Investment raised: 805 billion won; 4,793 new jobs created

'Boom-Up Festival 2026' marks push to become global startup hub

Incheon Mayor Park Chan-dae performs a vision declaration ceremony at the Incheon Startup Park Boom-Up Festival 2026, held at Incheon Startup Park on Thursday. [Incheon City]
Incheon Mayor Park Chan-dae performs a vision declaration ceremony at the Incheon Startup Park Boom-Up Festival 2026, held at Incheon Startup Park on Thursday. [Incheon City]

Incheon Startup Park has supported 2,105 startups since its founding six years ago, generating combined sales of nearly 1.2 trillion won ($898 million), according to figures released Thursday.

Companies that validated their competitiveness through technology demonstrations have gone on to secure investment, supply products and expand into overseas markets, signaling that Incheon's startup ecosystem is entering a new phase of growth.

Incheon City and the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority held the Boom-Up Festival 2026 at Incheon Startup Park on Thursday, sharing the results of six years of startup support and laying out a vision for the park to become a global startup hub.

Now in its sixth year, the event drew about 1,000 attendees, including representatives from startups, investment firms, public institutions, universities, partner organizations and the general public.

Since opening in 2021, Incheon Startup Park has supported 2,105 companies. Those companies recorded combined sales of 1.2 trillion won and attracted 805 billion won in investment while creating 4,793 new jobs.

The park's collaboration network has also expanded. It has built partnerships with 31 domestic technology demonstration partners and linked up with 23 institutions across 14 countries to help startups enter international markets.

The park has also produced two "unicorn bridge" companies — those valued at more than 100 billion won — and seven "baby unicorn" companies valued at more than 30 billion won.

The festival also highlighted companies that successfully translated technology demonstrations into tangible business results.

Able Labs and Tempchain, which verified their technological competitiveness with support from Incheon Startup Park, were recognized with commendations from the Incheon mayor after securing product purchase agreements, investment and global supply contracts.

Celltrion, which has supported on-site technology demonstrations by startups, and the Shinhan Financial Hope Foundation — which operates the Shinhan Square Bridge Incheon startup incubation program and has supported the growth of 426 member companies — also received commendations and certificates of appreciation.

Incheon Mayor Park Chan-dae said at the event that the city would work to ensure startups' innovative technologies gain market recognition and translate into real business outcomes. "We will support companies at every stage — from technology demonstration and investment to commercialization, market development and overseas expansion," Park said. "We will be a steadfast partner so that companies that start in Incheon can grow even bigger here."

Incheon City plans to use the festival as a springboard to deepen public-private cooperation and accelerate efforts to build an innovation-driven startup ecosystem where promising companies can put down roots and grow in the region.


gilbert@heraldcorp.com