Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force is a startup center that discovers and nurtures early-stage startups based on Seoul's most extensive startup support infrastructure. Currently, it is focusing on creating a sustainable startup ecosystem that grows together with the local community. With a business incubator spanning approximately 5,620 square meters, it operates 120 specialized startup spaces. It provides practical support for business growth through a customized, one-stop support system that covers all stages of the startup cycle.
Seokwon Jang, Director of the Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force, stated, “We support startup teams in securing sustainable competitiveness through various programs, such as acceleration, networking, and investment linkage.”
He added, “Based on the 4SR (Starts Rising) strategy, we are interconnecting customized education, space support, business activity support, and sales and investment linkage, focusing on providing practical assistance to entrepreneurs. With the vision of building a glocal startup valley, we aim to establish the largest startup ecosystem in Seoul. We are committed to nurturing innovative talent and realizing sustainable social value. From now on, we will continue collaborating with the local community to provide a solid foundation for entrepreneurs to pursue their ventures confidently.” I met Director Jang at the Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul.
How do you evaluate your achievements so far?
“Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force has selected and supported 255 companies over five years from June 2020, when the first batch of startups was selected for the third phase of the comprehensive campus project, to May 2025. During the residency period, the project has consistently accumulated tangible outcomes, including approximately 60 billion won in cumulative sales, approximately 35 billion won in cumulative investment attraction, and approximately 35 billion won in government support projects, thereby establishing a stable growth foundation for fostering the startup ecosystem and nurturing early-stage startups. Based on these achievements, we received an A+ rating in the 2024 Campus Town performance evaluation. We ranked first in all 17 categories in the tenant company satisfaction survey conducted among universities participating in the Seoul City Campus Town Program in the same year, demonstrating excellent performance in both quantitative and qualitative aspects. We will continue to be a central hub for startup growth by providing substantial support to tenant companies and maintaining a strong operational framework and strategic support system.”
What are the biggest issues for the project this year?
“The biggest issue of this year's Campus Town project is strategic incubation of startup talent in cutting-edge industries and strengthening the foundation for global expansion. We are collaborating with Seoul to identify and support promising startups that are set to lead future industries, including AI, robotics, and biotechnology. To enhance our support for outstanding university-based technology startups, we have relaxed the eligibility criteria for startup support facilities and extended the residency period to a maximum of three years. Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force is also concentrating on practical growth support, including residency competition contests, customized mentoring, and investment linkage, and is particularly focusing on discovering and nurturing early-stage startups with cutting-edge technologies, such as AI and biotechnology. Additionally, we plan to comprehensively strengthen programs for global expansion, such as initiatives to encourage entrepreneurship among international students and demo days linked to global investment institutions, to support the overseas expansion of startup companies systematically.”
What are the strengths of the Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force?
“The greatest strength of Kyung Hee University’s Campus Town is its ‘startup-friendly infrastructure’ that tenant companies can experience. The Sameewon Startup Center, spanning approximately 5,620 square meters, provides comfortable and convenient office space free of charge and is equipped with infrastructure that allows companies to focus on their startups. We also greatly emphasize fostering an organic community culture among resident companies. The quarterly networking event ‘Campus Night’ enables companies to share ideas, collaborate, strengthen their startup capabilities, and naturally build practical business connections. This mutually beneficial environment serves as a crucial foundation for early-stage startups to survive and grow quickly. Most importantly, the Campus Town Task Force views itself as a startup, planning and operating programs in a flexible and agile manner. As an entity that understands the pace and sensibilities of startups, we prioritize growing alongside resident companies as our most significant value.”
What criteria are used to select resident companies for the program?
