'CES 2025' Incheon Startup Innovation Awards: 13 Winners... 12,000 Visitors to Incheon Promotion Booth

by Park Haesook

Published 14 Jan.2025 17:12(KST)

The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority announced on the 14th that it operated the 'Incheon-IFEZ (Incheon Free Economic Zone) Pavilion' at 'CES 2025,' the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition held in Las Vegas, USA, showcasing the vision of a future city and Incheon's innovative companies on the global stage.

The pavilion, themed "Urban Renaissance: Building Future Cities with Today's Technology," featured four thematic zones: Health & Safety, Urban Intelligence, Eco Harmony, and X-Tech, introducing the future of sustainable cities realized through the technologies of Incheon's innovative companies. During the exhibition period (from the 7th to the 10th, local time), over 12,000 visitors showed great interest.

Additionally, the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority supported the participation of 41 startups at CES 2025, among which 12 startups received 13 innovation awards across eight categories including artificial intelligence (AI) and smart cities. These startups held 869 export consultations with overseas buyers and investors during the event, recording a total consultation amount of 400 million USD.

In particular, Sheko, a company specializing in marine oil spill recovery solutions (robots), attracted attention by being selected as one of the "12 Startups You Must Meet at CES 2025" by the US tech startup media outlet The Vertical.

At the Incheon-IFEZ promotional booth set up at 'CES 2025,' visitors are experiencing the vision of Incheon's future city and the technological capabilities of innovative companies. Provided by Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority

Six Incheon startups signed 9 business agreements, creating opportunities for global market expansion and domestic investment attraction.

FutureSense, which provides blockchain services for food traceability management, signed business agreements with four companies and institutions, including a US food distribution company. Additionally, startups such as EMCT, IESG, and Dream Guide Company signed business agreements for technology and product development.

Versys, a metaverse company that created the girl group aespa as a character, has received innovation awards for four consecutive years from 2022 to this year and agreed to collaborate with Universal Music Group, one of the world's top three record label groups, to produce a metaverse world.

NineWatt, a building energy diagnosis solution company, agreed with the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority to connect with demonstration partners in the US, and Ilias AI, a drug possession detection robot dog company, held detailed discussions on demonstrations at Los Angeles International Airport and Incheon International Airport.

The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority plans to actively support Incheon startups' overseas market entry, investment attraction activities, joint project development, and product demonstrations by leveraging the business agreement signed with the global business support organization 'Global Chamber' at CES 2025.

Yoon Won-seok, head of the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, said, "Through participation in CES, we showcased the IFEZ smart city vision on the global stage and took a step closer to the goal of 'Global Top Ten City Incheon.' We will continue to support Incheon startups so they can lead the global market."