Press

“High Local Icheon,” a youth entrepreneurship support program based in Icheon, participated in the 3rd Korea Social Value Festa (KSVF 2026), held at COEX Hall A in Seoul from September 21 to 22. The program operated booths in both the Innovation & Environment Zone and the Local Zone, showcasing products and services from 13 participating companies. Around 1,000 visitors stopped by the booths during the two-day event.

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High Local Icheon is a regional youth entrepreneurship support initiative designed to revitalize Icheon. The program is sponsored by SK hynix, supported by the Gyeonggi Community Chest of Korea, operated by Social Solidarity Bank, and supported by UD Impact in the areas of entrepreneurship education and consulting. By connecting startup space, education, management consulting, and financial support, the program helps young entrepreneurs turn their ideas into tangible change within the Icheon community.

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In its first year, 25 teams in the environmental, technology, and social service sectors participated in the program and refined their business models. Following an interim performance evaluation, 23 teams received a total of KRW 125 million in commercialization grants. In addition, eight impact-driven companies received interest-free loans of KRW 20 million each. Through the program, seven participating companies established corporations or branch offices in Icheon, while eight local young people gained employment.

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The second year of the program focuses on testing the business models identified in the first year in actual markets. On-site programs have been expanded to include consulting for market entry, exhibitions and sales, citizen engagement activities, and corporate consultations. Support has also been provided for participation in local events and external exhibitions, with the KSVF participation forming part of this broader effort.

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The booth in the Innovation & Environment Zone was operated in conjunction with the SK hynix booth. Its wall featured a logistics center-inspired concept titled “High Local Now: Shipping from Icheon,” drawing on Icheon’s regional characteristics. The exhibition guided visitors through each stage of the program, from recruitment and selection to education and mentoring, performance sharing, and follow-up growth support.

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A total of six companies participated in the Innovation & Environment Zone, rotating by day. LAR, which produces eco-friendly shoes and tote bags, participated on both days. On the first day, Rice to Eat You, offering Icheon rice puff snacks, and Ddakku Friends, featuring custom succulent planters and succulent keyrings, joined the booth. On the second day, Wellmelt, which produces bilingual K-culture activity books; Chanest, which makes upcycled cups and shoe insoles from spent coffee grounds; and Jun Film Lab, which provides brand promotional videos and leaflets, took part.

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Seven companies participated in the Local Zone throughout both days. Ondap, offering Borigabae drip bags and pairing bread; Heungmanso, producing grain- and cacao-based dishwashing bars; and Ongat Heritage, offering Chiu Cheonwang incense holders and IKEKE incense products, sold their products on-site. Eulreul, which produces Icheon rice lager and cornelian cherry wheat beer; Join Winery, offering peach, strawberry, and blended wines; EcoNext, which develops high-efficiency water treatment processes; and Local B, which produces educational worksheets for patients in the early stages of dementia, introduced their brands through product and leaflet displays.

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A participatory event connecting the two zones, titled “Guess the Weight!”, drew particularly strong interest. Visitors were invited to guess the weight of parcel boxes printed with key program figures, including the number of participating companies—23—as well as major outcomes such as new corporations, branch offices, and employment created. Participants who collected stamps received commemorative keyrings or products. Around 600 visitors took part, adding energy and engagement to the booths.

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Through the large-scale event, which attracted approximately 15,000 visitors overall, participating companies had a valuable opportunity to observe direct consumer responses, review their pricing and packaging, and explore the potential to expand both B2B and B2C sales channels.

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Social Solidarity Bank stated that participation in the Festa provided a meaningful opportunity for young companies from Icheon to communicate directly with consumers in a broader market and assess their competitiveness. The organization added that it would continue to provide multifaceted follow-up support to help local young entrepreneurs grow into sustainable businesses.

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Meanwhile, Social Solidarity Bank is a public-interest organization specializing in social finance. It works to realize the social value of finance by supporting the self-reliance of financially vulnerable groups through microcredit and fostering social innovation organizations.

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About UD Impact

UD Impact, led by CEO Jung-heon Kim, is the new corporate name of Underdogs, an entrepreneurship education company. Building on 10 years of hands-on experience in training more than 18,000 entrepreneurs, UD Impact is evolving into an AI-based ESG solutions company. Beyond its “Actpreneurship” education programs, which strengthen entrepreneurs’ ability to execute ideas, the company is expanding its business into ESG strategy consulting, digital transformation, and impact performance measurement. Together with companies in Korea and overseas, UD Impact is working to create sustainable change.

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Website: https://udimpact.ai/home

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Source: Newswire https://www.newswire.co.kr/newsRead.php?no=1043518

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