Global Startup Festival COMEUP 2025 Ends Successfully, Highlighting Investment, Collaboration, and the Future of Innovation

SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) and the Korea Startup Forum (KSF) announced that COMEUP 2025, Korea's flagship global startup festival, successfully concluded after a three-day run from December 10 to 12 at COEX in Seoul.

Now in its seventh year, COMEUP 2025 was hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, overseen by the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development (KISED), and co-organized by the Korea Startup Forum, the Korea Venture Business Association, and the Korea Venture Capital Association. Held under the slogan "Recode the Future," this year's event highlighted how startups are redefining the future of industries through technological innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. Centered on the three core themes of Deep Tech, Global, and Entrepreneurship, COMEUP 2025 featured a wide range of programs including exhibitions, conferences, IR pitching sessions, and open innovation initiatives, further strengthening collaboration and exchange across the global startup ecosystem.

COMEUP 2025 welcomed participants from 46 countries, marking its largest global presence to date. The event brought together a diverse group of startup founders, investors, large enterprises, and government officials from Korea and abroad, creating a highly dynamic environment for exchange and collaboration. In particular, a total of 3,447 investment and business matchmaking meetings were successfully completed through a combination of online matchmaking platforms, pre-arranged 1:1 meetings, and on-site investor booth consultations, earning strong recognition as a practical platform for expanding global business opportunities.

COMEUP 2025 introduced meaningful upgrades across its overall program structure compared to previous years. Conference sessions were reorganized around clearly defined daily themes aligned with the three core pillars of deep tech, global expansion, and entrepreneurship. In line with the festival's slogan, stages and sessions were designed with a future-oriented approach, significantly enhancing audience engagement.

Another notable change was the first-ever joint organization by the Korea Startup Forum, the Korea Venture Business Association, and the Korea Venture Capital Association, which strengthened collaboration across the private startup ecosystem. This shift led to a stronger focus on inviting global VCs, CVCs, and accelerators, expanding opportunities for concrete investment discussions and strategic partnerships. Pre-arranged and open 1:1 meetings, investor booths, and sessions linked to venture investment briefings played a key role in helping startups secure tangible business opportunities.

Expanded side events also drew strong interest. Programs such as Startup Autobahn Korea 2025, Challenge! K-Startup Grand Finale, TIPS Scale-up Bridge, and a senior venture roundtable enriched the overall program and encouraged broader participation from companies and institutions. Programs designed for the general public were also strengthened, including the COMEUP Docent Tour, a B2C-focused COMEUP Flea Market, and pitch sessions by university startup teams, further broadening public engagement.

One of the most significant achievements of COMEUP 2025 was the expansion of international participation. A total of seven countries, including Saudi Arabia, India, Japan, and Canada, operated national pavilions to showcase their startup ecosystems and technologies. Australia and Sierra Leone joined the festival for the first time, further expanding COMEUP's global network. Startup ecosystem stakeholders from across continents actively took part in IR pitching, conferences, networking sessions, and exhibitions, significantly increasing the density of global exchange.

Beyond technology trends and global collaboration, COMEUP 2025 placed a strong emphasis on spreading entrepreneurial values across society and industry. Newly introduced this year, the "Future Founder" program spotlighted the next generation of entrepreneurs and aspiring founders. Through student startup presentations, mentoring sessions, and talks by Gen Z founders, the program underscored the importance of nurturing entrepreneurial talent as a foundation for future national competitiveness.

Additional sessions focused on social value creation also garnered attention. These included discussions on climate-tech solutions addressing the climate crisis, trend analysis sessions led by Gen Z entrepreneurs, and talks exploring the life of founders from a family perspective. Major startup competitions such as the COMEUP Stars 2025 Final Pitch, the Challenge! K-Startup 2025 Grand Finale jointly hosted by 10 government ministries, and the K-Startup Grand Challenge (KSGC) Demo Day for foreign startups further highlighted the full spectrum of the startup ecosystem—from early-stage founders to globally scaling ventures.

COMEUP 2025 will be available for on-demand viewing through the festival's official YouTube channel. 

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Global Startup Festival COMEUP 2025 Ends Successfully, Highlighting Investment, Collaboration, and the Future of Innovation

SYDNEY, Dec. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SDS Australia has confirmed it will release its new Canadian Cedar Ice Baths in January 2026, following months of development prompted by sustained customer demand and the growing popularity of cold-water immersion as part of at-home wellness routines.

The leading wellness company says enquiries for a more accessible ice bath – one that balances premium materials with everyday usability – have become increasingly common across its showrooms and digital channels. Many customers, SDS Australia noted, were looking for a product that delivered genuine recovery performance without the scale or cost typically associated with commercial or ultra-luxury cold-plunge systems.

After an extended period of design and testing, SDS Australia is now preparing to bring the range to market. The new 'Eira' Canadian Cedar Ice Baths feature solid Canadian Red Cedar cladding and are built around a hand-welded 316 marine-grade stainless steel tub, a construction method more often seen in higher-end recovery installations.

On release, the range will be offered in two finishes: a Natural Cedar edition, designed to highlight the character of the timber, and a Black Cedar edition, intended for more contemporary architectural settings. Both models are suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

According to SDS Australia CEO Michael Doubinski, the range was shaped directly by customer feedback.

"This is something customers have been asking for over a long period of time," Doubinski said. "The brief was clear – maintain premium material quality and performance, but deliver a more approachable entry point than our most premium systems."

Each unit will incorporate an integrated 1HP cooling system capable of delivering water temperatures between 3–42°C, allowing users to move between cold immersion and warmer recovery sessions without the use of ice. Wi-Fi control, alongside ozone sanitisation and multi-stage filtration, will support straightforward operation and consistent water quality.

Doubinski added that the engineering approach was deliberately elevated beyond what is typically seen in the category.

"We've engineered the internal cooling and water-management systems to a much higher standard than what's typically found in the ice bath market," he said.

"Rather than relying on lightweight, self-contained units commonly used in entry-level ice baths, we've taken a more robust, swimming-pool-grade approach to cooling, filtration and sanitation. The result is a system designed for longevity, stability and consistent performance over time."

Cold-water immersion continues to gain momentum among athletes, wellness practitioners and the broader public, driven by growing interest in recovery, resilience and preventative health. With the launch of the 'Eira' range, SDS Australia is responding directly to this shift in the market.

The 'Eira' Canadian Cedar Ice Bath – available in Natural and Black editions – is now available for pre-order from SDS Australia, with deliveries expected to commence in January 2026.

CONTACT: Ben Pollett, benpollett@sdsaustralia.com 

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

SDS Australia to Launch Canadian Cedar Ice Baths in January 2026 Following Sustained Demand