The '2025 Sports Integrated Biz Connect Day' hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO), and CNT Tech, and organized by ChosunBiz, was held on the 22nd at On Dream Society in Jung-gu, Seoul.
The Sports Integrated Biz Connect Day was organized to seek growth opportunities for promising startups in the sports sector. Experts from investment firms, large distribution companies, professional sports teams, and fitness creators gathered to discuss various collaborations through networking.
Twenty promising sports startups participated in the event. These included Rice Value (high-function sports nutrition manufacturer), Workation (outdoor sports camping gear manufacturer), Bark (recovery shoe manufacturer), EX Healthcare (muscle loss prevention and management cream manufacturer), and Spintec (senior park golf service), all corporations participating in the 'Sports Industry Startup Leap Center' and 'CNT Stadium' programs organized by CNT Tech.
CNT Stadium is a program aimed at discovering and nurturing innovative startups in various fields such as healthcare, content, the Internet of Things (IoT), and convergence, while the Sports Industry Startup Leap Center is designed to support market entry and scaling for early-to-leap stage startups in the sports industry. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO) provide support.
Im So-young, head of the startup support team at Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO), noted, "This event allows promising sports startups to meet partners in various fields such as distribution, investment, and marketing, helping them overcome the death valley and establish a foundation for sustainable growth." She added, "I will strive to create an ecosystem where open innovation among various corporations can occur in the domestic sports industry."
Lee Sang-hoon, CEO of Onjeonhi (diabetes digital healthcare service), said, "I was able to discuss investments with venture capital (VC) investors I met today," and added, "I promised to set up subsequent meetings with one VC and introduced investors." Kim Il-jun, CEO of Spintec, also said, "It was a great opportunity to meet VCs," and noted, "We agreed to meet separately after the event."
The event was not just about connecting startups with investors. Major companies including Hyundai Department Store and GS Retail, as well as the domestic professional football team Ulsan HD FC, DJ Management which recently acquired a football team in Laos, and sports creators such as No Eun-sol and Yajeon-sap-jjang-jae participated as partners to discuss collaboration opportunities in various fields such as distribution and marketing.
Kim Hyun-tak, head of the marketing team at Ulsan HD FC, said, "I think we can collaborate with the startups that participated today," and added, "I hope this kind of networking event becomes more active so that the domestic sports industry can grow." Creator No Eun-sol, a former swimmer, stated, "I discussed how to activate content with the CEOs of sports startups," and mentioned, "I am also considering marketing with startups in the future."
The event also featured a special lecture by Park Sung-bae, head of the Sports Marketing Center at Hanyang University, on the topic of 'Trends of American Sports Startups and Implications for Korea.'
Park noted, "The American sports startup ecosystem is characterized by active open innovation among universities, professional leagues, and corporations," and added, "The NFL and NBA are actively providing startups with pilot opportunities." He continued, "Innovative services that connect teams, players, and fans are rapidly increasing overseas, including in the United States."
Park also emphasized, "Korean sports startups need to incorporate new technologies, increase fan-centered innovative services, and activate a collaborative ecosystem involving sports teams, leagues, and tech companies."