“The selection of tenant companies is conducted through the ‘KHU Camfer Surfing Challenge,’ the flagship program of Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force. The ‘Camfer Surfing Challenge’ is an incubation competition that embodies Kyung Hee University’s unique startup culture and philosophy. We blend ‘Cam’ from ‘Campus Town’ and 'Surfer,’ who rides tidal waves, to refer to entrepreneurs as ‘Camfers.’ This is because we believe the entrepreneurship journey is akin to surfing, involving repeated stages of standing up and maintaining balance while moving forward. Additionally, to actively support international students in their entrepreneurial endeavors, we use the term ‘Glofer,’ a combination of ‘Global’ and ‘Camfer.’ This term represents the identity of international entrepreneurs who dream of a new beginning through entrepreneurship in Korea and are encouraged to take on this challenge alongside Kyung Hee University's Campus Town. The Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force selects resident companies through a systematic three-step screening process, known for its rigorous standards. In the first stage, the business plan is evaluated based on the entrepreneur's motivation, compatibility with Kyung Hee University Campus Town, and potential contributions to the university and local community. In the second stage, experts from VC and AC review the business plan to assess feasibility and growth potential. In the final stage, entrepreneurs are comprehensively interviewed to assess their attitudes and team capabilities. Notably, the program applies its own criteria, the ‘Five Fit Frameworks,’ to comprehensively evaluate entrepreneurial motivation, customer needs, market potential, execution capability, and sustainability, ultimately selecting startup teams with strong execution capability and responsible management skills.”
What is the typical startup incubation program?
“Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force operates three programs organically linked to the growth stages of startup teams. The programs include the ‘Nexus Series,’ which focuses on education and diagnosis; the ‘Beyond Series,’ which supports market validation and global expansion; and the ‘Camfer's Series,’ which emphasizes networking, mentoring, and investment attraction. The strength of these programs lies in their ability to systematically support the growth of startup teams throughout their entire lifecycle.
I would like to introduce the ‘Camfer's Wisdom' mentoring program among these. In this program, startup ecosystem experts are referred to as ‘Masters,’ and they provide mentoring to startup teams whenever needed. Through a dedicated mentoring platform, both in-person and online mentoring sessions are offered. Additionally, we have developed our own mentoring management SaaS system to digitize key consultation contents and duplicate questions, thereby streamlining the construction of a mentoring database and administrative tasks for the Task Force.”
What are some examples of success stories you would like to share among the startups currently supported by the Task Force or residing there?
“It is difficult to pick just one example because all Camfer companies work hard. If I had to choose, I would say that the growth of the companies ‘Seolarae’ and ‘Allink’ would be good examples for other Camfer representatives. ‘Seolarae,’ a health functional food-based company founded by Ji Jonghwan, a graduate of Kyung Hee University College of Pharmacy, has been actively participating in the Task Force’s startup incubation programs, including product development, marketing, sales channel expansion, and funding programs, since its establishment in the Kyung Hee University Campus Town. As a result, it was selected as an outstanding company in ‘Seoul Next Local’ in 2023 and was ultimately selected as a ‘Strong Micro Enterprises’ in 2024, achieving notable results. Particularly, it has set a new record for the highest funding amount in the health food category on the largest crowdfunding platform in Korea and is currently preparing its own logistics warehouse and manufacturing plant, aiming for annual sales of 10 billion won this year, making it a representative success story.
Another success story is ‘Allink,’ a company that graduated from the first Camfer program and re-occupied the program this year as part of the seventh Camfer program. This company provides an information delivery solution using NFC tags and has shifted its business focus to solutions centered on electronic documents and electronic receipts that utilize NFC technology. Allink, leveraging its outstanding technological capabilities, became the first SME and startup to win the Presidential Award at the 22nd Mobile Technology Awards in 2022. In 2023, it was recognized for its contributions to securing core ICT technologies and received the Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit, the youngest recipient in history. Currently, Allink is collaborating with the Task Force and metropolitan local governments, such as Seoul and Jeju, to revitalize the local economy and ESG through carbon reduction by implementing electronic receipt services for convenience stores, cafes, traditional markets, and alleyway markets. Additionally, the company is proposing advertising strategies to boost sales of traders, pursuing global market expansion, and preparing for an initial public offering (IPO), positioning itself as a promising enterprise. If there is another common point between the success stories of the two companies, it would be that both companies received support from Kyung Hee University and Seoul.”
At Kyung Hee University Campus Town, people value communication. What's the reason for that? Do you have any tips for communicating with CEOs?
“Kyung Hee University Campus Town places great importance on communicating with startup teams. This is because many challenges that entrepreneurs face are complex to resolve without meeting in person and discussing them directly. When time permits, we visit the center to communicate and respond to all consultation requests without fail. We also continuously study relevant topics to provide better support. Additionally, we believe that sharing meals together and having casual conversations in a relaxed setting is the most effective way to build trust and deepen relationships. We firmly believe that these everyday interactions can form true partnerships.”
