Korea Industrial Complex Corporation Opens Global Business Platform Connecting Exports and Investments

Achievements Include $106 Million in Potential Contracts at the Export Fair

Korea Industrial Complex Corporation announced on the 23rd that it hosted the '2nd Korea Industrial Complex Export Fair (KICEF 2026)' and the global open innovation event 'KICXUP GLOBAL 2026' at Daegu EXCO over a three-day period from the 14th to the 16th.

Held under the slogan, "Powering the Regions for the Future, Bringing Corporate Challenges to the World," the event featured export consultations between global buyers and industrial complex companies, as well as an open innovation program that connected startups with domestic and overseas investors and demand companies.

At the 'Global Buyer One-on-One Export Consultation' of KICEF 2026, a total of 102 global buyers from 19 countries and 250 Korean companies participated, holding 1,091 consultation sessions. This represents an increase of approximately 44% compared to last year’s 760 sessions. Of the total consultation amount of USD 332 million, USD 106 million is anticipated to proceed to potential contracts. On site, 15 memoranda of understanding (MOUs) totaling USD 5.4 million were signed, which was about an 88% increase in the number of agreements and a 6.75-fold increase in monetary value compared to the previous year.

On the 14th, at the pitching session of "KICXUP GLOBAL 2026" held at Daegu EXCO, a startup CEO presented the company's vision and technological capabilities to overseas investors and attendees. Korea Industrial Complex Corporation

KICXUP GLOBAL 2026 brought together over 200 participants, including 45 domestic and overseas demand companies, venture capital firms, buyers, and more than 150 startups. During the "Global Open Innovation Meetup Lounge" operated throughout the event, 143 one-on-one business meetups took place between startups and domestic and global demand companies and investors. This resulted in five proposals for expanding investment networks, ten technology validation (PoC) projects, eleven discussions on follow-up investments and guarantees, and four proposals for business collaboration.

Korea Industrial Complex Corporation announced its plan to continue facilitating follow-up negotiations and managing additional export outcomes between participating companies and overseas buyers, ensuring that the achievements of the export consultations materialize as actual contracts. The corporation also plans to connect with KOTRA's 'Export Boom-Up Korea' event, to be held both online and offline on October 21–22.

Chairman Lee Sanghoon of Korea Industrial Complex Corporation stated, "This event was an opportunity to confirm that the technologies and products of industrial complex companies could lead not only to exports but also to investment and technological cooperation," adding, "We will create a global business platform that connects specialized industries and outstanding companies from each region—with a focus on the five core regions and three specialties—to the global market, continuing the theme of 'Powering the Regions for the Future, Bringing Corporate Challenges to the World.'

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