Next Challenge Successfully Concludes APAC Expansion Strategy Seminar — "Opportunities and Strategies for Entering ASEAN in the Age of AI Transformation"
- 넥스트챌린지 재단법인
- Jun 7
- 2 min read
Next Challenge Successfully Concludes APAC Expansion Strategy Seminar — “Opportunities and Strategies for Entering ASEAN in the Age of AI Transformation”
Next Challenge (CEO Kim Young-rok), a leading global accelerator, announced that it successfully hosted the APAC Regional Global Expansion Strategy Seminar on May 17 at the Seoul Startup Branch Pitching Center, in collaboration with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development (KISED), and its global corporate partners.
The seminar was held as part of the Global Corporate Collaboration Program (Around X) led by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups,with the aim of helping Korean startups actively navigate the rapidly evolving global trade landscape, particularly in the ASEAN region.
The event brought together four program operators, 14 global partner companies, and government officials, featuring presentations and discussions on key topics including:
Trends in the ASEAN startup ecosystem
Global open innovation strategies
Mitigating risks related to U.S. high tariffs
Next Challenge CEO Kim Young-rok delivered an in-depth keynote titled “Opportunities and Strategies for Entering ASEAN in the Age of AI Transformation.”His presentation analyzed the dynamic and fast-growing ASEAN startup ecosystem, explored structural changes in ASEAN markets, and highlighted new opportunities available to startups.
He also provided sharp insights on ASEAN’s global positioning in the current era of AI-driven transformation, offering Korean startups practical strategies for global market entry.
In addition, two startups — Weclip (participant in the 2024 Google Changgu Program) and ALI (participant in the Intel Ingineous Program) — shared real-world case studies and success stories of their global expansion efforts, providing actionable insights for attendees.
In the “Global Open Innovation Case Sharing” session, Hyung-seok Jin, Deputy General Manager at the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), introduced innovative collaboration models between large corporations and startups, showcasing how startups can become equal innovation partners rather than simple subcontractors.He highlighted the strategic use of AI, data, and trade infrastructure to build such partnerships.
Next Challenge also presented a session on “The Impact of Reciprocal Tariffs on Startups,” providing concrete data on how tariff policies affect startup exports and global business strategies.Following this, Jin Soo-woong, Director at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, joined a roundtable discussion with participants on how changes in global market conditions impact startup internationalization, contributing to an open dialogue on policy directions and strategic responses.
Next Challenge emphasized that this seminar marked the beginning of a regionally connected strategy platform where government, global corporations, and program operators collaborate in a more integrated manner — moving beyond simple information-sharing.Participants widely agreed that, in today’s complex environment — marked by U.S.-China tariff tensions, digital regulations, and supply chain reorganization — startups must focus not only on which markets to enter, but also on which ecosystems to connect with.
Looking ahead, KISED plans to continue hosting regional seminars, expanding beyond APAC to the Americas, Europe, and more.In partnership with operators like Next Challenge, the initiative will provide startups with tailored strategies to support their global expansion.
