Busan Creative Economy Innovation Center (CEO Yongwoo Kim, hereinafter referred to as Busan Creative Economy) announced that it successfully operated the global open innovation program 'Plug in: Tokyo' held in Tokyo, Japan from May 7 to 10, together with 7 Creative Economy Innovation Centers nationwide and 10 promising startups, and concluded its first steps as a base for supporting entry into Japan with a focus on results.
This program is the first joint program hosted by the Busan Changgyeong Center after it was designated as a specialized hub center for entering Japan as part of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' 'Global Strategy Hub Project.'
The program consisted of ▲Open Innovation Forum ▲Joint operation of the 'Climbers Startup JAPAN EXPO 2025', Japan's largest B2B (business-to-business meeting) exhibition, ▲Pitching (presentation) for local investors, etc., providing opportunities for participating startups to realize their potential to enter the Japanese market.
First, the Open Innovation Forum held on the 7th featured ‘Gangnam Unnie’, which operates the beauty medical information platform.
Lim Hyeon-geun, co-CEO of the Japanese branch of 'Healing Paper', shared his strategy and know-how for advancing into Japan as a speaker. 'Gangnam Unnie' is a representative example of successful advancement in Japan, securing over 1,300 hospitals and over 1 million Japanese users in just 5 years of advancement into Japan.
The panel discussion that followed involved three local experts who have experience in collaboration, investment attraction, and M&A with Japanese companies in various fields such as AI, manufacturing, and fintech, and had an in-depth discussion. They shared practical strategies and experiences focusing on the process of cooperation after entering Japan, investment strategies, and M&A cases, and formed a deep consensus.
From the 8th to the 9th, the 'Climbers Startup JAPAN EXPO 2025' operated a joint pavilion for Changgyeong Center startups. Busan Changgyeong, through direct cooperation with the Japanese exhibition organizer Sansan, organized various programs such as ▲joint pavilion booth operation ▲B2B meetup linkage ▲public pitching for investors ▲Korea-Japan business exchange meeting, etc., maximizing the promotional effect of Korean startups.
The joint booth of the Changgyeong Center, which was operated for two days, attracted more than 2,000 local visitors, where active consultations took place, and more than 100 1:1 business meetups with local large corporations, investment companies, and government agencies were held. As a result, the 10 participating startups achieved tangible results, including ▲1 contract signed ▲27 proposals for technology verification (PoC) and joint development ▲10 investment reviews ▲23 proposals for business agreements (MOU), and more than 40 follow-up meetings for future discussions are scheduled, so additional cooperation is expected.
In addition, at the public investment presentation event where a total of 44 startups participated, a startup that participated in 'Plug-in Tokyo' was selected as the only Korean award winner, proving the high local interest and potential for cooperation.
Busan Changgyeong Jehana Global Open Innovation Team Leader said, “This ‘Plug-in Tokyo’ was an important first step for Korean startups to create real results in Japan,” and “Amid the hot local interest, the satisfaction of participating companies was very high, and the possibility of advancing into Japan was clearly confirmed.” He added, “In the future, through global cooperation with Changgyeong Centers nationwide, we will activate Japanese advancement and open innovation activities, and further strengthen the brand value of Korean startups and support organizations.”
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