What programs are available to help companies expand globally?
“Beyond Korea is a representative global expansion program that provides customized support to startup teams hoping to expand globally. Based on the plans submitted by the teams, they are divided into two categories: investment attraction and market expansion. Rather than simple consulting, the program focuses on practical, action-oriented support such as creating English IR materials, connecting with global VCs, and producing international promotional content to help teams enter the market. This year, we aim to expand investment attraction opportunities by collaborating with global expansion support institutions such as KOTRA and the K-Startup Center of Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME).
Of course, international companies are also eligible for support. How are they supported?
“Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force operates ‘Nexus GKR’, the first global team building program exclusively for international students in Korea, as a specialized program for international entrepreneurs. This program was designed to help international students and young people establish a stable foundation for entrepreneurship in Korea, and its distinctive feature is its step-by-step structure, ranging from understanding Korean society to designing a business plan and practical incubation. In the first half of the year, we will run an academy focused on business design for 30 international students. In the second half, we will conduct practical incubation for 50 potential and existing entrepreneurs, selecting five outstanding teams to receive intensive support to register their businesses and secure a government support program by 2026.”
What programs do you offer to help startups secure investment and expand their sales channels?
“We operate the' Beyond Series' program to support startups in securing investment and expanding sales channels. ‘Beyond Service’ and ‘Beyond Market’ verify the market suitability of services or products and support sales growth through marketing. ‘Beyond Tech’ assists in bringing outstanding technologies to market, while ‘Beyond Korea’ is a program aimed at expanding into overseas markets and securing global investment. Additionally, we operate the ‘Camfers' Vision’ program, which focuses on supporting investment attraction. In this program, we select outstanding teams through preliminary IR presentations and provide practical support, such as IR mentoring, pitch training, video production, and pitch deck creation for the finalists. At the final demo day, participants have the opportunity to present to investors directly and network with them.”
What are the future goals of Kyung Hee University Campus Town project?
"Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force is now preparing for the 2026 Seoul Campus Town new proposal. Building on the experience and achievements accumulated in startup incubation, we plan to continue our best efforts to discover and nurture young early-stage startups. We aim to create a sustainable and effective startup ecosystem that can bring positive changes to the region through the wave of Campus Town initiatives.”
reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com
Seokwon Jang, Director of the Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force, stated, “We support startup teams in securing sustainable competitiveness through various programs, such as acceleration, networking, and investment linkage.”
He added, “Based on the 4SR (Starts Rising) strategy, we are interconnecting customized education, space support, business activity support, and sales and investment linkage, focusing on providing practical assistance to entrepreneurs. With the vision of building a glocal startup valley, we aim to establish the largest startup ecosystem in Seoul. We are committed to nurturing innovative talent and realizing sustainable social value. From now on, we will continue collaborating with the local community to provide a solid foundation for entrepreneurs to pursue their ventures confidently.” I met Director Jang at the Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul.
How do you evaluate your achievements so far?
“Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force has selected and supported 255 companies over five years from June 2020, when the first batch of startups was selected for the third phase of the comprehensive campus project, to May 2025. During the residency period, the project has consistently accumulated tangible outcomes, including approximately 60 billion won in cumulative sales, approximately 35 billion won in cumulative investment attraction, and approximately 35 billion won in government support projects, thereby establishing a stable growth foundation for fostering the startup ecosystem and nurturing early-stage startups. Based on these achievements, we received an A+ rating in the 2024 Campus Town performance evaluation. We ranked first in all 17 categories in the tenant company satisfaction survey conducted among universities participating in the Seoul City Campus Town Program in the same year, demonstrating excellent performance in both quantitative and qualitative aspects. We will continue to be a central hub for startup growth by providing substantial support to tenant companies and maintaining a strong operational framework and strategic support system.”
What are the biggest issues for the project this year?
“The biggest issue of this year's Campus Town project is strategic incubation of startup talent in cutting-edge industries and strengthening the foundation for global expansion. We are collaborating with Seoul to identify and support promising startups that are set to lead future industries, including AI, robotics, and biotechnology. To enhance our support for outstanding university-based technology startups, we have relaxed the eligibility criteria for startup support facilities and extended the residency period to a maximum of three years. Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force is also concentrating on practical growth support, including residency competition contests, customized mentoring, and investment linkage, and is particularly focusing on discovering and nurturing early-stage startups with cutting-edge technologies, such as AI and biotechnology. Additionally, we plan to comprehensively strengthen programs for global expansion, such as initiatives to encourage entrepreneurship among international students and demo days linked to global investment institutions, to support the overseas expansion of startup companies systematically.”
