Seoul’s Gwanak District (Mayor Park Jun-hee) successfully concluded the “2025 Gwanak S-Valley Startup Festival” on the 19th at the Gwanak District Office, attracting strong interest and participation from entrepreneurs, investors, and local residents.
The festival was designed as a platform for sharing ideas and technologies among startups, investors, and young innovators.
During the opening ceremony, Mayor Park Jun-hee emphasized the significance of the event, stating:
“Gwanak is no longer simply a residential district. It is a city where challenge and innovation have become part of everyday life, with Gwanak S-Valley at the center.”
The event was held simultaneously across four venues within the Gwanak District Office.
At the 8th-floor auditorium, former CJ brand strategy advisor Heeyoung Noh delivered a special lecture on branding. A Startup Talk Show also took place, where startup founders shared real-world experiences from the field, leading to active engagement and questions from aspiring entrepreneurs.
At the Job Café on the basement level, a Startup Idea Pitch Competition showcased creative and innovative ideas from young participants.
Meanwhile, the 7th-floor hall of the annex building hosted the Seoul National University Robot & AI Competition for elementary students, surprising many attendees with the impressive level of technological creativity demonstrated by young participants.
In the first-floor lobby of the main building, startup promotional booths and a robotics experience zone were set up. Visitors enjoyed interactive experiences such as operating robots and even tasting ice cream served by robots.
The Gwanak S-Valley Startup Festival, first launched in 2019 as part of the district’s startup ecosystem development initiative, has grown into Gwanak’s flagship entrepreneurship event. According to the district office, the festival has attracted 153 startups and more than 7,400 participants, including entrepreneurs and local residents, since its inception.
