In a significant move to promote Korean technological innovation on the global stage, Daegu Metropolitan City and EXCO hosted the FIX Innovation Awards Media Day on October 22, 2024. The event featured eight of Korea's most promising startups, winners of the inaugural FIX Innovation Awards, presenting their groundbreaking technologies to an audience of international media representatives.
The FIX Innovation Awards, which attracted entries from 210 companies, recognized excellence in innovation across various tech sectors. A distinguished panel of judges, including government officials, global investors, and CES Innovation Awards judges, selected nine companies for the Best Innovative Technology Award and 27 for the Innovation Award. This rigorous selection process ensures that only the most cutting-edge and promising technologies were showcased at the Media Day event.
The eight companies presenting at the event represented diverse fields of technology, including future mobility, AI-based business (ABB), and robotics. Notable presenters included HEI and Korea Metal Silicon in the future mobility sector, both recipients of the Best Innovative Technology Award. In the ABB category, Sapere Aude Inc., WARP Solution, and MindsAI showcased their innovations, while Phantomics received the Best Innovative Technology Award. The robotics sector was represented by Twinny, another Best Innovative Technology Award winner.
The Media Day event attracted significant international attention, with eleven media representatives from nine countries in attendance. These journalists, representing prominent outlets such as Gadgetouch from Japan, SINA from China, Vietnam Plus, Helsinki Times, ET Auto from India, and Dronelife from the USA, among others, had the opportunity to engage directly with the startups through Q&A sessions following the presentations.
This global media presence underscores the importance of the event in promoting Korean innovation on the world stage. The participating journalists will select and award three companies each, providing them with in-depth coverage and reports. This exposure is crucial for these startups, offering them a platform to attract international investors, partners, and customers.
The FIX Innovation Awards Media Day serves as a precursor to the larger 2024 Future Innovation-tech eXpo (FIX 2024), scheduled to take place at EXCO. FIX 2024 will feature specialized exhibitions and conferences focusing on mobility, robotics, AI, and startups. The expo will include the Daegu International Future Auto & Mobility Expo 2024, showcasing advancements in urban air mobility, autonomous driving, and battery technology. Additionally, the 2024 ICT Convergence Expo Korea will exhibit the latest in AI, big data, blockchain, and metaverse technologies, while the 2024 Daegu Robot Expo will display cutting-edge robotics solutions.
The introduction of the "Start-up Arena" at FIX 2024 further emphasizes the event's commitment to fostering innovation. This new feature will facilitate meetings between startups and experts from renowned accelerators like Samsung C-Lab and Plug and Play, potentially opening doors for further growth and collaboration.
The FIX Innovation Awards Media Day and the upcoming FIX 2024 expo represent a significant opportunity for Korean startups to gain international recognition and potentially expand their global footprint. By showcasing these innovative technologies to a worldwide audience, the events not only promote individual companies but also reinforce Korea's position as a leading hub for technological innovation. The global exposure and potential partnerships resulting from these events could accelerate the development and adoption of cutting-edge technologies across various industries, contributing to advancements in mobility, AI, and robotics on a global scale.
