Busan is good

Integrated Busan Pavilion Delivers Record-Breaking Results as CES 2026 Concludes

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□ Busan Metropolitan City Mayor Park Heong-joon announced that the city participated in CES 2026, the world’s largest consumer electronics exhibition, held in Las Vegas, United States, from January 6 to 9 (local time), and achieved tangible results such as supporting local companies’ entry into global markets, linking them with investment, and expanding the foundation for technology cooperation.

○ Through the Integrated Busan Pavilion at CES 2026, the city recorded a total of 443 export consultations and contract pursuits worth USD 28.67 million (the estimated amount expected to be concluded within one year). This is assessed as a result that reconfirms the technological competitiveness of Busan companies and the strong interest of the global market. One-on-one business meetings (meet-ups) with global investors and overseas buyers also reached 65 cases.

□ During CES 2026, Mayor Park visited the Hyundai Motor Group exhibition hall to directly review service-robot and AI-based future mobility technologies, and examined the potential for cooperation and demonstration linkages between those technologies and the robot industry being fostered by the city.

○ As Busan possesses a wide range of demonstration environments—including port logistics and urban infrastructure—and therefore has strengths in on-site application and commercialization of robotics and AI convergence technologies, the city plans to work with global companies to promote the creation of an industrial ecosystem centered on robot demonstration and commercialization.

□ In particular, at this year’s CES, Busan companies drew strong interest from overseas buyers by going beyond simple product displays and showcasing, in a focused manner, core technologies and commercialization potential in advanced strategic industries that the city is prioritizing—such as AI, semiconductors, and smart ports. Accordingly, the professionalism of on-site consultations and the likelihood of concluding contracts improved markedly compared to previous years.

○ Participating companies generated commercialization outcomes in diverse ways, including investment attraction, global collaboration, technology verification (PoC, Proof of Concept), and export consultations.

○ O2LAB Co., Ltd. is in discussions on investment negotiations worth approximately KRW 1 billion with two global investment firms for its AI-based human balance measurement and solution system, while Korea LFP Co., Ltd. signed an investment agreement worth USD 300,000 with the global investment firm Coinvest for its AI-based battery management system.

○ Tiger AI Co., Ltd. concluded a PoC agreement and a joint development agreement with FIT IN MOTION in the United States for its AI-based motion-recognition training service, and CIT Co., Ltd. is discussing investment and business expansion with a global accelerator, a partner in startup global support, for its copper deposition equipment for semiconductor packaging glass substrates.

○ In addition, Double O Co., Ltd. conducted export consultations for its SSD forensic solution by leveraging data analysis and recovery technology that delivers data analysis and recovery performance improved by three times compared to existing capabilities.

○ Content technologies supported by Busan Metropolitan City also made visible progress toward global expansion. GENCY Studio, an AI-based real-time image-capture robot studio established at Busan Station with support from the city and the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement, won the Best of Innovation Award at CES 2026, and also drew strong interest on site from the entertainment content industry. Discussions were held on the possibility of participating in the official photo line at the Grammy Awards, and the studio also expanded its global business by reaching agreement with a Japanese AI model company on conducting a PoC in February.

□ In addition, meaningful outcomes continued in technology cooperation in the shipbuilding and maritime sector that the city is promoting in preparation for the Arctic shipping route era.

○ Maepsi Co., Ltd., which participated as part of Team Busan at CES 2025 and formed a connection with CMA CGM, one of the world’s largest shipping companies, moved into the commercialization validation stage at this year’s CES by discussing the feasibility of introducing its navigation system across CMA CGM’s fleet of approximately 600 vessels. This cooperation is viewed as meaningful in that the technologies can be applied to improve operational efficiency and safety management of ships in response to climate and marine environmental changes, including the development of Arctic routes.

□ Mayor Park stated, “CES 2026 was an opportunity to imprint Busan companies’ technological capabilities and growth potential on the global market,” adding, “This year’s achievements, with consultations and cooperation concentrated with overseas buyers and global investors, further increased the likelihood of leading to tangible investment, exports, and commercialization.”

□ He added, “Busan Metropolitan City will continue to strengthen follow-up support so that these outcomes—centered on advanced strategic industries such as robotics, AI, content, and maritime sectors—can be connected to tangible investment, exports, and commercialization.”