The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) announced that Korea’s participation at CES 2026 concluded with strong international engagement, as the K-Startup Pavilion delivered tangible business, investment, and branding outcomes for participating startups.
 
Held in Las Vegas from 6 to 9 January (local time), CES 2026 – the world’s largest technology exhibition – served as a global platform for Korean startups to showcase innovation and connect with overseas markets. Throughout the four-day event, MSS operated the K-Startup Pavilion at Eureka Park, CES’s dedicated startup zone, supporting Korean startups’ global outreach and commercialization efforts.
 
The Pavilion was jointly organized under the unified “K-Startup” brand by 19 startup support organizations, including public institutions, local governments, and universities. A total of 81 Korean startups presented cutting-edge technologies and products, engaging directly with global investors, buyers, and industry partners. In parallel, the Pavilion hosted a series of programs, including IR pitching sessions, seminars with local venture capital firms, and a global startup summit, creating multiple channels for business matching and strategic networking.
 
MSS has positioned major international exhibitions such as CES as key entry points for Korean startups seeking global expansion. Through its overseas exhibition support program, the Ministry continues to support K-Startup delegations to showcase at leading technology and startup exhibitions across major regions. In 2025, K-Startup Pavilions were operated at five flagship events – including Startup Mahakumbh in India, Viva Technology in France, SWITCH in Singapore, BIBAN in Saudi Arabia, and CES in the United States – supporting more than 200 startups. Participating companies benefited from end-to-end support, ranging from exhibition booths and market-entry training to pre-event capacity-building programs and tailored business matching with local investors and buyers.
 
Building on the outcomes of CES 2026, MSS plans to further strengthen support for Korean startups by prioritizing participation in high-impact exhibitions across key global markets throughout the year.
 
The opening ceremony of the K-Startup Pavilion, held on 6 January (local time), was attended by First Vice Minister Roh Yong-seok, who visited CES to encourage participating SMEs and startups and to review the Pavilion’s operations. In his remarks, Vice Minister Roh said, “It is encouraging to see K-Startups drawing strong attention on one of the world’s most visible technology stages,” adding that “MSS will continue to support innovative Korean startups as they use CES as a springboard to expand into global markets.”
 
Shelley Berkely, Mayor of Las Vegas, also attended the ceremony and presented a commendation to the Korea Institute of Startups & Entrepreneurship Development, recognizing its contribution to strengthening exchanges between Korean startups and the United States through the continued operation of the K-Startup Pavilion at CES.
 
According to the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the organizer of CES, a total of 347 CES Innovation Awards were announced across 35 categories. Korean companies accounted for 206 of these awards. Of the awards received by Korean firms, 150 were won by small and medium-sized enterprises, representing 72.8 percent of the total, while venture and startup companies accounted for 144 awards.
 
Among the startups participating in the K-Startup Pavilion, 11 companies received a total of 12 Innovation Awards. Notably, three companies were recognized with Best of Innovation awards in their respective categories: Geeks Loft (Headphones & Audio), Deep Fusion AI (Artificial Intelligence), and CT5 (Artificial Intelligence).
 
Commenting on the achievement, Sung Hun Yu, CEO of Deep Fusion AI, said that receiving the Best of Innovation Award in the AI category at CES 2026 reflects “the commercial maturity and technological leadership of our 4D imaging radar deep-learning model.” He added that the company aims to grow into a global leader in cost-efficient and reliable autonomous solutions for vehicles and vessels, demonstrating Korea’s strength in deep-tech innovation.
 

For more news and updates on Korea’s SME and startup policies, follow the Ministry’s official LinkedIn page: Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Republic of Korea, 대한민국 중소벤처기업부