• Designedto provide opportunities to startups of P4G member countries to shareinnovative businesses to address the climate crisis and sustainable growth
• Highsignificance being the first climate and environment summit held in Korea sincethe implementation of the Paris Agreement
• Variousclimate and environment-conscious solutions such as mobile parking informationplatform, waste management using locally found microorganisms, renewable energyin rural areas, granola bars made by beer by-products, and plastic recycling by3D printing technology introduced

As an effort to emphasize the importance of SMEs and startups in responding to Global Climate Change after 2021 P4G Seoul Summit, Ministry of SMEs and Startups (Minister Kwon Chil-Seung, hereafter MSS) announced that it hosted “P4G Entrepreneurs and SMEs Challenge (hereinafter P4G Startup Challenge)” with 58 startups from 12 P4G member countries and global investors at GLAD Hotel Yeouido, Seoul, on May 31.

P4G(Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030) is a global platformthat began in 2017 seeking innovation in five sectors (i.e., water, energy,food & agriculture, circular economy, and cities) to address climate changeand achieve Sustainable Development Goals. Its members are 12 countries fromfour continents (Europe, South America, Africa, and Asia): Korea, Denmark, theNetherlands, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, Bangladesh,Indonesia, and Vietnam.

Thisyear’s event is especially meaningful in the aspect that it is the firstclimate and environment summit held in Korea since the implementation of theParis Agreement, in the midst of the international community's consensus anddiscussion on the urgency of climate response is growing,

Thisevent is designed to provide opportunities to startups of P4G member countriesto share innovative businesses to address the climate crisis and sustainablegrowth. The entrepreneurs had the opportunity to receive feedback to preparethemselves for the next level.

Theofficial website for the online exhibition which opened on May 24 to introduce58 promising companies in the five sectors recommended by 12 P4G membercountries. Exhibiting company introduction materials and videos, the onlineexhibition hall will be open to domestic and foreign startups, investors, andthe general public until June 31 on the online exhibition hall(www.p4gentrepreneurchallenge.kr)

Asof June 22, a total of 394 people registered for the online exhibition hall, ofwhich 93 business meetings were held between 49 domestic and foreign investorsand 58 promising startups. So far, 2,591 domestic and foreign visitors havevisited the online exhibition, showing high interest in the P4G startup event.

Denmark,Kenya, Bangladesh, Colombia, and Korea showed high interest by recommending sixor more startups for the online exhibition. The startups have presented varioustechnologies to mitigate climate change, including Korea’s Modu Company, whichintroduces a mobile platform providing parking information (cities). Otherexamples include: waste management using locally found microorganisms (water),supply of renewable energy in rural areas (energy), production of granola barsusing byproducts of brewing beer (food & agriculture), and recycling ofcollected plastic using 3D printing technology (circular economy).

MSSplans to hold a follow-up virtual investment event (Meet-up Day) in the secondhalf of 2021, thereby helping the participating startups attract furtherinvestment.