2026 Global Acceleration Program in Africa (AgeTech) Orientation Held

The Korea-Africa Foundation held the orientation session for the 2026 Global Acceleration Program in Africa (AgeTech Sector) on June 15 at Diplomatic Town in Seocho-gu, Seoul.

The program is a global market expansion initiative overseen by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS), administered by the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development (KISED), and organized by the Korea-Africa Foundation. It provides domestic and international acceleration programs for promising Korean AgeTech startups seeking to expand into African markets.

The orientation was attended by H.E. Chafik Rachadi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to the Republic of Korea and Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps in Korea; H.E. Hazem Zaki, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the Republic of Korea; Mr. Hazem Nasr, Economic Counselor at the Embassy of Egypt in Korea; representatives from KISED and Plug and Play, the local accelerator partner in Africa; and representatives from the eight selected AgeTech startups.

The event began with welcome remarks delivered by the President of the Korea-Africa Foundation, the Ambassador of Morocco, and the Ambassador of Egypt. This was followed by English self-introductions from participating companies, presentations on their key products and technologies, and an overview of the program implementation plan. The ambassadors listened to the participating companies’ innovative technologies and market entry strategies for Africa, expressing their encouragement and strong commitment to supporting their successful expansion into local markets.

The eight selected companies for this year's program are: Wellbiz International, STU, K-Style Hub, GOOPPA, Dermanique, Benecent, NX Biomed, and Skin Keeper.

The participating companies will take part in domestic programs from June to August, including business diagnostics and mentoring to strengthen entrepreneurial capabilities. From September to October, they will engage in local acceleration programs in Egypt and Morocco, including one-on-one mentoring with local experts and business networking opportunities.