HUMAIN Eyes Korean Expansion Amid AI Push at COMEUP 2025

Editorial Team

Last updated 11-12-2025

3 min

COMEUP 2025 in Seoul showcased startups, investors, and global companies under "Recode the Future.

" Korea's Minister discussed collaboration with HUMAIN, an AI giant backed by Saudi Arabia.

HUMAIN and Korean startups explored opening a local branch for AI and tech growth.

A new guidebook helps founders navigate entering the Saudi market, aiding regional expansion.

COMEUP highlights the growing international connectivity in the startup scene, especially in AI.

COMEUP 2025 opened its doors in Seoul this week, pulling in a lively mix of startups, investors, and global companies for three days of talks, exhibitions, and deal‑making. The festival, which has grown into Korea’s biggest annual gathering for the startup world since it first launched in 2019, is running at COEX from 10–12 December under the slogan “Recode the Future.” It’s a bold line — and, well… I mean, they’re certainly aiming high with it.

Walking into events like this always reminds me of those early Arageek community meetups across the MENA region, where founders would cram into tiny rooms just to trade ideas. COMEUP has the same energy, only on a much bigger stage. This year’s programme stretches across tech, global expansion, and entrepreneurship, with IR sessions, open‑innovation programmes, and the usual biz‑matching marathons where half the room seems to sprint from one meeting to another. A bit of a faff sometimes, but spot on for anyone trying to get noticed.

Before the official opening, Korea’s Minister of SMEs and Startups, Seong‑suk Han, met with Tareq Amin, the CEO of HUMAIN — the new AI giant backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. HUMAIN only launched in May 2025, yet it’s already drawing global attention with its push into next‑generation data centres, large language models, and cloud infrastructure. I reckon this is one of those companies that could end up shaping the AI race in the region, especially if their ambitions play out the way they keep hinting.

The meeting between Han and Amin came at Amin’s request, as he’s also in Seoul to deliver a keynote at COMEUP. HUMAIN has been actively courting Korean deep‑tech and AI semiconductor startups, even discussing the possibility of opening a local branch, HUMAIN Korea. Both sides exchanged views on strengthening collaboration and widening opportunities for Korean startups aiming to enter the Saudi market. And believe it or not, the ministry even thanked HUMAIN for taking part in this year’s Support Program for SME and Startup Entry into the Middle East — a joint initiative between the Korean and Saudi governments where HUMAIN served as one of the evaluation bodies.

On the flip side, for founders eyeing regional expansion, the ministry has just published a new Guidebook for Entering Saudi Arabia, covering everything from market conditions to case studies of companies that made the leap. It’s up on the K‑Startup and KOSMES websites for anyone curious or, like many entrepreneurs I know, slightly overwhelmed by where to even start. One tiny misstep — or should I say misteak — in strategy can cost months, so resources like this are handy.

All in all, COMEUP 2025 feels like another reminder of how fast the international startup scene is knitting itself together. And as always, for those of us following these stories from the MENA region, it’s hard not to feel a bit chuffed to bits seeing more cross‑border links forming, especially in sectors like AI where the stakes just keep climbing.

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