A group of startups from South Korea's North Jeolla Province spent a Saturday in Jeonju receiving direct feedback from experienced executives on how to grow beyond their home region and into international markets.
The International Women's Forum Korea (IWF Korea) ran the one-on-one mentoring sessions under a program called "Local Startup Value-Up: Local to Global," according to a report by The Korea Times. The organization announced the event the following Tuesday.
A Program Built Into a Regional Startup Festival
The mentoring program was part of the 2026 J-Startup Festa and took place alongside the 11th Startup Jeonbuk Entrepreneurship Expo, held in Jeonju's Hanok Village.
Its stated goal was to help regional companies draw on local assets and brands, sharpen their competitiveness as they grow, and prepare to enter overseas markets.
Government and Regional Partners Behind the Effort
The program was jointly sponsored by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the North Jeolla provincial government and the city of Jeonju.
Several organizations took part in running it, including the Jeonbuk Center for Creative Economy and Innovation, the Jeonbuk Business Agency, investment firm Krypton and IWF Korea itself.
Two Tracks Matched to Growth Stage
Participating companies were split into two groups depending on how far along they were. One track focused on assessing readiness to scale up, while the other evaluated preparedness for global expansion.
Mentors studied each company's materials before the sessions, then used the consultations to work through core business issues. These included business model development, the competitiveness of brands and products, expanding sales channels, readiness for investment and strategies for entering foreign markets.
The day ended with a review of each company's assessment results and a discussion of where improvements were needed. Organizers said they plan to design follow-up support based on what the sessions revealed.
A Diverse Mix of Local Businesses
Eleven companies took part, spanning sectors such as food, beauty, childcare products, educational technology and upcycled design goods.
Some of the participants are getting ready to release new products, while others are actively preparing to move into overseas markets.
Organizers Stress a Global Mindset From Day One
Kim Ji-won, who chairs IWF Korea's organizing committee, argued that being based outside a major hub need not limit a startup's ambitions, and that regional companies can plan for international markets from the start. She said she hoped members' professional experience would give the North Jeolla founders practical direction.
Oh Min-jung, a team leader at Krypton, described the sessions as a chance for local entrepreneurs to meet current and former executives of global companies along with specialists from a range of fields. She said she hoped the problems identified would translate into further support and become "a steppingstone for local startups seeking to expand into global markets."
What It Signals for Regional Founders
The program reflects a broader push in South Korea to strengthen startup ecosystems beyond the capital region, pairing public sponsorship with private-sector expertise.
For founders outside major cities, structured mentoring tied to concrete assessments offers a way to test business plans against international standards early. The real measure of the initiative will be whether the promised follow-up support helps these 11 companies turn feedback into growth abroad.
Source: The Korea Times
