KT&G (President Baek Bok-In) successfully wrapped up “The 3rd SangSang Summit”, an expert forum to facilitate the social venture ecosystem. This time, the “SangSang Summit” was streamed live in consideration of the COVID-19 situation in Korea.

During the “SangSang Summit” that was held at “KT&G SangSang Planet” on December 9th, personnel from startup support organizations, social ventures, and large companies participated as speakers. In addition, 500 individuals, including those who aspire to become social innovation-oriented entrepreneurs joined the online forum through advance enrollments. The videos of this forum can be viewed again on the YouTube channel “KT&G SangSang Planet” starting from the 23rd of this month.

This forum was a platform to discuss the expansion of the base for the social venture ecosystem and share its trends under the title “The City for Social Innovators SIM CITY: Social-Impact-Maker.” Accordingly, the event featured lectures and talks on subjects such as an introduction to the Seongsu Social Venture Valley where social innovators are clustered, shifting perceptions of work in millennials who comprise Seongsu-dong, and the future of cities as they pursue it. The main speakers included CEO Heo Jae-Hyeong of Root Impact, CEO Kim Jeong-Heon of New Black, and Director Kim Do-Hyeon of SK D&D.

In addition, the forum unveiled the “Impact Maker Map” that contains various spaces and programs in the social venture ecosystem of Seongsu-dong, and also set aside some time to introduce “KT&G SangSang Planet”, which opened in Seongsu-dong last July. With the aim to create jobs for young people, “KT&G SangSang Planet” was established as a youth startup support center to enable social innovation-oriented entrepreneurs to grow and communicate.

In February of last year, KT&G also hosted “The 2nd SangSang Summit” in the presence of personnel and young people involved in the creation of social innovation-oriented startups. Moreover, the company has steadily supported the discovery and cultivation of social innovation-oriented entrepreneurs by operating the “SangSang Startup Camp” since 2017. In recognition of the excellence of these support programs for the creation of startups, the company received the Employment & Labor Minister Award for “a Company of National Merit for Cultivating Social Entrepreneurs” in 2019.

Kim Gyeong-Dong, head of the KT&G social contribution team, said, “This forum was an opportunity for constructive discussions on the present and the future of social entrepreneurs who are creating ‘social venture valleys’ and we will make continuous efforts to vitalize the startup ecosystem and resolve the problem of youth unemployment”.

(Photo) KT&G successfully hosted “The 3rd SangSang Summit”, an expert forum to promote the social venture ecosystem. This photo was taken at the event held at “KT&G SangSang Planet” located in Seongsu-dong on December 9.