What are the strengths of the Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force?
“The greatest strength of Kyung Hee University’s Campus Town is its ‘startup-friendly infrastructure’ that tenant companies can experience. The Sameewon Startup Center, spanning approximately 5,620 square meters, provides comfortable and convenient office space free of charge and is equipped with infrastructure that allows companies to focus on their startups. We also greatly emphasize fostering an organic community culture among resident companies. The quarterly networking event ‘Campus Night’ enables companies to share ideas, collaborate, strengthen their startup capabilities, and naturally build practical business connections. This mutually beneficial environment serves as a crucial foundation for early-stage startups to survive and grow quickly. Most importantly, the Campus Town Task Force views itself as a startup, planning and operating programs in a flexible and agile manner. As an entity that understands the pace and sensibilities of startups, we prioritize growing alongside resident companies as our most significant value.”
What criteria are used to select resident companies for the program?
“The selection of tenant companies is conducted through the ‘KHU Camfer Surfing Challenge,’ the flagship program of Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force. The ‘Camfer Surfing Challenge’ is an incubation competition that embodies Kyung Hee University’s unique startup culture and philosophy. We blend ‘Cam’ from ‘Campus Town’ and 'Surfer,’ who rides tidal waves, to refer to entrepreneurs as ‘Camfers.’ This is because we believe the entrepreneurship journey is akin to surfing, involving repeated stages of standing up and maintaining balance while moving forward. Additionally, to actively support international students in their entrepreneurial endeavors, we use the term ‘Glofer,’ a combination of ‘Global’ and ‘Camfer.’ This term represents the identity of international entrepreneurs who dream of a new beginning through entrepreneurship in Korea and are encouraged to take on this challenge alongside Kyung Hee University's Campus Town. The Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force selects resident companies through a systematic three-step screening process, known for its rigorous standards. In the first stage, the business plan is evaluated based on the entrepreneur's motivation, compatibility with Kyung Hee University Campus Town, and potential contributions to the university and local community. In the second stage, experts from VC and AC review the business plan to assess feasibility and growth potential. In the final stage, entrepreneurs are comprehensively interviewed to assess their attitudes and team capabilities. Notably, the program applies its own criteria, the ‘Five Fit Frameworks,’ to comprehensively evaluate entrepreneurial motivation, customer needs, market potential, execution capability, and sustainability, ultimately selecting startup teams with strong execution capability and responsible management skills.”
What is the typical startup incubation program?
“Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force operates three programs organically linked to the growth stages of startup teams. The programs include the ‘Nexus Series,’ which focuses on education and diagnosis; the ‘Beyond Series,’ which supports market validation and global expansion; and the ‘Camfer's Series,’ which emphasizes networking, mentoring, and investment attraction. The strength of these programs lies in their ability to systematically support the growth of startup teams throughout their entire lifecycle.
I would like to introduce the ‘Camfer's Wisdom' mentoring program among these. In this program, startup ecosystem experts are referred to as ‘Masters,’ and they provide mentoring to startup teams whenever needed. Through a dedicated mentoring platform, both in-person and online mentoring sessions are offered. Additionally, we have developed our own mentoring management SaaS system to digitize key consultation contents and duplicate questions, thereby streamlining the construction of a mentoring database and administrative tasks for the Task Force.”
What are some examples of success stories you would like to share among the startups currently supported by the Task Force or residing there?
“It is difficult to pick just one example because all Camfer companies work hard. If I had to choose, I would say that the growth of the companies ‘Seolarae’ and ‘Allink’ would be good examples for other Camfer representatives. ‘Seolarae,’ a health functional food-based company founded by Ji Jonghwan, a graduate of Kyung Hee University College of Pharmacy, has been actively participating in the Task Force’s startup incubation programs, including product development, marketing, sales channel expansion, and funding programs, since its establishment in the Kyung Hee University Campus Town. As a result, it was selected as an outstanding company in ‘Seoul Next Local’ in 2023 and was ultimately selected as a ‘Strong Micro Enterprises’ in 2024, achieving notable results. Particularly, it has set a new record for the highest funding amount in the health food category on the largest crowdfunding platform in Korea and is currently preparing its own logistics warehouse and manufacturing plant, aiming for annual sales of 10 billion won this year, making it a representative success story.
