During the “Korea IR Mart 2025: Korea SME Partnership Forum in the Middle East” Event
On November 4, 2025 (Tuesday), at the Le Royal Meridien Hotel in Abu Dhabi, the Korean Scientists and Engineers Association in the UAE (KSEAU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME) Global Business Center (GBC) to strengthen mutual cooperation during the “Korea IR Mart 2025: Korea SME Partnership Forum in the Middle East.”
The event was organized to provide a platform connecting innovative Korean SMEs and startups with local investors, industry leaders, and institutional partners in the UAE, aiming to promote cross-border collaboration and investment opportunities.
[🤝 MOU Signing and Key Attendees]
The MOU signing ceremony was attended by KSEAU President Dr. Sung-Hoe Choi, along with key members Dr. Hojun Yoon (Academic Director), Dr. Seong-Moon Lee (Division Chair), and Dr. Jae-Il Ryu (Division Chair). Representing KOSME were Director Il-Ho Kim and Mr. Han-Joo Lee, Head of KOSME GBC and Yeon Woo Shin, Deputy Head of KOSME GBC. Also in attendance were Mr. Jung-Soo Ko, CEO of Nexus Global, and Mr. Young-Geon Hong, Executive Director.
From the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the UAE, Minister-Counselor Young-Jun Choi and Financial Attaché Sun-Gil Kim joined the event to congratulate the collaboration between the two organizations.
[🌍 Event Highlights]
During the forum, Korean startups Kab Labs, Geogrid, and i-ESG conducted pitch sessions to local investors. Representatives from Korean companies already active in the UAE, including KEPCO, as well as local business partners, also participated, creating a vibrant networking atmosphere.
Additionally, an investment agreement was signed between i-ESG and a local investor, and another MOU was executed between Geogrid and a local partner, marking tangible achievements for Korean startups expanding into the Middle Eastern market.
[💬 Remarks by Key Representatives]
KSEAU President Dr. Sung-Hoe Choi, in his congratulatory remarks and association introduction, stated, “With this MOU, KSEAU and KOSME will actively pursue joint initiatives, and our association will continue to fully support Korean startups entering the UAE.”
Dr. Choi also expressed gratitude to KOSME GBC for providing KSEAU with office space at the GBC facility during the association’s founding period, and expressed hope for continued collaboration in research, industry, and entrepreneurship support.
KOSME Director Il-Ho Kim and GBC Head Han-Joo Lee shared their optimism, stating, “We expect that this collaboration with KSEAU will help build a strong foundation for more Korean companies to advance into the Middle East.”
Minister-Counselor Young-Jun Choi of the Korean Embassy also remarked, “The partnership between KSEAU and KOSME GBC is expected to play a key role in facilitating Korean startups’ successful expansion into the Middle East.”
[📸 Event Photos]
– Photo 1: MOU Signing Ceremony Scene
– Photo 2: MOU Signing Ceremony Scene
– Photo 3: Group Photo of Key Participants
Photo 1- Back row (from left): Young-Joon Choi, Minister-Counselor; Il-Ho Kim, Director of KOSME; Sun-Gil Kim, Financial Attaché
Front row: Han-Joo Lee, Head of KOSME GBC; Sung-Hoi Choi, President of KSEAU
Photo 2- Photo 1- Back row (from left): Young-Joon Choi, Minister-Counselor; Il-Ho Kim, Director of KOSME; Sun-Gil Kim, Financial Attaché
Front row: Han-Joo Lee, Head of KOSME GBC; Sung-Hoi Choi, President of KSEAU
Photo 3 – Group photo
Through this MOU, KSEAU and KOSME GBC aim to strengthen practical cooperation mechanisms supporting the expansion of Korean SMEs and startups into the Middle Eastern market.
KSEAU will continue to expand its role as a networking hub for scientists and engineers and as a platform for industrial and startup collaboration, contributing to sustainable technological cooperation and the creation of an innovation ecosystem between Korea and the UAE.