– KSC Paris, a bridgehead for entering Europe… Ranked 1st in KSC base evaluation for 2 consecutive years
– The world’s first and only French Station F partner as a quasi-governmental organization
– Support for 21 companies, attracting 25 billion won in investment, and achieving export performance of 60 million dollars
– Accelerating tailored support for global growth of Korean startups in Europe
As global exchanges between startups around the world become more active, the European market is emerging as a new key market. In particular, France has proven the competitiveness of its rapidly growing startup ecosystem by ranking first in Europe in attracting foreign startup investment in 2022 and 2023. This achievement is the result of President Macron’s pro-business policies, active support for innovation platforms such as La French Tech , and global events such as VivaTech , as well as the successful role of Station F , the world’s largest startup campus, as a global hub.
In this way, as France emerges as the center of the startup ecosystem in Europe , K-STARTUP CENTER Paris (hereinafter referred to as “KSC Paris”) is playing an important role as a strategic bridgehead for Korean startups to advance into Europe. KSC Paris , part of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME, hereinafter referred to as “KOSME”), has established itself as a key overseas base that supports the successful settlement and expansion of Korean startups in the French and European markets.
Accordingly, our magazine met with Director Seo Dong-jin at the KSC Paris office to hear in-depth about KSC Paris's main activities, support policies, and strategies for Korean startups to enter the French market.
KSC Paris, ranked first in base evaluation for 2 consecutive years ∙∙∙ Pioneer role in Korean startups' entry into the European market
KSC is building a cooperative system with bases around the world. Currently, major bases are operating in five cities: Paris, Seattle, Singapore, Hanoi, and Tokyo, and are helping K-startups advance into the global market through customized support programs suited to each market.
Among them, KSC Paris has achieved remarkable results by taking first place in the evaluation of all Korea Startup Center bases for two consecutive years since its official opening in June 2022, just two years after its establishment.
The number of companies that started with 7 companies has tripled to 21, and achieved investment attraction of 25 billion won and export performance of 60 million dollars in 2024. In particular, Crowdworks, a company that started with 7 companies, successfully registered on KOSDAQ in 2023, proving that KSC Paris’ support can bring tangible results in global expansion.
“The most important thing in startup support is tangible results,” emphasizes Director Seo. “The customized support and local networking provided by KSC Paris have supported the success of the companies that have moved in.”
KSC Paris offers tailored support programs and global networking opportunities
Director Seo Dong-jin emphasizes France as “the best place to establish a strategic reference for expanding the global market.” He focuses on the high marketing effectiveness offered by France, a cultural industry powerhouse.
“ If you succeed in France, the door to the European market and the entire world opens.”
Accordingly, KSC Paris is actively utilizing the characteristics of the French startup ecosystem. It has supported participation in major exhibitions in France such as WSN and VivaTech , and has welcomed 13,700 visitors over the past two years, thereby increasing the global brand awareness of K-startups.
In 2023, the 'K-Startup in Paris' seminar was held at 'VIVATECH', France's representative tech fair, providing participants with information on startup support programs, French legal information, presentations on successful cases of resident companies, and panel discussions on local investment attraction strategies.
In June of the same year, the “Dialogue with the Future Generation of Korean-French Innovators” forum was held, attended by President Yoon Seok-yeol and 500 multinational startup representatives, sharing messages of solidarity and innovation between the two countries’ startup ecosystems. In addition , the “A-Stream in Europe” event was held in November, providing networking opportunities with European investors through a workshop on strategies for entering France, 1:1 mentoring with experts, and IR pitching events with local VCs, with 117 participants.
'K-Startup Night in Paris' held in 2024 was co-hosted by KSC Paris, KOTRA, Industrial Bank of Korea, Incheon TP, and Korea Sports Promotion Foundation during VIVATECH week, and 230 participants had the opportunity to practically apply European market entry strategies through policy business presentations, panel discussions, and demo days. In November of the same year, 'Global Program x KSC Paris Demo Day' was held, with the participation of 34 domestic and foreign startups, laying the foundation for stable growth in the global market.
KSC Paris, Creating Synergies through Global Partnerships
KSC Paris is helping Korean startups, centered in France, to advance into the global market. To this end, it is collaborating with the French government’s La French Tech policy , the world’s largest startup campus Station F , and the global marketing company Publicis Groupe to provide various growth opportunities.
- Strategic Partnership with Station F
Station F is the world's largest startup hub with startups from over 64 countries, attracting startups from various countries through accelerating and incubating programs run by global corporations and universities. It is evaluated as an innovative startup space that is visited and benchmarked by people from all over the world.
KSC Paris is the world’s first and only foreign government agency partner to be housed at Station F , working closely with the French startup ecosystem.
