Writing the Prologue to Startup 'Myth'... FLY ASIA 2025 Kicks Off with Largest Event Ever

Fourth Edition at Busan BEXCO: A Festival for Entrepreneurs, Students, and Citizens Alike
20,000 Participants from 14 Countries, 21 LP Firms, and 20 Major and Mid-sized Companies to Join

Are you familiar with 'FLY ASIA,' the global startup festival?

The city of Busan will host the Asian startup expo, 'FLY ASIA 2025,' at Exhibition Hall 1 of BEXCO for two days from September 22 to 23. The event is organized by the Busan Technology Startup Investment Institute, led by Director Seo Jonggun.

Now in its fourth year, this event has grown significantly in scale. The number of participants has increased from 15,000 last year to 20,000 this year, and the number of investment firms has expanded from around 150 to about 180. This global festival surrounding startups is open not only to aspiring entrepreneurs but also to university students and citizens. The number of countries participating in the global joint exhibition space has more than doubled, from six to fourteen, making it the largest event to date.

The theme is "Innovate Local, Scale Global." Alongside the opening ceremony, there will be an LP (Limited Partner) Forum, the mother fund investment show 'Boogie Tech,' technology experiences, food crowdfunding, and conferences.

The opening ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. on September 22. Key figures such as Mayor Park Hyungjoon, City Council Chairperson Ahn Sungmin, and Seo Wonjoo, Chief Investment Officer of the National Pension Service, will attend. The ceremony will feature a theme video, welcome address, congratulatory remarks, and a keynote speech. Mayor Park will discuss Busan's startup environment, urban competitiveness, and its aspirations as a global hub city under the theme "Busan: From a Prepared City to a City of Opportunity."

Korea's only LP Forum will also take place this year. CEOs and Chief Investment Officers from 21 global-level LPs, including the National Pension Service, Korea Investment Corporation, and the Korea Fund of Funds, will participate. Twenty companies, such as Naver Cloud, Samsung Heavy Industries, Lotte Construction, SK Securities, and S-Oil, will join as open innovation partners, strengthening connections among startups, large corporations, and investors.

The region's first mother fund investment show will also be introduced. Under the name 'Boogie Tech,' there will be IR pitching and networking sessions for sub-fund managers linked to a 300 billion won future growth venture fund, supporting regional companies in attracting investment.

Experiential content aimed at bringing startups closer to the public will be expanded. There will be a technology experience zone targeting Generation Z, 'food crowdfunding' in collaboration with Chef Kang Leo and local companies, and events for family visitors. In particular, the project involving Chef Kang Leo and five local brands will offer menu development, consulting, and marketing, providing both on-site funding and hands-on experiences. There will also be an event giving away Lotte Giants fan merchandise.

The conference will cover a wide range of topics, including artificial intelligence, entertainment technology moonshots, blockchain, deep tech, next-generation robots, and angel investment, offering insights to participants.

Starting this year, the city has shifted to a system in which a private expert-led steering committee, including field experts and key players in the investment and startup ecosystem, participates directly from the program planning stage.

Pre-registration for FLY ASIA 2025 is open until September 18, and on-site registration will also be available.

Mayor Park Hyungjoon emphasized, "With the launch of the Busan Technology Startup Investment Institute, FLY ASIA 2025 will become a festival where citizens and the startup ecosystem come together. We will do our utmost to elevate Busan as a global startup hub through close connections with Asian startup cities."

Busan City Hall

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