Startup Pitch Competition

Call for Participation: Startup Pitch Competition at IES 2026

The Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Association (KSEA) cordially invites you to the 8th Innovation and Entrepreneurship Symposium (IES), taking place August 6–8, 2026, at the Omni Orlando Resort in Florida. IES is a premier platform connecting the U.S. and Korea’s entrepreneurial ecosystems, designed to foster meaningful partnerships and high-impact opportunities.

Startups will gain direct exposure to UKC attendees through the IES Demo Session, with the opportunity to advance to the Startup Pitch Competition (SPC)—the symposium’s flagship event! Selected companies compete for cash prizes and present to leading investors and industry experts. The program also features curated networking with investors, funding organizations, and seasoned founders.

We invite ambitious founders and professionals to join us and explore the next wave of cross-border innovation between the U.S. and Korea.

Prize Pool $10,000

1st Place - $5,000
2nd Place - $3,000
3rd Place x 2 - $1,000

Benefits to Semi-Finalists

$300 discount from the regular UKC registration fee of $800.
1-day Showcase Demo to those who are invited (semi-finalists).
- A 6 ft x 30 inch table, two chairs, and a basic tablecloth.
  https://ukc2026.ksea.org/exhibit-booths (Please refer to the details from the UKC website.)
  - Booth prep starts on Wednesday at 6:00 pm.
  - SPC Demo Booth exhibition will end on Thursday at 6:45 pm.
  - NOTE: UKC will not be able to provide 32-inch monitors for the IES Booths due to power limitations in the exhibition room. Please bring your own laptop, iPad, or portable monitor.
Networking events with investors and potential partners.
Scale-up opportunities through partnership with KSEA and its affiliated professional societies.

How To Apply

Interested? We’d love to see you pitch! We request all applicants to submit a short video (video link) that gives us a sense of who you are and how your solution would be propelling the future of the world. Video submissions should cover the following points in less than 5 minutes:

Your startup’s value proposition
Problem(s) your product and/or service is solving
Why your startup is a good fit for the KSEA StartUp Pitch Competition

Eligibility

Eligible startups must meet the following criteria as of August 7, 2026:

Have received no more than USD $7 million in diluted funding
Are less than 7 years old

How to Win

Competition Finalists are expected to prepare a presentation showcasing the company’s innovative solution, idea, and/or technology. Finalists will pitch in English or Korean.
Each pitch will be timed to 5 minutes. At the end of the pitch, the panel of judges will be given additional 3 minutes for Q&A (up to three questions).
Finalists will be assessed by a dedicated panel of judges consisting of acclaimed investors and industry professionals, and the results will be announced at the Award Ceremony & Closing Session on the same day.

Timeline (in US Pacific Time)

Application Due June 19th, 2026
Semi-Finalist Notification June 29th, 2026
Finalist Notification July 2th, 2026
Startup Demo August 6th, 2026
Startup Pitch Competition August 7th, 2026
Winners Announcement August 8th, 2026

Questions: entrepreneurship@ksea.org

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