On September 24, SNU hosted the SNU Alumni Entrepreneur Network (SAEN), a networking convention where entrepreneurs in fields ranging from education to technology ventures gathered to exchange ideas and promote startup culture.

The planning and promotion of SAEN was led by a committee consisting of 22 members including Byun Dae kyu, CEO of Humax Holdings, Nam Min-Woo, President of the Korea Entrepreneurship Foundation, and Jung Joon, CEO of SOLiD.

The convention began with opening remarks by President Oh and a congratulatory video sent from Park Young-sun, head of the Ministry of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Startups (MSS). Keynote addresses were given by Ahn Sang-il, CEO of HyperConnect and creator of the video messenger app Azar, and Chun Jongsik, CEO of ChunLab.

During a discussion on the topic of “The Role of SNU in Promoting Startups in Korea,” led by Song Eun-gang, CEO of Capstone Partners, seven alumni shared their experiences of the past 30 years in the industry. This was followed by a pitching session at which six startup teams presented their ideas and progress reports.

“The first SNU Alumni Entrepreneurship is significant as SNU is home to the best talent and skills,” President Oh said in his address. “We want to show our support for the startup industry by recognizing the hard work of the alumni entrepreneurs and their contributions to the industrial development of Korea.”

With the first SAEN having drawn over 300 participants, SNU plans to host more of these events in the future.

Written by Yu Young Jin, SNU English Editor coin1234@snu.ac.kr
Reviewed by Professor Travis Lamar Smith, Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations, tlsmith@snu.ac.kr