“COMEUP 2025: Uniting Global Innovators to Recode the Future with AI”

COMEUP 2025 kicked off on Wednesday with a splash of performance, tech flair and a clear message about where the future is heading. The opening moment came from Luke Jinu Kim, the CEO of LINER — an AI search engine firm that’s been tagged as a Preliminary Unicorn this year. He stepped on stage with an AI‑powered performance and a line that stuck with me: “If AI predicts the future, startups recode the future.” Spot on, really. It reminded me of a workshop we once held at Arageek, where young founders were trying to build tools that felt almost too futuristic at the time… and believe it or not, half of them are now tackling problems I didn’t even know existed back then.

This year’s edition is busy — properly busy. Startups from 46 countries made the trip, and 275 teams, both local and international, are showing off their products and services. Seven nations, including Saudi Arabia and India, have gone the extra mile by setting up full national pavilions to boost their ecosystems. It’s the sort of scene that can feel like a bit of a faff to navigate, but there’s something energising about hearing five different pitches just while walking between halls.

The speaker line‑up is equally weighty. Tareq Amin, the CEO of HUMAIN — the Saudi state-owned AI company — took the stage to talk about how artificial intelligence will shape what comes next, drawing from years of experience in digital transformation. Sunghyun Park, who leads Rebellions Inc., returned for a second year as a keynote speaker, sharing more of his journey as an entrepreneur trying to redefine what innovation looks like. I reckon hearing from people who have actually lived through the grind always carries a different kind of credibility.

Across the three‑day programme, the agenda jumps from climate tech to Gen Z consumer behaviour to the future of Android and Google Play in an age obsessed with AI. There’s even a session where entrepreneurs’ children talk candidly about what it’s like growing up around founders — which, if nothing else, should be entertaining.

On the flip side, COMEUP isn’t just about talks and photo ops. It’s gearing itself as a proper matchmaking hub. Global VCs, CVCs and accelerators have been invited, and 35 multinational and domestic corporations are on the ground to explore collaborations. More than 2,000 business matching meetings are planned, and for once, startups don’t even need to book ahead — investor booths and corporate corners are open for drop‑ins. As someone who’s watched founders try to squeeze a year’s worth of networking into a two‑day event, this feels… refreshing, definately.

Alongside the main programme are several side events. These include a government‑backed awards ceremony honouring people who’ve helped build the venture ecosystem, the launch of the OpenData X AI Challenge for startups needing real-world testing space, the final round of the “Challenge! K‑Startup 2025” competition, and the demo day for the “2025 K‑Startup Grand Challenge,” where the top foreign startup teams are selected. It’s a lot to take in, but that’s part of the charm.

Korea’s Minister Seong-suk Han summed up the mood by expressing support for startups that are, as she put it, rewriting the future with their ideas and technology. She also highlighted how important it is for all players in the ecosystem to connect and share insights, hoping COMEUP becomes a space where cooperation can take root.

The event is open to anyone curious about the startup world, and more details are available on the COMEUP website for those thinking of dropping by.

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