On June 15, Innocean announced the operation of the innovative company growth platform UP 2026 in partnership with SBVA, which rebranded from SoftBank Ventures in 2024. SBVA currently invests in over 100 startups worldwide across various fields, including AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), and smart robotics.
UP 2026 will focus on identifying growth challenges and exploring business expansion strategies with the promising companies that SBVA has invested in. Participating companies include the workplace social platform Blind, the limited-edition trading platform KREAM, the lifestyle platform Today's House, the 4050 generation platform Queenit, the mobile laundry service Launderinggo, the global women's wellness brand Rael, and the AI-based healthcare platform Gravity Labs, among others.
The program will consist of four sessions. The opening session will feature Innocean and SBVA sharing the purpose of their collaboration and future partnership directions. The main session will discuss market changes in the AI era, brand communication strategies, and data-driven business expansion methods.
Key leaders from Innocean's BX division, strategic solutions headquarters, global business division, DX headquarters, and CX headquarters will participate in evaluating potential business collaborations with the participating companies.
Following this, one-on-one in-depth meetings will analyze each company's business model and growth challenges, discussing strategies for business enhancement and market expansion. Subsequent consultations will be held as needed to establish a continuous collaboration structure.
Innocean plans to support the development of growth models for innovative companies by integrating its capabilities in creativity, data, AI, and customer experience (CX), moving beyond its traditional role as a marketing agency.
Kim Jeong-a, CEO of Innocean, stated, "This initiative marks the starting point for Innocean to expand strategic collaborations with innovative companies and seek new growth opportunities beyond traditional advertising agency roles."
Lee Jun-pyo, CEO of SBVA, expressed, "We are honored to create a platform that supports the growth of SBVA's portfolio companies in collaboration with Innocean, which leads brand experience innovation."
Meanwhile, despite a general contraction in the advertising market, Innocean has achieved revenue growth through new business ventures. In the first quarter, the company reported a total revenue of 250.1 billion won, operating profit of 39.8 billion won, and net profit of 39.6 billion won, marking increases of 7.7%, 33.3%, and 134.5%, respectively, compared to the same period last year.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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