A group of startup founders from across a variety of South Korean universities visited the University of Westminster as part of an immersive two-day programme designed to provide a practical understanding of the UK startup ecosystem. The visit brought together universities, startups, investors and industry leaders, creating a bridge between the South Korean and UK innovation ecosystems.
The founders visited the University of Westminster’s Marylebone Campus for an afternoon of pitching and networking on 28 January as part of their two-day itinerary in London. The group was made up of startup teams from leading Korean institutions including Inha University, Yonsei University, Incheon National University, Kyungin Women’s University, Chungwoon University and Inha Technical College. The day started with a Study Abroad presentation from Education Abroad Officer Richard Hull, who outlined how Korean students could study at Westminster for a semester.
Participating startups then engaged in a pitching session to UK-based investors, founders and ecosystem leaders, with each team delivering a five-minute pitch followed by a three-minute Q&A. The judging panel of industry experts represented venture capital, founder-led fund and innovation platforms. It included Vasily Alekseenko from Rare Founders, Anthony David King from ADK Ventures, Eda Taskin from Tenity and Engin Yenidunya from 21×21.
The pitching session showcased startups across a wide range of industries, including digital health and healthcare; fintech and sharing economy platforms; AI-powered SaaS and enterprise software; EdTech and education automation; food, health and wellness; and peer-to-peer marketplaces and community platforms. This diversity highlighted the breadth of innovation emerging from Korean universities, with many solutions already demonstrating strong global market potential.
Participants received direct feedback from the judging panel, whose insights provided founders with valuable perspectives on product-market fit, international scalability, investor readiness and go-to-market strategy in the UK and beyond. Students from Westminster, University College London and King’s College London also attended to learn from their peers and their insightful feedback.
The panel then announced the results during an award ceremony that celebrated outstanding innovation and entrepreneurial ambition, before the day concluded with a networking session. The session created an open platform for idea exchange, cross-cultural learning and future collaboration opportunities between Korean and UK founders.
The previous day the group also had the opportunity to visit Revolut, which offered the founders a behind-the-scenes look at one of Europe’s leading fintech scale-ups and an insight into how global financial products are built and scaled from London.
The delegation was then hosted at Vorboss for immersive sessions designed to equip them with knowledge of the UK market, including talks from experienced entrepreneurs, London & Partners and a dedicated session by SeedLegals focusing on SEIS/EIS schemes, tax incentives and UK investor expectations.
The day concluded with a site visit to business development consultancy Intralink, where participants explored proven methodologies and real-world case studies on scaling companies internationally with the support of local market expertise.
Westminster’s participation in the programme highlights the University’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurship and social enterprise. Through Zone29, Westminster’s new home for careers and enterprise, the University is set to build on this work further as a global connector between academia, industry and budding entrepreneurs.
About the visit Eda Taskin, Business Development Manager at Tenity and member of the expert judging panel, said: "It was a pleasure to engage with such a high-quality group of founders and to see the strength of innovation emerging from South Korean universities. Programmes like this play an important role in giving early-stage teams real exposure to international markets, investor expectations, and global scaling challenges. We are always happy to support startups looking to expand into the UK, particularly by helping them build investor readiness and navigate early-stage funding and soft-landing opportunities. Creating these early connections between founders and the local ecosystem is often a critical first step towards sustainable international growth.”
Simay Sali Sevik, Development Manager at the University of Westminster, added: “It was a real pleasure for the University of Westminster to host such an inspiring group of Korean university-founded startups. This visit perfectly reflects the power of university-led entrepreneurship and the importance of international exchange in helping early-stage ventures scale globally. This two-day program demonstrated the power of university-led entrepreneurship and the importance of international exposure in shaping globally competitive startups. By connecting Korean universities, early-stage founders, UK investors, businesses and academic institutions, the visit strengthened cross-border relationships and reinforced London’s position as a gateway for global expansion.”
The visit directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4: Quality Education, 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
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