The Gwangju-Jeonnam Venture Business Association drew attention by creating a platform to explore survival strategies and growth visions for regional venture firms, in step with the launch of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City and the artificial intelligence (AI) era.
The association announced on the 29th that it recently wrapped up the "2026 Gwangju-Jeonnam Digital Insight Forum" and the "17th General Assembly" at Brive Gwangju by Lotte Hotel, jointly organized with the Korea Venture Business Association and the Gwangju Information & Culture Industry Promotion Agency.
Around 60 attendees including venture business leaders and officials from related organizations showed keen interest. Participants included Ko Su-kyung, chairperson of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Women's Venture Association; Cho Dong-seok, head of the Gwangju-Jeonnam regional headquarters of the Korea Federation of SMEs; Kim Tae-ju, head of the Honam regional headquarters of the Korea Technology Finance Corporation; Jeon Jun-kyo, head of the member communication division at the Korea Venture Business Association; and Jeong Woong-jae, head of the Gwangju Startup branch of the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund.
During the first session, the general assembly approved the reappointment of Chairman Kim Hyun-soo. The meeting also declared a "Leaping Forward 2026" vision and completed organizational restructuring through the appointment of new executives, laying the groundwork for the association's next chapter. Observers said the event reaffirmed leadership committed to protecting the interests of regional venture firms and expanding the venture ecosystem.
In the second session, the Digital Insight Forum, Professor Jeong Kyung-ho of Korea Institute of Energy Technology (KENTECH) presented strategies for AI and venture firms to respond to the launch of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City. SpeerAX, a promising AI vision solution venture firm based in Daegu, followed with a presentation on its innovation case.
Participants also pledged to pursue collaborative and successful business models between the Gwangju-Jeonnam Venture Business Association and regional venture firms, aligning with the innovative vision accompanying the Jeonnam-Gwangju Special City administrative integration.
"Amid the massive waves of administrative integration and AI, it is more important than ever for regional venture firms to build network-based growth structures beyond standalone growth," Chairman Kim said. "The association will continue to strengthen cooperation with related organizations and do its utmost to help regional venture firms become key players in national growth hubs."