Another success story is ‘Allink,’ a company that graduated from the first Camfer program and re-occupied the program this year as part of the seventh Camfer program. This company provides an information delivery solution using NFC tags and has shifted its business focus to solutions centered on electronic documents and electronic receipts that utilize NFC technology. Allink, leveraging its outstanding technological capabilities, became the first SME and startup to win the Presidential Award at the 22nd Mobile Technology Awards in 2022. In 2023, it was recognized for its contributions to securing core ICT technologies and received the Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit, the youngest recipient in history. Currently, Allink is collaborating with the Task Force and metropolitan local governments, such as Seoul and Jeju, to revitalize the local economy and ESG through carbon reduction by implementing electronic receipt services for convenience stores, cafes, traditional markets, and alleyway markets. Additionally, the company is proposing advertising strategies to boost sales of traders, pursuing global market expansion, and preparing for an initial public offering (IPO), positioning itself as a promising enterprise. If there is another common point between the success stories of the two companies, it would be that both companies received support from Kyung Hee University and Seoul.”
At Kyung Hee University Campus Town, people value communication. What's the reason for that? Do you have any tips for communicating with CEOs?
“Kyung Hee University Campus Town places great importance on communicating with startup teams. This is because many challenges that entrepreneurs face are complex to resolve without meeting in person and discussing them directly. When time permits, we visit the center to communicate and respond to all consultation requests without fail. We also continuously study relevant topics to provide better support. Additionally, we believe that sharing meals together and having casual conversations in a relaxed setting is the most effective way to build trust and deepen relationships. We firmly believe that these everyday interactions can form true partnerships.”
What programs are available to help companies expand globally?
“Beyond Korea is a representative global expansion program that provides customized support to startup teams hoping to expand globally. Based on the plans submitted by the teams, they are divided into two categories: investment attraction and market expansion. Rather than simple consulting, the program focuses on practical, action-oriented support such as creating English IR materials, connecting with global VCs, and producing international promotional content to help teams enter the market. This year, we aim to expand investment attraction opportunities by collaborating with global expansion support institutions such as KOTRA and the K-Startup Center of Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME).
Of course, international companies are also eligible for support. How are they supported?
“Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force operates ‘Nexus GKR’, the first global team building program exclusively for international students in Korea, as a specialized program for international entrepreneurs. This program was designed to help international students and young people establish a stable foundation for entrepreneurship in Korea, and its distinctive feature is its step-by-step structure, ranging from understanding Korean society to designing a business plan and practical incubation. In the first half of the year, we will run an academy focused on business design for 30 international students. In the second half, we will conduct practical incubation for 50 potential and existing entrepreneurs, selecting five outstanding teams to receive intensive support to register their businesses and secure a government support program by 2026.”
What programs do you offer to help startups secure investment and expand their sales channels?
“We operate the' Beyond Series' program to support startups in securing investment and expanding sales channels. ‘Beyond Service’ and ‘Beyond Market’ verify the market suitability of services or products and support sales growth through marketing. ‘Beyond Tech’ assists in bringing outstanding technologies to market, while ‘Beyond Korea’ is a program aimed at expanding into overseas markets and securing global investment. Additionally, we operate the ‘Camfers' Vision’ program, which focuses on supporting investment attraction. In this program, we select outstanding teams through preliminary IR presentations and provide practical support, such as IR mentoring, pitch training, video production, and pitch deck creation for the finalists. At the final demo day, participants have the opportunity to present to investors directly and network with them.”
What are the future goals of Kyung Hee University Campus Town project?
"Kyung Hee University Campus Town Task Force is now preparing for the 2026 Seoul Campus Town new proposal. Building on the experience and achievements accumulated in startup incubation, we plan to continue our best efforts to discover and nurture young early-stage startups. We aim to create a sustainable and effective startup ecosystem that can bring positive changes to the region through the wave of Campus Town initiatives.”
reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com
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