The Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME) held a "Prom-Day" event to help startups enrolled in its Youth Startup Academy programs in the greater Seoul area network with one another and open new sales channels.
KOSME said on the 23rd that it held the "2026 Greater Seoul Youth Startup Academy Prom-Day" on the 21st at the academy's main campus in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. The name combines "Prom," the pre-graduation event at American schools, with "Promotion," a reference to publicizing and growing companies and products. The event was designed to connect enrolled startups with KOSME support programs, expert networks and sales opportunities, and to encourage collaboration among the companies. About 100 people attended, including startups from the main campus and the eastern Gyeonggi, Incheon and northern Gyeonggi campuses, along with outside experts.
In the event's centerpiece program, "Best Sales," enrolled startups in consumer goods sectors such as cosmetics, food and household products ran sales booths. Participants bought products using coupons and offered feedback, while merchandisers assessed the products' marketability, brand and packaging competitiveness, and on-site sales performance. KOSME gave an award to Lacom for recording the highest coupon sales as the "top sales company," and to Pet Vital Lab, chosen through the merchandiser evaluations, as the "MD's Pick."
The venue also hosted information sessions on support programs including policy funding and vouchers for exports and manufacturing innovation, as well as a help desk for small business concerns. Startups in the same sectors — platforms, artificial intelligence and software, machinery parts, cosmetics and food — held networking sessions to share business experience and operational know-how and explore possible collaboration. Hands-on activities such as a photo booth, personal color analysis and caricature drawing were also offered.
"This event gave young startups a chance to present their products directly and check their competitiveness through feedback from consumers and experts," said Lim Ji-hyun, head of KOSME's Youth Startup Academy. "We will continue to expand opportunities so that these companies' efforts to open sales channels and collaborate with one another translate into tangible commercialization results." KOSME said it plans to continue follow-up support for enrolled startups, including training and coaching, links to policy programs, sales channel development and investment attraction.