GWANGJU — The Gwangju branch of the Innopolis Foundation has created a forum to help local technology companies in the region move into the capital market by sharing listing strategies.
The Gwangju Research and Development Special Zone said on the 1st that it held a Korea Exchange-Gwangju Innopolis briefing on technology special listings, along with a networking session with already-listed peer companies, at the Gwangju Innobiz Center the previous day. The event was designed to help companies in the zone with strong technology understand the technology special listing track and obtain the practical information they need when preparing for an actual listing.
About 40 people attended, including officials from companies carrying out R&BD projects in the zone and from certified advanced technology firms. Regional innovation institutions also took part, including the Korea Exchange Gwangju Innovation Growth Center, the Korea Photonics Technology Institute and Gwangju Technology Holdings, discussing corporate growth and possible links to investment.
Won Jin-soo, head of the Korea Exchange Gwangju Innovation Growth Center, spoke at the briefing. Won explained the technology special listing track, the technology assessment process, the main points reviewed during listing screening and the key tasks companies need to prepare in advance.
The presentation focused on practical matters, in particular the trial and error that technology companies frequently encounter while preparing to list and how to respond to the screening process.
In the following session, in which already-listed companies shared their experience, SOS Lab Chief Executive Jeong Ji-sung and CIS Chemical Executive Director Kang Hyung-gil took part. They discussed their experience preparing for a listing, growth strategies for technology companies and what firms need to have ready to win over investors and the market. Participating companies used these cases to gauge the direction of listing preparations and the practical hurdles involved.
Seo Dong-kyung, head of the Gwangju branch, said the office will support promising technology companies in the zone so that they do not treat a listing as a vague long-term goal but prepare systematically in line with their growth stage. "We will keep strengthening ties with the Korea Exchange and other specialized institutions to back the scale-up of local technology companies and their entry into the capital market," Seo said.
