The Seoul Design Startup Center, operated by the Seoul Design Foundation, held the ‘Seoul Design Startup Center 7th Kickoff Day’ at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) Design Lab on June 30, marking the official journey with 34 newly inducted startups.
The event was organized to welcome new resident companies and introduce the main support programs of the Seoul Design Startup Center. It served as an opportunity to share the experiences of senior companies and experts, fostering connections and expansion of the design startup ecosystem through exchanges among entrepreneurs.
The Seoul Design Startup Center is the only design-based startup incubating platform in Seoul, selecting early-stage companies within seven years of establishment to support the entire startup process—including branding, networking, and distribution—through a one-stop service. Over the past five years, the center has supported the practical distribution and marketing growth of a total of 113 design startups.
On the kickoff day, the program included welcoming remarks from Cha Kang-hee, CEO of the Seoul Design Foundation, the awarding of occupancy certificates, business introductions, lectures by senior companies and experts, a mini talk concert, and casual networking. During the one-minute speech segment for the heads of the 7th batch of resident companies, they introduced their items and startup visions, capturing the audience’s attention.
Among the resident companies were a variety of businesses combining technology and design, such as ‘Han Lab,’ an emotional miniature video content AI-based studio with 260,000 followers, ‘Studio Sinyu,’ which modernizes the aesthetic beauty of traditional furniture, and ‘Unimeum,’ a developer of senior walking aids. These companies are creating tangible distribution outcomes through events like Maison & Objet Paris, Seoul Design Week, and the DDP Design Store.
‘Studio Sinyu’ stated, “We will showcase a diverse and active design work,” while ‘Unimeum’ expressed expectations of “gaining growth opportunities through exchanges with designers.”
Additionally, the event featured lectures by Jo Min-jung, CEO of the graduate company ‘One in a Hundred (Finca),’ and At Home’s Na Se-hoon, CDO and brand expert. ‘Finca’ saw a 252% increase in transactions after entering 29CM, growing into a leading home brand. The talk concert shared practical startup experiences, including branding strategies, distribution know-how, and organizational management.
During the free networking session, attendees sought specific collaboration opportunities through direct exchange with industry stakeholders.
Cha Kang-hee, CEO of the Seoul Design Foundation, commented, “Design entrepreneurship is a crucial driving force determining the city’s future,” adding, “DDP and the foundation will continue to serve as a bridge to challenge the global market for young entrepreneurs.”
