130 Korean SMEs Win CES Innovation Awards

Opening of the CES 2025 'K-Startup Integrated Pavilion'

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in South Korea won 130 Innovation Awards at CES 2025, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition. This accounts for more than 60% of the Innovation Awards received by Korean companies.

On the 7th (local time), the Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced this while opening the 'K-Startup Pavilion' at CES 2025 held in Las Vegas, USA. The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which hosts CES, has announced a total of 461 CES Innovation Awards across 34 categories so far, with 210 awards going to Korean companies. SMEs won a total of 130 Innovation Awards, accounting for about 61.9%, of which 125 were awarded to venture and startup companies. Since additional Innovation Awards will be announced until the end of CES, the number of award-winning companies may increase.

Kim Seong-seop, Vice Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, is delivering the opening speech at the opening ceremony of the 'K-Startup Pavilion' held at the 'International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025' in Las Vegas, USA, on the 7th (local time). Photo by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups

Among the companies participating in the K-Startup Pavilion operated by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups at Eureka Park for four days until the 10th, a total of 12 companies won 13 Innovation Awards. Kim Song-hyun, CEO of Sierra Base, which won the highest Innovation Award in the smart city category, said, “Winning the CES 2025 highest Innovation Award is a recognition of our technological capabilities and potential for expansion in the global market,” adding, “We will expand our technology worldwide, including North America and Europe, to realize sustainable infrastructure safety.”

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups supports excellent startups' exhibition participation and local business matching through the K-Startup Pavilion. Collaborating with 30 domestic startup support organizations including public institutions, local governments, universities, and large corporations, this pavilion is the largest ever, showcasing innovative technologies and products from 127 startups. Compared to CES 2024, where 26 organizations and 91 startups participated, both the number of participating organizations and companies in the pavilion have significantly increased.

During the CES 2025 exhibition period, the K-Startup Pavilion offers opportunities to experience innovative technologies and products from domestic startups, as well as various stage programs such as K-Startup IR pitching, local venture capital (VC) seminars, and the Global Startup Summit.

Kim Sung-seop, Vice Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, said, “With venture and startup companies winning 125 CES Innovation Awards that attract global attention, Korea’s startup ecosystem is at a world-class level,” and added, “The Ministry will continue to actively support innovative ‘K-Startups’ to use CES as a springboard to enter the global stage.”

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