Seoul AI Hub, Centech Join Hands to Support AI Startups’ Expansion Into North America

Seoul AI Hub is expanding its support for domestic AI startups’ entry into North America through a partnership with Centech, a deep-tech accelerator in Montreal, Canada. The scope of support covers technology validation, local partner discovery, investment network connections, research network connections, and the entire commercialization process. Seoul AI Hub announced on the 7th at its main center in Yangjae-dong, Seoul, that it had signed an MOU with Centech, with the aim of helping AI startups go global and nurturing them jointly.

Centech is a Quebec-based deep-tech accelerator in Montreal that supports the commercialization and growth of deep-tech startups. Through this agreement, Seoul AI Hub plans to connect startups, companies, and research institutions in Seoul and Montreal. It expects this to broaden the foundation for entry into the North American market.

The two organizations will jointly promote AI technology validation and open innovation. They will also support startups in establishing themselves locally and entering the market, while working together to build networks of investors, researchers, and industry experts.

In addition, the two organizations plan to share their experience in nurturing deep-tech startups and commercializing technologies. They also plan to cooperate in identifying business opportunities by leveraging global AI conferences and events.

The focus of this collaboration is on creating practical local business opportunities. For Seoul AI startups, it will support validation of technologies and business models with Montreal companies and research institutions, and after validation, it will build a step-by-step support system that extends to partner discovery, commercialization, and market entry. Through this cooperation with Centech, the goal is to expand research-centered exchanges into discovering local customers, attracting investment, and commercializing technologies.

Starting next year, Seoul AI Hub is reviewing a plan to select outstanding AI startups and link them with Centech’s local accelerating program in Montreal. If the program is finalized, it plans to provide mentoring for local market entry, support for technology commercialization, and networking with industry players, research institutions, and investors.

Seoul AI Hub is also continuing AI research cooperation with Montreal. In 2023, it signed an agreement to operate the Seoul AI Hub-Mila joint research program, and since then it has been carrying out joint research involving the on-site dispatch of Seoul AI startups.

The scale of support is 7 companies in 2024 and 7 companies in 2025. This year, 6 companies took part in joint local research for about 15 weeks. After operating joint research cooperation with Mila, Seoul AI Hub is also reviewing a Centech-linked program to broaden the scope of support to commercialization and networking.

Damien Ferreira, head of the Delegation of Quebec to Korea, said that Quebec and Korea are cooperating in fields including aerospace, quantum, biotech, and semiconductors. He explained that AI is a core foundational technology driving innovation across related industries, and said he hopes this collaboration will strengthen ties between the two countries’ innovation ecosystems.

Byun Woo-seok, head of Seoul AI Hub, said that for AI startups to take root in overseas markets, local technology validation is needed beyond simple network building. He also said that for AI startups to take root in overseas markets, touchpoints that can directly create business opportunities with companies, research institutions, and investors are important, and stated that based on this, the hub will gradually push ahead with hands-on cooperation projects such as technology validation, open innovation, and startup exchanges.

Source: TECHWORLD · Kim Seung-gi
Original: https://www.epnc.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=406783

References

• https://www.epnc.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=406783