History of Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Collaboration between the UK and South Korea

MANCHESTER, UK. May 6th, 2024 - Over the past five years, the collaboration between Social Enterprise Academy (SEA) and Kickstart Asia has officially marked a significant milestone. SEA, a renowned entrepreneurial support organisation in the UK, partnered with Kickstart Asia, the most dynamic accelerator officially approved by the South Korean government.
 
Kickstart Asia has been instrumental in bringing UK entrepreneurial practices and programs to South Korea, working closely with the Korean government and its administration authorities including the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, along with various universities and research institutes. Their movement is particularly noteworthy given that South Korea is known for having one of the most vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems in the world. Due to the worldly level of collaboration between SEA and KickstartAsia, numerous cross-border innovations have been achieved. Notably, this achievement has been driven by the collaborative efforts of Jess Kemp at SEA and Taeje Park at Kickstart Asia. 

Their collaborative journey began five years ago. Taeje Park, Chairman of Kickstart Asia, initiated discussions with Neil McLean, CEO of SEA in Edinburgh, laying the foundation for bilateral collaboration in the entrepreneurial sphere. Since then, Taeje Park has transferred the UK's entrepreneurship to South Korea, benefiting thousands of Korean entrepreneurs. Above all, SEA's social enterprise programs and local innovation initiatives have aligned with the South Korean government's innovation support initiatives. As a result, they have expanded to develop certification courses for entrepreneurs and organisations. 

Taeje Park, an ambitious policy advisor and accelerator in Korea, has been deeply involved in fostering entrepreneurial ecosystems and entrepreneurial support organisations across nations such as Korea, Japan, and China for several years. Following collaborations with the UK, he is currently conducting doctoral research on entrepreneurial support organizations at the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research (MIOIR). Furthermore, He is also an active member of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and the Royal Anthropological Institute (RAI), allowing him to engage and collaborate with scholars in the UK's entrepreneurship ecosystem. 

In both the historical and contemporary context of the United Kingdom, entrepreneurship has consistently stood as a vital pillar, representing a profound legacy. Bilateral cooperation between the UK and South Korea holds immense significance in shaping the future entrepreneurial landscape. Through these collaborative efforts, a new chapter in history is being forged by private-sector champions.

"We are pleased to mark a significant milestone in the collaboration between Social Enterprise Academy (SEA) and Kickstart Asia," remarked Taeje Park, Chairman of Kickstart Asia. "We look forward to the promising future ahead," added Taeje Park, expressing anticipation for the continued success of the collaborative efforts between SEA and Kickstart Asia.

ENDS