Samsung Electronics to Establish Venture Hub in Gwangju... Opening in Gyeongbuk in April

Opening Ceremony of 'C-Lab Outside Gwangju Campus'
Creating a 'Venture Hub' in Gwangju, the AI Innovation Base

On the 20th, Samsung Electronics held an opening ceremony for the 'C-Lab Outside Gwangju Campus' at the Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Sangmu Building in Seo-gu, Gwangju. The 'C-Lab Outside Gwangju Campus' is a newly established space in the Sangmu district of Gwangju where Samsung Electronics selects and intensively nurtures innovative local startups.

'C-Lab Outside Gwangju' focuses on supporting and fostering startups in the Gwangju area by transferring the features and know-how (selection, nurturing, business collaboration, investment attraction) of the 'C-Lab Outside' program that Samsung Electronics has been operating since 2018. A separate contest is held annually in Gwangju, open to any startup located in Gwangju. Samsung Electronics employees are connected 1:1 with each company to provide close, customized support.

The workspace of 'C-Lab Outside Gwangju Campus,' opened by Samsung Electronics on the 20th at Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Sangmu Building in Seo-gu, Gwangju.

In November last year, Samsung Electronics held a contest for startups located in Gwangju and, after expert evaluation, selected five innovative local startups in fields such as AI, healthcare, and materials and components (Clika, GhostPass, Intflow, GamseongTaek, Poel). In particular, AI startups were prioritized in line with the region’s characteristic as an 'AI innovation hub.'

Startups selected for 'C-Lab Outside Gwangju' will receive the same support as startups in Seoul’s 'C-Lab Outside' for one year, including ▲up to 100 million KRW in business support funds ▲customized consulting according to growth stages ▲opportunities for collaboration with Samsung Electronics and its affiliates ▲participation in domestic and international IT exhibitions such as CES ▲and development of domestic and overseas sales channels.

The opening ceremony was attended by Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-jung, Democratic Party lawmaker Song Gap-seok, independent lawmaker Yang Hyang-ja, and Samsung Global Research President Kim Wan-pyo. Independent lawmaker Yang Hyang-ja stated, "Support from global companies like Samsung Electronics for local startups is essential for revitalizing the regional startup infrastructure," and added, "I hope 'C-Lab Outside Gwangju' becomes a representative startup nurturing program for the region."

Samsung Electronics plans to establish an organic cooperation system between the accumulated know-how of 'C-Lab Outside Seoul' and 'C-Lab Outside Gwangju' and operate various exchange programs. It is expected that local companies with high potential and growth prospects will settle and grow quickly without relocating to the metropolitan area, thereby acting as a catalyst for regional economic development.

In April, Samsung Electronics plans to launch 'C-Lab Outside Gyeongbuk' to further expand support for the regional startup ecosystem.

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