Gwanak S Valley at KES 2026: checklist for AX and robotics startups

The KES 2026 startup booth opportunity through the Gwanak S Valley booth program at Korea Electronics Show 2026 is a local market-access opportunity for startups based in Seoul’s Gwanak district. The official K-Startup program notice names AX, robotics, mobility, digital health, XR, spatial computing, and electronic components as relevant fields.

Applications close on August 7, 2026 at 14:00 Korea time. The application route is the Gwanak startup support notice.

Quick eligibility view

Item	What applicants need to check
Applicant base	A company located in Gwanak with a product or solution suitable for KES
Business age	The K-Startup listing indicates companies up to the under-ten-year range
Event	October 13–16, 2026, COEX Halls A and B in Seoul
Support	Booth, display fixtures, buyer and investor meetings, and related event participation
Restriction	No duplicate support for the same KES participation from another public program

<Trade show preparation 1.1>

The Korean-location rule is important

This Korean startup grant is not open to every overseas or Korea-interested company. It is aimed at companies with a Gwanak presence, such as a headquarters, main business site, lab, or branch. For an AI startup Korea team, that location condition should be checked before spending time on the application package.

What the program actually provides

The support includes a promotional booth worth about KRW 5 million, booth fixtures such as an information desk and graphic wall, buyer and investor meetings, and access to side programs including innovation awards and purchasing or VC consultations. For a startup, the practical value depends on whether the team can demonstrate a stable product and turn booth traffic into follow-up meetings.

<Demo schedule planning 2.1>

Before applying

1. Prepare the application form, privacy consent, business registration copy, and Korean IR deck.
2. Make sure the IR deck contains slides for each evaluation item, as the notice requires at least one slide per criterion.
3. Check whether the company is already receiving another public subsidy for the same KES participation.
4. Define a three-minute demo flow and a post-event sales or investment follow-up target.

This K-Startup program is best for a Gwanak-based AX, robotics, XR, or digital health company that can show a product on the exhibition floor, not just describe a roadmap.