Director Seo Dong-jin emphasized that the Korean version of Station F, which will be built near Hongdae and Busan in 2026, should benchmark the success of Station F in France. He said, “Station F succeeded by creating an environment that global startups want to participate in,” and added, “Korea should also refer to this model and become a country that global startups pay attention to.” He cited partnerships with global corporations and universities as a success factor for a global startup hub. “If large corporations and universities operate accelerating and incubating programs, startups from various countries will actively participate,” he explained. He also predicted that once a global startup hub is established, it will not only attract overseas startups but also contribute to domestic job creation. He emphasized, “Korea should not be just a market, but a country that startups from all over the world want to come to,” and “France is already such a country.”
- Signing of MOU with Publicis Group
On November 22, 2024, a business agreement (MOU) was signed between KSC Paris and Publicis Groupe, attended by KOSME (SME) Chairman Seok-jin Kang and Publicis Groupe Chairman Maurice Levy. Publicis Groupe, one of the world's top three advertising and marketing companies, has leading capabilities in global brand strategy and digital marketing, and has abundant marketing know-how, especially in the European market.
“This collaboration will serve as an important foundation for Korean startups to secure competitiveness in the global market,” said CEO Seo Dong-jin. “We plan to leverage Publicis Groupe’s expertise to increase brand awareness for Korean startups and expand networking opportunities with local investors and partners.”
K-Startups’ entry into the European market realized through sustainable, customized support
KSC Paris conducts evaluations for startups with less than 7 years of business history (less than 10 years for new industries) that have a track record of attracting investment and exporting. Selected companies can receive essential support for entering the European market, such as incorporation, networking with local investors, establishing export strategies, and recruiting talent.
In addition, in conjunction with the French government's La French Tech policy, we support the simplification of visa and administrative support to provide an environment where Korean startups can settle down stably in the French market. In particular, we help overcome legal and administrative barriers that may arise during initial market entry through expert consulting on the laws and regulations of the French local market.
“Customized support and localization strategies are essential for startups to enter the international market,” said CEO Seo Dong-jin. “KSC Paris has effectively resolved the administrative difficulties that startups face in the early stages through systematic support programs.”
- Customized Support Program
KSC Paris ’s support program consists of three stages: initial settlement , commercialization , and performance creation , depending on the growth stage of the startup. First, in the initial settlement stage , we support startups to enter the French market stably by providing space for moving in, conducting market research, establishing a corporation and opening an account, and providing expert consultations and legal, tax, and accounting advice. Next, in the commercialization stage , we help expand the market and grow the business by finding buyers and commercialization partners, providing technology and management consulting, supporting the production of IR presentation materials, providing patent and trademark advice, and supporting the hiring of local personnel. Finally, in the performance creation stage , we support actual investment attraction and sales expansion through VC matching, 1:1 investor meetings, hosting demo days, and supporting participation in exhibitions.
KSC Paris provides customized support specialized in cultural content , e-commerce , digital tech , and green tech to help Korean startups become competitive in the French market. In addition to expert matching, strategic coaching, and exhibition participation support for each field, it also helps sustainable growth through policy support in preparation for the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
- KSC Maximizes Synergy by Building a Collaborative System between Global Bases
Director Seo Dong-jin explained, “Through the KSC Prime system, we are supporting companies that have achieved success in one location to expand into other locations. This system provides flexible and systematic opportunities for startups to expand into the global market.”
He continued, “Each market on the five continents around the world has its own meaning and value. Which market to attack first is simply a matter of strategic priority, and I believe that in the long term, we should enter all markets. Ultimately, all markets are interconnected, and KSC’s global bases will continue to create synergy through their cooperative structure.”
Based on this global cooperation system, KSC Paris supports the sustainable global expansion strategies of Korean startups and strengthens its role as a key partner for successful entry into the European and global markets.
- Mentoring system for creating a sustainable ecosystem
KSC Paris plans to operate a circular mentoring system between graduate companies and junior startups to build a sustainable startup ecosystem. Graduate companies will become mentor companies and help junior startups grow.
Director Seo Dong-jin emphasized, “We plan to support graduate companies to become mentors for junior startups, so that they can share the difficulties and hardships they have experienced and guide them on the path to faster growth.” He added, “Through this, KSC Paris will not only be a systematic support organization, but will also build another ecosystem circulation system with strong relationships and a collaborative system.”
KSC Paris, a strong partner for Korean startups’ global leap
CEO Seo Dong-jin expressed his will by saying, “Korean startups should target the global market of 8 billion people, not the domestic market of 50 million people,” and “KSC Paris will be a strong partner from incorporation to local networking.”
“Global expansion is not an option for Korean startups, but a necessity,” said CEO Seo Dong-jin, emphasizing the importance of the European market in particular. “France is a country with a remarkable growth in startups in Europe, and the favorable impression of Korean companies is also high due to the influence of K-culture,” he said. “Using France as a springboard to expand throughout Europe can be an effective strategy for expanding the global market,” he added.
“ Success belongs to those who are prepared, but KSC Paris exists to help you prepare. ”
Director Seo Dong-jin emphasized, “ KSC Paris will continue to play a role in supporting the global leap of startups as a strategic base connecting France and Korea.” He also encouraged Korean startups to actively enter overseas markets, saying, “ KSC Paris will lead more companies to success as a strong partner for overseas expansion.”
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