introduce the next wave of AI developments led by AI agents. More than 60 conference sessions will take place over the two days.
Marking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France, France serves as this year’s guest nation. France’s Ambassador for Digital and AI Affairs, who oversees the country’s AI strategy, and the French Ambassador to Korea will deliver messages on bilateral startup ecosystem cooperation. Major French companies including Renault, Veolia, and Stellantis are operating a national pavilion alongside over 20 startups to identify partnership opportunities.
A Renault Group vice president will present case studies on mobility innovation achieved through open innovation with startups.
Business meetings are taking place at scale. Over 1,100 startups spanning mobility, aerospace, and SaaS will conduct more than 4,000 investment consultations with Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, Salesforce, Airbus, and Altos Ventures.
The exhibition features 540 domestic and international startups showcasing innovations across AI, biotech, content, defense and aerospace, energy, and fintech-ICT. Google Cloud, NVIDIA, and Renault are also running standalone booths.
In his opening address, the KITA chairman stated that at a pivotal moment when AI is transforming lifestyles and industrial paradigms, the role of startups with innovative technologies has never been more critical.
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