Korean SME agency holds Prom-Day sales event for Seoul-area youth startups in Ansan
In short
The Small and Medium Venture Business Promotion Corporation (중소벤처기업진흥공단) held the 2026 Capital Region Youth Startup Academy Prom-Day on 21 October at the academy's main campus in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. More than 100 people from startups and outside experts attended, and consumer-goods startups sold products at booths while retail merchandisers evaluated them.
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The Small and Medium Venture Business Promotion Corporation (중소벤처기업진흥공단) said on 22 October that it had held the 2026 Capital Region Youth Startup Academy Prom-Day the previous day, 21 October, at the Youth Startup Academy main campus in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
According to Asia Economy, the name combines 'Prom', the pre-graduation event at American schools, with 'Promotion', meaning the publicising and growth of companies and products. The event was arranged to link the agency's support programmes, expert networks and sales-channel opportunities with companies at the academy, and to encourage exchange and cooperation among them. [ 1 ]
About 100 people attended, including companies from the Ansan main campus, eastern Gyeonggi, Incheon and northern Gyeonggi, and outside experts. [ 1 , 2 ]
In the 'Best Sales King' programme, startups in consumer goods such as cosmetics, food and household goods ran sales booths and promoted and sold their products directly. Yonhap reported that participants bought products with coupons provided on site and gave feedback on their use. Merchandisers (MDs) from the retail sector visited the booths and assessed marketability, brand and packaging competitiveness and on-site sales ability, and offered views on improving products and widening sales channels. [ 2 , 3 ]
Yonhap reported that the agency gave Lacom (라콤), which had the highest coupon sales, an award for the highest sales amount, and Pet Vital Lab (펫바이탈랩), chosen in the MD evaluation, the 'MD's Pick' award. [ 2 ]
The venue also had guidance on agency support programmes, including policy funds and export and manufacturing-innovation vouchers, as well as consultations on difficulties faced by small businesses. Newsis added that a counter for youth-startup incubating consultations operated and that participating companies were told which support schemes suited their growth stage and business needs. Asia Economy also listed a photo booth, personal colour diagnosis and caricatures among the programmes. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
In industry networking sessions, companies in fields such as platform, AI and software, and machinery parts shared business experience and operating know-how and explored cooperation. Yonhap also listed cosmetics and food among the fields. Im Ji-hyeon (임지현), principal of the Youth Startup Academy, said the event was a place for young startups to show products directly and check their competitiveness through the views of consumers and experts, and that the agency would expand opportunities so that sales-channel development and cooperation lead to practical commercial results. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The outlets describe the event as a way to connect academy startups with sales channels, support programmes and experts. The documents give no sales figures or outcomes beyond two awards.
Key facts
- The agency said it held the 2026 Capital Region Youth Startup Academy Prom-Day on 21 October at the academy's main campus in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- More than 100 people attended, including startups from the Ansan main campus, eastern Gyeonggi, Incheon and northern Gyeonggi, and outside experts. [ 1 , 2 ]
- In the 'Best Sales King' programme, startups in cosmetics, food and household goods ran sales booths and promoted and sold their products directly. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Merchandisers (MDs) from the retail sector visited the booths and assessed marketability, brand and packaging competitiveness and on-site sales ability. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The agency gave an award to Lacom (라콤) for the highest coupon sales and an 'MD's Pick' award to Pet Vital Lab (펫바이탈랩). [ 2 ]
- The event also offered guidance on agency support programmes such as policy funds and export and manufacturing-innovation vouchers, plus consultations for small businesses. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The agency said the event took place on 21 October at the Youth Startup Academy main campus in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Consumer-goods startups ran sales booths, and MDs evaluated the products. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Companies networked by industry, including platform, AI and software, and machinery parts, to share business experience and look for ways to cooperate. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Sales results and the number of participating companies are not given. None of the documents reports sales totals or a company count; only the attendance of about 100 people is stated.
- The awards to Lacom and Pet Vital Lab are reported by one outlet only. Only Yonhap mentions the awards.