Pohang City Accelerates Leap to Sustainable 'ESG Global Innovation City'... Startup Hub Vision Declaration Ceremony

Creating an Ecosystem to Provide a Platform for Unleashing Innovative Ideas

Pohang City, Declared as a Sustainable ESG Global Innovation City! Inauguration Ceremony Held.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] Pohang City took the first step toward creating a global ESG startup ecosystem by holding the ‘ESG Startup Hub Vision Proclamation Ceremony’ on the 26th at Handong Global University, one of the partner institutions.

This proclamation ceremony marked the starting point of a leading project aimed at independently overcoming the crisis of regional extinction through cooperation with local universities. It announced the ambition to make Pohang, centered on Handong Global University, an ESG startup hub and, further, a global ESG innovation city.

The event was attended by about 200 people, including Mayor Kang-deok Lee, key guests, investors, and representatives of promising startups. The first part featured a vision presentation including Handong Global University President Do-sung Choi’s plan to establish an ESG Startup Center. The second part was a forum for presentations and discussions among global investors, asset managers, and startups, sharing ideas on the ESG startup vision.

The ESG Startup Center is scheduled to be completed within Handong Global University by December 2023. ESG startups based in Pohang will move in and receive support to stably carry out their businesses through programs such as ESG and entrepreneurship education, mentoring, and expert consulting.

As a core facility of the ESG Pohang Startup Cluster, the ESG Startup Center is expected to serve as a stepping stone for those aspiring to ESG startups, starting with the first establishment and continuing expansion thereafter.

Through the networking event held in the second part of the proclamation ceremony, Pohang plans to showcase its potential as the birthplace of ESG startups to leading investors nationwide and attract their interest and investment.

Handong Global University possesses optimal conditions to grow into a global ESG startup ecosystem, including excellent entrepreneurial talent produced through research infrastructure and technological cooperation with POSTECH, a global network, numerous alumni companies specialized in the ESG field, and possession of Handong International School. Together with Pohang City, UNAI KOREA, and SparkLabs, it continues efforts to establish the ESG Pohang Startup Cluster.

UNAI KOREA (United Nations Academic Impact Korea) and Handong Global University’s Grace School are working to cultivate the ESG mindset of aspiring startup founders through ESG education based on global citizenship awareness. They are conducting education for successful entrepreneurship and are planning ESG entrepreneurship education. Additionally, they plan to form expert advisory groups and startup mentor groups to achieve effective global expansion and investment attraction for startups.

Mayor Kang-deok Lee of Pohang said, “With Handong Global University as the base, which has the optimal conditions to grow into an ESG startup hub, we expect private investment to concentrate in Pohang by discovering sustainable business models that realize ESG values.” He added, “We will create an ESG global innovation city that is good for startups and provide generous investment and support so that young people can develop innovative ideas.”

Yoo Jung-geun, Director of UNAI KOREA, said, “Through diverse and impactful programs including holistic global citizenship education, we will nurture talents with mature character and social responsibility. Together with Pohang City, Handong Global University, SparkLabs, and ESG partnerships in various professional fields, we will strive for the development and realization of the ESG startup ecosystem.”

Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary-General, stated, “To raise awareness of sustainable practice and growth, the Ban Ki-moon Global Education Institute, Handong Global University, and Pohang City will cooperate to lay the foundation for building an ESG startup hub based on holistic global citizenship spirit, and we will do our best.”

Do-sung Choi, President of Handong Global University, said, “Handong Global University goes beyond simple profit generation to realize social responsibility and create value through discovering and nurturing sustainable ESG startups. Through the advantages of Handong’s global network and curriculum, and close cooperation with Pohang City, we will strive to establish an ESG startup hub that saves people, the environment, and the world.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.