World OKTA to hold event at COEX Magok on the 31st... 24 out of 114 companies advance to finals for competition
'Mion Forest' and 'Wis Medical' win... "A stepping stone for a leap toward the global market"
Global venture capital (VC) firms participate... Investment amounts to be announced at the closing ceremony of the World Representatives Conference

 

 

Kim Sang-hyun, CEO of MiOn Forest, who won as an OKTA member company

 

 

Lee Sung Hoon, CEO of Wis Medical, a general startup award winner.

 

Canadian climate tech company MiOn Forest and sleep monitoring startup Wis Medical won the '2026 Global AI Startup Competition' held at COEX Magok on the 31st.

 

This event was held as a side event of the '27th World Representatives Conference and Export Consultation Meeting' hosted by the World Federation of Korean Economic and Trade Associations (World OKTA, President Park Jong-beom).

 

Kim Sang-hyun, CEO of Mion Forest, who won as a World OKTA member company, explained, “We are developing a solution to restore devastated areas such as wildfire-damaged sites or abandoned mines by combining AI drones and microbiotechnology,” adding, “It is a technology that can save trees in any environment.”

 

He stated, "This competition was a meaningful opportunity to directly interact with Silicon Valley investors and concretize the company's direction," adding that it "served as a stepping stone for a leap toward the global market."

 

Lee Sung Hoon, CEO of Wis Medical, a general startup award winner, stated, “As a startup spun off from Georgia Institute of Technology, we developed ‘Tedream,’ a patch-type sleep monitoring device based on softwareable technology that adheres closely to the skin.” He added, “Its key features include enabling hospital-centered polysomnography at home and supporting remote diagnosis through AI analysis.”

 

He added, “We have been recognized not only for our technological prowess but also for our problem-solving skills and team capabilities, and we expect sales to pick up significantly starting next year,” stating that “this award has served as an important stepping stone for entering the global market.”

 

Participants of the 2026 OKTA Global AI Startup Competition are taking a group photo.

 

The event was held with the attendance of approximately 150 startup representatives and distinguished guests. Beginning with the opening declaration by Sun Park, Chairman of the Global Startup Committee, congratulatory remarks followed from Gangseo-gu Mayor Jin Gyo-hoon, Seoul Economic Promotion Agency CEO Kim Hyun-woo, and Gyeonggi Creative Economy Innovation Center Representative Kim Won-kyung. They encouraged the participating companies, stating that “this competition serves as a starting point for sending startups into the global market.”

 

According to the organizers, a total of 114 companies applied, and 24 out of the 65 companies that completed the preliminary entrepreneurship training held in February advanced to the finals. The finals consisted of 6 OKTA member companies participating in Group 1 and 18 general startups participating in Group 2.

 

In the finals, participating companies showcased business models incorporating AI technology across various fields, including healthcare AI, mobility and robotics, data and platforms, and bio and deep tech. Notably, venture capital (VC) firms from Silicon Valley and major U.S. regions, along with domestic investment experts, participated as judges, enhancing the potential for investment connections.

 

In the finals, a presentation session consisting of 5-minute presentations and Q&A was held, and the judges selected one winning team from Group 1 and one from Group 2. The winning teams were 'Mion Forest' and 'Wis Medical'.

 

 

A judging panel consisting of venture capital (VC) firms from major cities in the Americas, including Silicon Valley, and domestic investment experts.

 

The representative of Bridge AI Pty Ltd, participating in the competition, is giving a pitch.

     

 

All companies participating in the event will have one-on-one meetings with investors after the awards ceremony. Through this, the competition will achieve results as a "platform for practical investment connections beyond a simple contest." 

 

According to officials, a substantial investment exceeding last year's scale is already under review, and the amount is scheduled to be disclosed at the closing ceremony of this World Representatives Conference.

Discussions on expanding the startup ecosystem also took place at the event.

 

First, in his keynote speech, Lee Geum-ryong, Chairman of the Challenge and Sharing Foundation, argued that Korea’s “future industrial competitiveness lies in startups.” He urged OKTA to take the lead in expanding the startup ecosystem globally through initiatives such as proposing the OKTA Fund, supporting the next generation, and developing startup platforms.

 

World OKTA Senior Vice President Cheon Ju-hwan, Future Growth Business Vice President Kim Ju-yeon, World OKTA Global Marketer Committee Chairperson Choi Won-jun participated as discussion panelists to share real-world examples and challenges regarding the application of AI in business.

 

Success stories were also shared. Kim Seong-taek, CEO of MD Stage Co., Ltd., which received 2 billion won in investment at last year's startup competition, presented a case of developing a device to treat snoring and sleep apnea and continuing to receive investment and expand its business to this day. He highly praised OKTA's support for startups, stating, "Our growth began with the success of OKTA's investment."

 

This event confirmed World OKTA's significance as a platform that simultaneously supports the global expansion and investment linkages of startups based on the Korean economic network, demonstrating that it is establishing itself as a major initiative of OKTA.

 

 

 

Posted 2026.03.31 18:22
Updated 2026.04.01 13:02

Reporter Kim Jong- heon

dongponews@hanmail.net

https://www.dongponews.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=57102