Kookmin University Platform SME Research Center said on the 21st that it held the first Brand Value-Up Partners Day.
About 80 people, including member companies of the Digital Merchants Union, brand startups, and venture capital (VC) officials, attended the event held the previous day. It worked to activate exchanges among participating corporations and, in connection with partners including VCs, sought collaboration opportunities within the digital platform ecosystem.
Brand Value-Up is a program that supports strengthening the competitiveness and growth of brand corporations entering the business advancement stage. It is hosted by Kookmin University Graduate School of Global Entrepreneurship and Venture, organized by the Platform SME Research Center, and sponsored by Naver. It selected about 20 brand companies in fashion, beauty, and food with annual sales of 1 billion won or more and is running for 11 weeks from the 2nd of last month to the 10th of next month.
The event consisted of a first part lecture and a second part VC introductions and panel talk. Dunamu's Impact Business Office gave a lecture on "future finance for online commerce operators and an introduction to stablecoins." It explained the concept and working principles of stablecoins, moves toward institutionalization in major countries including the United States, and industry trends at home and abroad, and also shared recent changes surrounding the digital payment environment.
In the second part, six VCs participating as mentors for the first cohort of Brand Value-Up were introduced: BNK Venture Investment, Company K Partners, iM Investment Partners, IMM Investment, JYP Partners, and Corelia Capital. Drawing on their investment experience, they discussed the participating brands' business models and directions for entering global markets.
Center Director Kim Do-hyun said, "For a brand to grow sustainably, it needs not only good products and services but also insight into the market, reliable partners, and consolidation with new opportunities," adding, "We will build a foundation so that today's meeting does not end as a one-off exchange but can lead to practical cooperation and growth."