SBA collaborates with 19 leading institutions in Seoul’s startup ecosystem to actively support the global expansion of 70 startups
LAS VEGAS, NV, UNITED STATES, January 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — • Seoul Pavilion opening ceremony under the ‘Seoul POP’ concept leaves a lasting impression of Seoul’s innovative energy worldwide
• Global media, VCs, and CVCs focus their attention as SBA hosts the Global Innovation Forum
• A total of 17 companies win CES 2026 Innovation Awards, including one Best of Innovation Award, proving Seoul’s strength as a tech hub
The Seoul Business Agency (SBA), a small business support organization under the Seoul Metropolitan Government that is leading efforts to enhance the global competitiveness of Seoul’s startup ecosystem (CEO Hyunwoo Kim), is participating in CES 2026 by establishing the Seoul Pavilion and supporting 70 startups in entering global markets.
CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is the world’s largest technology exhibition held every January in Las Vegas, United States. This year’s event runs for four days from January 6 (Tue) to January 9 (Fri), 2026.
The Seoul Pavilion is located inside Eureka Park, the startup-focused exhibition zone at CES, and covers 743㎡ (around 225 pyeong). It consists of a main stage, photo zone, and individual spaces for business consultations. In particular, SBA introduced a Media Center and Innovation Award Exhibition Space within the pavilion for the first time this year to strengthen media promotion and increase visitor inflow. The Media Center and Innovation Award Exhibition Space were newly created to provide more systematic support for the global promotion of participating startups.
The Seoul Pavilion showcases the combined capabilities of Seoul’s innovation ecosystem through close cooperation among 19 organizations. These include SBA as the supervising institution, four autonomous district offices (Gangnam-gu Office, Gwanak-gu Office, Guro-gu Office, and Geumcheon-gu Office), five major startup support institutions (Seoul AI Hub, Seoul Tourism Organization, Seoul Social Venture Hub, Seoul Fintech Lab, and Campus Town Startup Growth Center), as well as nine leading universities in Seoul (Konkuk University, Kyunghee University, Kwangwoon University, Sogang University, Seoul National University, Sungkyunkwan University, Yonsei University, Ewha Womans University, and Chung-Ang University).
Seventy companies selected as exhibitors at the pavilion are widely distributed across advanced technology sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), mobility, healthcare, and other high-tech industries.
In addition, SBA selected 70 university students to serve as supporters, assisting participating companies with interpretation services and overall booth operations. The student supporters consist of students from the nine major universities in Seoul and local Korean students studying at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). These supporters will help ensure participating startups can conduct business activities at CES without difficulty.
The Seoul Business Agency (SBA) officially began the four-day exhibition schedule with the opening ceremony of the Seoul Pavilion on January 6 (local time), the first day of CES 2026. The event served as a starting point to introduce Seoul’s innovative technologies and city brand to global buyers and media.
The main concept of this year’s CES 2026 Seoul Pavilion opening ceremony was ‘Seoul POP,’ representing the moment when Seoul’s condensed innovation and energy burst onto the global stage. SBA directed the event through rhythmic music, dynamic video content, and witty performances, conveying the ambition of 19 organizations, 70 companies, and 70 university student supporters uniting to demonstrate Seoul’s technological innovation to the world.
At the opening ceremony, representatives from each participating institution joined on stage to perform a collaborative piece using a ‘Seoul POP’ can-shaped object. Startups and university student supporters filled the audience seats and added to the excitement by waving cheering sticks colored ‘Morning Yellow,’ introduced as Seoul’s representative color for 2026. The scene symbolized solidarity among all participants supporting the future of Seoul’s innovation ecosystem.
SBA CEO Hyunwoo Kim declared the opening of the Seoul Pavilion during the official countdown and Seoul POP ceremony. Delivering the message ‘Seoul Innovators Show Up,’ he announced, “Seoul Pavilion is not only the most vibrant space at CES but also a venue that global buyers must visit. We expect it to become a bridgehead for practical business achievements by participating companies.”
Beyond the opening ceremony, SBA operated a variety of programs at CES to support the global promotion of Seoul-based promising startups. Just before the official opening of CES, on January 4, SBA assisted 10 companies, including CES 2026 Innovation Award winners, in joining ‘CES Unveiled,’ the official CES media preview event. CES Unveiled is an annual program where selected exhibitors are given opportunities to present their products to global media ahead of CES. Ten outstanding companies from the Seoul Pavilion, including Innovation Award winners, attended CES Unveiled and received significant coverage from major global media outlets.
Thanks to SBA’s systematic and multifaceted support programs, Seoul startups achieved significant outcomes at CES 2026. A total of 17 companies won CES 2026 Innovation Awards, including one Best of Innovation Award. To help Seoul startups prove their innovation and enhance global visibility, SBA provided two months of pre-consulting programs ahead of CES. With this support, Seoul startups achieved tangible results at CES 2026. CES Innovation Awards are granted annually by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the organizer of CES, to products and technologies with outstanding technological excellence, design aesthetics, and innovation.
Among the 17 Innovation Award winners, the Best of Innovation Award was won by Studio Lab Co., Ltd., a member of SBA’s innovation award community. Studio Lab proudly joined the ranks of global winners alongside major companies such as Samsung and Qualcomm. The Best of Innovation Award is awarded to only about 30 companies worldwide each year. In particular, Studio Lab achieved a meaningful result by winning the top award among global technology leaders.
SBA operated diverse programs to support Seoul startups’ success at CES 2026. In his closing reflections, SBA CEO Hyunwoo Kim said, “The CES Seoul Pavilion is not a simple exhibition space but a global business stage. We hope participating companies and visitors can enjoy and empathize with various experiences here, and that it will serve as the starting point for generating practical business achievements.”
SBA CEO Hyunwoo Kim commented on CES participation, stating, “CES Seoul Pavilion is not just a technology exhibition but a stage for real business. We expect it to serve as a venue where Seoul startups can present their innovation to the world and create practical results.”
Seun Jung
Seoul Business Agency
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