What You Need to Know from Citypreneurs 2024: UN-Backed Sustainable Urban Innovations

The World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) successfully hosted the Demo Day for the 'Ulsan-UN City Problem-Solving Startup Competition: Citypreneurs 2024' on June 12 at UNIST's Industry-University Convergence Building. 

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Organized by the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) in collaboration with the Ulsan Metropolitan Government, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the event brought together 24 impact start-ups from South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Pakistan, and Vietnam, following a 6-week acceleration program and offline demo day. The objective was to address urban challenges and promote sustainable development.

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1. What is Citypreneurs?

Citypreneurs is a blend of "City" and "Entrepreneurs," designed to support young entrepreneurs in offering profitable solutions to urban problems within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

As the only UN-backed youth startup competition, Citypreneurs has been held annually in cities like Seoul, Kinshasa, and Ulsan since 2017. The program spans 4-6 weeks with online workshops and mentoring, culminating in an offline demo day where outstanding companies are awarded.

'Ulsan-UN City Problem-Solving Startup Competition: Citypreneurs 2024' was also held to discover startups contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and addressing urban issues in Ulsan.

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Citypreneurs Acceleration Program 

Prior to the offline demo day, Citypreneurs conducted a 6-week acceleration program starting in April. This program included workshops and seminars, impact sessions, and one-on-one mentoring. 

Workshops covered diverse topics such as impact measurement, HR, ESG, global expansion, legal issues, and marketing. Startups could select mentors from a pool of experts to address their specific concerns and receive tailored consulting.

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2. Policy Dialogue

Held on June 12 at UNIST, the Citypreneurs 2024 Ulsan Demo Day gathered start-ups from five countries, all committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and solving urban issues in Ulsan.

The day began with an insightful Policy Dialogue moderated by Prof. Franklin Bien of UNIST. The panel featured experts like Prof. Hankwon Lim (UNIST), Benjamin McCarthy (UN ESCAP Sustainable Business Network), Dr. Fernando Ortiz-Moya (IGES), Jinsol Hwang (The Bridge), Esther An (CDL, Singapore), and Benjamin Soh (Hashstacs Pte Ltd, STACs, Singapore). They discussed Ulsan's policies, administrative directions, and successful case studies related to revitalizing the city's key industries.

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3. Congratulatory Remarks

After lunch, ▲Director Kwon Soon-Yong of the UNIST Industry-University Cooperation Foundation delivered an opening speech. This was followed by congratulatory messages from ▲Choi Young-Hee, Head of the Ulsan Metropolitan City Business Support Division; ▲Kim Jong-Hoon, Vice Chairman of the Industrial Construction Committee of the Ulsan Metropolitan City Council; ▲Anne Juepner, Head of the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre; ▲An Jae-Woo, Executive Director of CVC Capital Partners Korea; and ▲Ganbold Baasanjav, Head of the Northeast Asia Office of UNESCAP. The event's highlight was an inspiring keynote speech by ▲WFUNA President Shawn Chen, which motivated attendees towards a sustainable future.

Shawn Chen, President of WFUNA, stated in his speech, 

"It is no exaggeration to say that the sustainable future of our planet depends on how well we can match the entrepreneurship and impact of startup leaders. WFUNA will continue to show consistent interest and support in strengthening the impact startup ecosystem in the Asia-Pacific region."

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4. Start-up Pitching

The afternoon session was dynamic, with start-ups presenting their innovative products and solutions through IR pitches and engaging Q&A sessions. Judges, including industry experts and investors, actively engaged with the presentations, creating an energetic atmosphere.

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5. Awards

After rigorous pitching sessions, Haltenergy won the Grand Prize (Ulsan Metropolitan Mayor's Award) for its innovative plastic waste-to-hydrogen technology, which underscores its commitment to environmental sustainability and new energy industry creation. This award includes priority investment reviews and potential connections with domestic and international venture investors.

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The Excellence Prizes were awarded to LabSD and SCHAFFENGOTT Co., Ltd. LabSD was recognized for its 'EYELIKE' platform aimed at preventing blindness, while SCHAFFENGOTT was applauded for its AI-linked smart fire extinguisher 'Tritona.' 

SCHAFFENGOTT, which received the WFUNA Secretary-General Award, also earned an opportunity to participate in the WFUNA Impact & Start-up Ecosystem (WISE) Conference in Geneva this November.

Impact Awards, each with a $5,000 prize, were given to Kepul and CAS Energy. Kepul, from Indonesia, transforms domestic waste into reusable products and has the largest waste purchasing volume and app user base in the country. CAS Energy, a Vietnamese company, focuses on climate-smart agriculture and carbon farming.

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6. Citypreneurs aims to:

Likewise, Citypreneurs aims to:

• Connect companies, investors, and institutions with sustainability-driven startups to create a thriving impact startup ecosystem.
• Promote impact-focused innovation and policy discussions on collaboration with startups.
• Provide workshops and educational sessions to understand and integrate the SDGs into business development, offering differentiated tailored programs.
• Support startups in diagnosing and developing their business sustainability with insights from domestic and international investors and experts. 

Citypreneurs will continue to advance towards achieving the SDGs and fostering the growth of startups globally.

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Citypreneurs Gyeonggi

Following the success of the Citypreneurs 2024 Ulsan Demo Day, the organizers have announced the next event: Citypreneurs 2024 Gyeonggi. Applications will open in mid-July, targeting impact startups worldwide focusing on AI and deep tech for sustainable urban development.

As urbanization and climate change present ongoing challenges, events like Citypreneurs Demo Day highlight the necessity of collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to a sustainable future for all.