AI drones were part of the future-focused technology on show in Seoul as the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) and the Korea Development Bank (KDB) brought NextRise 2026, Seoul to a close. The event, described by its organizers as Asia’s leading startup fair, ran for two days from June 18 to 19, 2026 at COEX in the Samseong-dong district of the city.
This year’s gathering became the largest startup showcase in the event’s history. More than 540 Korean and international startups took part, including around 140 overseas startups from 30 countries, presenting new technologies through booth exhibitions. Twenty-three global corporates, among them LG, CJ, Hanwha Aerospace, Google Cloud, and Renault, joined the fair to look for ways to work with the startups on display.
AI Drones Among the Future Unicorn Technologies
One of the additions this year was a set of experience zones where visitors could get a close look at technologies from companies seen as future unicorn candidates. Those zones put AI drones alongside humanoid robots and security tools, giving attendees a close-up view of real-world AI in physical form. The AI drones on display reflected the wider push at the fair to spotlight hardware powered by artificial intelligence, a theme that ran through many of the booths.
NextRise 2026 also introduced new on-site programs meant to broaden participation in the venture ecosystem. These included startup and job-fair programs along with 1-on-1 recruitment meetups that connected startups with young AI developers looking for a way into the field. The experience zones and recruitment efforts gave smaller teams in South Korea a stage next to far larger corporate names.
Business matchmaking remained a central feature of the fair. The 1-on-1 business meetup program, one of Asia’s largest of its kind, held more than 4,000 consultations across over 170 booths. Those meetings connected startups with major global corporates, investors, and venture ecosystem partners, with the goal of turning early conversations into concrete business cooperation and investment opportunities.
Awards and Conference Sessions at NextRise 2026
The conference program ran alongside the exhibition, sharing global trends and practical advice through more than 60 expert sessions. Topics covered future strategic industries such as AI, biotechnology, the creative industry, and defence, along with strategies for startups planning to expand overseas. Visitors who wanted the full picture of the schedule could follow the program through the official NextRise event pages, where sessions and speakers were laid out in detail.
Several high-profile speakers took the stage. OpenAI Head of Startups Marc Manara spoke about the next era of AI, while MIT Institute Professor and Moderna co-founder Robert Langer addressed bio innovation. CJ CheilJedang’s Hee-jun Lee discussed sustainable growth for K-Food, and KAIST Professor Man-Ki Kim looked at how dual-use technologies can be applied across different sectors.
The fair also recognized standout companies through the NextRise 2026 Awards, which named 32 startups as honorees across several categories. MangoBoost, working in AI infrastructure, and AmtixBio, in bio and healthcare, shared the Top Innovator Prize. Next Innovator Prize winners included firms in physical AI, digital healthcare, defense and aerospace, space technology, humanoid robotics, battery technology, and maritime decarbonization, reflecting the broad mix of fields on show.
A KITA official tied the fair’s purpose to the rapid spread of artificial intelligence across daily life and industry. The official framed startups with new technology as central players in that shift.
“At this critical juncture of major transformation, where AI is changing our way of life and industrial paradigms, the role of startups with innovative technologies is more important than ever,” adding, “KITA will actively support these innovations so that they can transcend barriers between the national government, industries, and companies and lead to tangible results.” An official, Korea International Trade Association (KITA)
With this year’s event now finished, the fair stood out for drawing the largest exhibitor turnout in its history. The mix of AI drones, robotics, and other emerging tools on the show floor offered a snapshot of the technologies that Korean and international startups are working on for the years ahead.
