SBA Captures Global Startup Market’s Attention with ‘Global Innovation Forum’ at CES

- The Global Innovation Forum at CES 2026, hosted by SBA, brought together startup support agencies from 7 countries to foster international collaboration and showcase innovative startups through an IR Pitching Competition.
- The event featured expanded networking opportunities and a panel talk, allowing startups to connect with global VCs, media, and government agencies, and share insights on the global startup ecosystem.
- Winners from South Korea, Taiwan, and Canada were recognized, with participants expressing ambitions to leverage the forum for global market entry and investment.


The Seoul Business Agency (SBA), the primary support organization for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Seoul, hosted the Global Innovation Forum on Wednesday, January 7, the second day of CES 2026. Led by CEO Hyun-woo Kim, the SBA is spearheading efforts to revitalize Seoul’s startup ecosystem and discover high-potential startups.

This event marked the largest global startup ecosystem networking gathering driven by CES National Pavilions—exhibition halls organized and operated by government agencies of participating countries. As the first-ever country-based startup competition and networking program at CES, this year’s Global Innovation Forum drew significant attention for its robust organization, realized through cooperation with seven leading nations in the global startup ecosystem: South Korea, Taiwan, Switzerland, Israel, Japan, Canada, and France.

The Global Innovation Forum originated from the goal of creating a venue where national startup ecosystems could naturally connect, leveraging CES, the world's largest technology exhibition. The initiative began in 2025 under the name "Seoul Innovation Forum," held through the cooperation of five national pavilions (Seoul/Korea, Taiwan, Switzerland, Japan, and the Netherlands). It was the inaugural event based on the solidarity of nations participating in Eureka Park, the startup-dedicated zone at CES.

Winning startups pose for a commemorative photo at the Global Innovation Forum IR Pitching Competition / source=SBA

The success of the forum lies in its ability to present a vision of a "cooperation platform" between nations. Moving beyond individual booth exhibitions, global national pavilions gathered in one place to discuss collaboration, while representative innovative startups from each country participated in an IR (Investor Relations) Pitching Competition.

To provide CES-participating startups with more stable and expanded global collaboration opportunities starting in 2026, the program was reinforced, and the event was rebranded as the "Global Innovation Forum."

A Coalition of Global Support Agencies
The 2026 Global Innovation Forum was constructed through the collective efforts of startup support agencies from seven countries. The participating organizations included:
• South Korea: Seoul Business Agency (SBA) - Host
• Taiwan: Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA)
• Switzerland: Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE)
• Israel: Israel Economic and Trade Office
• Japan: Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)
• Canada: Quebec Government Office
• France: Business France

The forum opened with an IR Pitching Competition featuring startups selected by each participating nation. Countries chose their top startups to pitch before judges and visitors at the forum site. The judging panel was expanded to include 20 global media representatives and 6 Venture Capital (VC) officials, thereby broadening investment opportunities and enhancing the credibility of the participating startups.

Participants responded positively, noting that presenting their technologies to VCs and global media provided not only investment prospects but also valuable publicity opportunities. The judges evaluated the advanced technologies and visions of the startups based on criteria such as investment attractiveness and global promotional potential.

The Winners of the 2026 Competition:
• Grand Award (1st Place): Firsthabit (South Korea, Seoul Pavilion) – Prize: $3,000
• Scale-up Award (2nd Place): Hua Tech International (Taiwan, TTA) – Prize: $2,000
• Impact Award (3rd Place): CubicSpace (Canada, Quebec Government Office) – Prize: $1,000

"I feel like I have received a great reward for our efforts so far," said a representative from Firsthabit, the Grand Award winner. "With the award from the Global Innovation Forum at CES 2026 as a starting point, we intend to challenge the US market in earnest."

Other startup representatives shared similar sentiments, stating, "The Global Innovation Forum was a place where startups with diverse cultural and technological backgrounds gathered to share insights and solidify their resolve to pioneer global sales channels."

Following the competition, a panel talk featured representatives from participating nations introducing their domestic startup support programs and discussing themes relevant to the global startup ecosystem. It was a meaningful session where the corporate incubation know-how of agencies that have led the global ecosystem—by showcasing innovative startups on the CES stage every year—was shared in one place.

The networking session, significantly strengthened compared to previous years, also garnered attention. Beyond the judges, stakeholders from various sectors of the startup ecosystem—including global VCs, media, startups, and government support agencies visiting CES—attended, creating a vibrant exchange and boasting the status of the largest global networking event at CES.

Attendees pose for a commemorative photo at the Global Innovation Forum / source=SBA

Attendees freely interacted during the networking session, sharing major issues and insights within the tech industry. Startups visiting the site welcomed the opportunity to engage with key players in the ecosystem. Many expressed their ambitions to actively utilize the network secured that day to challenge for investment attraction and secure a bridgehead for global market entry. The event proved its value by contributing to enhancing the achievements of startups participating in CES.

Additionally, a separate "1-minute PR Speech" opportunity was provided to startups wishing to take the stage, receiving high praise for allowing them to effectively publicize their innovative technologies to stakeholders.

Hyun-woo Kim, CEO of SBA, stated his ambition: "I expect the Global Innovation Forum to establish itself at CES as a symbolic program representing cooperation between nations and the exchange of global startups." He added, "We will develop it so that it becomes the event most watched by all players in the global startup ecosystem visiting CES, from media and VCs to startups and national pavilion officials."

By Joo-kyung Cha (racingcar@itdonga.com)