Startup Pitching Competition
2025 Startup & VC Forum Program
with 1:1 investment meeting
The purpose of the event is to support the successful entry of Korean startups and small-medium enterprises (SMEs) into the U.S. market.
To achieve this, the Korean American Chambers of Commerce USA (KACC USA) is collaborating with the Overseas Koreans Agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to host the 23rd World Korean Business Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
The event aims to showcase Korea’s advanced technologies through local networks, providing investment and marketing opportunities in the U.S.
Specifically, the objectives are:
1. Supporting the U.S. market entry and marketing for Korean startups and SME21
2. Promoting Korea's excellent technologies through U.S. networks, offering investment and marketing opportunities.
Through this event, Korean businesses will have the opportunity to expand in the global market, and the economic ties between Korea and the U.S. will be further strengthened.
When
- 2025.4.18 :
-
VC investment Forum Startup Pitching Competition
Startup Pitching Competition (Morning)
VC Forum (Afternoon)
- 2025.4.19 :
- 1:1 Private Investment Meeting with VC
Where
Gas South Convention Center
Startup Pitching
Competition
Schedule
Online Startup Pitching : Group1
Eligible: Any Korean startup companies in Korea, USA, and other countries.
- 1 1/24/25 ~ 2/28/25 :
- Start to apply at wkbc.kglobal500.com
- 2/5/25 ~ 2/28/25 :
- release to WKBC.COM
- 2 3/1/25~3/07/25 :
- Quarter Final by judging Group
- 3 3/10/25 ~ 3/14/25 :
- Semi Final (10 min online pitch) and select 8 companies for Final by Judging group
- 4 4/18/25 :
- Judging by 8 VC’s (Final)
Offline Startup Pitching : Group2
Eligible: Companies participating in the EXPO in Atlanta and Korean startup companies in Korea, USA, and other countries.
- 1 2/05/25~3/20/25 :
- Start to apply at wkbc.kglobal500.com
- 2 3/21/25~3/28/25 :
- Quarter Final by judging Group
- 3 4/1/25~ 4/4/25 :
- Semi Final (10 min online pitch) and select 8 companies for Final by Judging group
- 4 4/18/25 :
- Judging by 8 VC’s
2025.04.18 Friday Start Up Pitching Competition
- 10:00am ~ 10:30am :
- Opening Ceremony / Introduce VIP and Judge’s VC
- 10:30am ~ 12:00pm :
-
Startup Pitching (8 companies), online Competition.
7min Pitch + 3min Q&A.11:30PM to 01:00AM. Separate information will be provided when ‘Summer Time’ is applied
- 12:00pm ~ 1:00pm :
- Lunch & Networking
- 1:00pm ~ 2:30pm :
-
Startup Pitching (8 companies), offline Competition.
7min Pitch + 3min Q&A.
2025.04.18 Friday VC Forum & Award Ceremony
- 2:30pm ~ 2:40pm :
- Break
- 2:40pm ~ 4:40pm :
- Venture Capital forum (8 Vc’s, 12min/each + 3min Q&A)
- 4:40pm ~ 5:00pm :
-
Release competition result Group 1 & 2
Formal Award ceremony: 4/20/25
1’st($5,000) 2’nd($3,000) 3’rd($2,000) & Certificates, Innovation award
- 5:00pm ~ 6:00pm :
- Networking and Closing
2025.04.19 Saturday 1:1 Investment Meeting
- 9:00am ~ 12:00pm :
- 1:1 Investment meeting 15min (12min pitch + 3min Q&A)
- 12:00pm ~ 01:00pm :
- Lunch Provided.
- 1:00pm ~ 4:00pm :
-
1:1 Investment meeting
15min (12min pitch + 3min Q&A)
- 4:00pm :
- Closing
- One company apply max. 4 times of 1:1 investment meeting.
- Meeting application fee: $500
- Apply at wkbc.us website and reserved appointment. https://www.wkbc.us/
Investment status summary since 2023
Startup Pitch & VC Forum + 1:1 Investment meeting
@ 21’st 2023 WKBC
The Startup Pitching Competition and Venture Capital Investment Forum + 1:1 Investment Meeting, organized by the Korean American Chambers of Commerce USA (KACC USA), was held for the first time at the 21st World Korean Business Convention in Year2023.
Since then, many investment firms from both Korea and the U.S. have supported the participating companies, resulting in over 22 billion KRW in investment for these companies.
As of 2025, these companies continue to grow steadily due to the investments they received.
At the upcoming 23rd World Korean Business Convention in Atlanta, we expect investment opportunities and growth for the participating companies, as they will benefit from both investment support and access to the vast U.S. network
-
Host: Henry Bang
Committee Chairman of
Startup Pitch & VC Forum
CEO, G6 Global @ Silicon Valley
-
Cohost: Keum Ryong Lee
Startup Pitch Chairman @ Challenge & Share
CEO @ Kglobal networks, dona.kr, Kglobal500.com -
Cohost: Kyeong Ho Yang
Program Manager @WKBC
President KITTEE @ New Jersey
-
Vice Chair, Sun Park
Startup Pitch & VC Forum committee
Startup Pitching competition
Prior President of Atlanta Korean Chamber -
Vice Chair, Leo Lee
Startup Pitch & VC Forum committee
FORBIZ KOREA COO, CO FOUNDER Kglobal500.com
-
Vice Chair, Yong Park
Startup Pitch & VC Forum committee
1:1 VC Investment Meeting
Prior President of Washington State Korean Chamber -
Committee operating team
Taesik Kang & Jamie Lee
Engineering support (Startup pitch
process, scoring ) , Email Q & A
managing, Banner, Pamphlet and more -
Advisor Group: more than 30 people
Startup Pitch & VC Forum committee
Judge group & Support
10min Pitching with scoring
Consulting for Technology & Marketing, Investment -
General Team Leader, Gitae Kim
@ Challenge & Sharing, Kglobal500.com,
Startup Pitch & VC Forum committeeest
-
Bum kyoo Kim
-
Megan Ko
-
Stanley Suh
-
Hyun Kim
-
Hoseok Chung
-
Taisik Kang
-
Stella Park
-
Joobae Lee
-
Joohyung Lee
-
Kyeong Ho Yang
-
Sukoh Kim
-
Young Gil Chung
-
Yeon Hee Doh
-
Joseph Oh
-
Jeff Chang
-
Taemok Lee
-
Joseph Choi
-
Kay Ha
-
Brandon Choi
-
Hyea won Lee
-
Sun Park
-
Yong Park
-
Rara Jeon
-
Eric Inbeum Song
-
Sarah Han
-
BEACK SEUNGROCK
-
Jeannie Kim
-
Yong B Kim
-
Jongkyu Chai
-
Susan Koga
-
Kevin Kim
-
Moderator
-
Rick Rasmussen
@ Fellow, SECT, UC Berkeley
Moderator
VC Forum -
Laurent Rain
@ Director of Global Access,
Alchemist Accelerator
Moderator
Startup Pitching Competition
-
-
Supported by
-
Peter Bae
CohostCEO/Executive Director
Korea Innovation Center @
Silicon Valley -
TBD
Sponsor
-
TBD
Sponsor
-
Venue : Magnolia Room, 2’nd floor
@ Gas Convention
2023 WKBC@anaheimCA :
Startup Pitch Competition
2023 WKBC@anaheimCA :
VC Forum
2023 WKBC@anaheimCA :
1:1 Investment Meeting with VC
