The College of Engineering at Seoul National University (SNU) recently announced the successful conclusion of the “SNU Haedong Startup 5th Demo Day.”
The event was held on October 25 at the Global Engineering Education Center (Building 38) at Seoul National University, where 18 promising startups nurtured through the SNU Haedong Junior Startup Program presented their innovative technologies and business ideas.
A total of KRW 147 million in startup support funding was awarded to the participating companies during the event.
The SNU Haedong Junior Startup Program, launched in 2019 through a partnership between SNU College of Engineering and the Haedong Science and Culture Foundation, supports professors, students, and alumni preparing for entrepreneurship by providing tailored incubation services and operational funding.
Now in its fifth year, the program has grown into a large-scale technology startup initiative, with 317 teams participating since its launch.
In the fifth cohort alone, around 100 startup teams applied, further strengthening the program’s reputation as a specialized technology-based startup support initiative.
Across cohorts 1 through 5, approximately 90 selected startups have collectively achieved over KRW 50 billion in estimated revenue and investment outcomes. When including all participating companies, the program is estimated to have generated around KRW 100 billion in economic value.
Kim Young-oh, Dean of the SNU College of Engineering, commented:
“Rather than focusing solely on creating unicorn companies, we prioritize nurturing talented entrepreneurs who will lead innovation. The outstanding founders emerging from this program will shape the future through new technologies and entrepreneurial spirit.”
Kim Young-jae, Chairman of the Haedong Science and Culture Foundation, added:
“This year’s cohort saw particularly strong participation from graduate students. This demonstrates that the program has firmly established itself as a cradle of future technological innovation. We hope the award-winning startups will use this support to overcome early-stage challenges and take the next step toward growth.”
Among the 18 startups recognized in the 5th cohort, VisCure (CEO Seokju Lee) was selected as one of the award-winning companies.
The SNU College of Engineering continues to pursue its vision of educating global leaders for industry and society, while advancing world-class research environments and data-driven engineering education innovation. Programs such as the SNU Haedong Junior Startup Program play a key role in fostering technology innovation and strengthening the startup ecosystem for young entrepreneurs.
