[Venture Square] Born for Makers, 'Seobu Gyeonggi Culture Creation Hub'

Gyeonggi Province opened the 'Seobu Gyeonggi Culture Creation Hub' at the Gyeonggi West Convergence Support Center in Jeongwang-dong, Siheung-si on the 29th, commencing full-scale operations.
This newly opened West Culture Creation Hub is the fourth such hub in Pangyo, Gwanggyo, and Northern Gyeonggi. Unlike previous culture creation hubs, which focused on startup creation and support in the content industry sector, the West Culture Creation Hub focuses on the convergence/hybrid content industry sector.
The western region of Gyeonggi, where Sihwa and Banwol Industrial Complex, the largest manufacturing cluster in Korea, are located, is considered an optimal site for the convergence/hybrid content industry. This is based on the judgment that it will be easy to combine advanced technology with cultural content, as many small and medium-sized enterprises with various manufacturing technologies such as casting, molding, and welding are located there. Gyeonggi Province plans to foster various makers, promoting cross-industry convergence, strengthening the capabilities of manufacturing companies, and facilitating exchange between startups and industries.
The West Gyeonggi Culture Creation Hub is equipped with ▲a multi-purpose hall for networking and exhibitions (1F) ▲a co-working/support office space with a showroom and seminar room (2F) ▲a drone practice facility (3F) ▲a startup project space and maker collaboration space (4F) ▲an open space and education hall (5F), across four floors of the Gyeonggi West Convergence Support Center. Thirteen companies selected through an open recruitment last November are currently occupying the spaces.
Various programs such as idea discovery camps, practical competency enhancement training for startups, culture technology seminars, and customized technical training are scheduled to take place in each space. Furthermore, program exchange and organic linkage will be strengthened with the previously opened Pangyo, Gwanggyo, and Northern Gyeonggi Culture Creation Hubs.
Lee Jae-yul, First Vice Director of Gyeonggi Province Administration, said, "Even the smartphones we use today can be called a representative product of the convergence industry that combines various advanced technologies with content." He added, "We hope that the West Gyeonggi Culture Creation Hub will play a key role as a vanguard for promoting convergence between industries and content in the western Gyeonggi region, becoming a cornerstone for vitalizing the local economy and creating jobs."
The operation of the Gyeonggi Western Convergence Support Center will be managed by the Gyeonggi Contents Agency until 2019. It plans to perform various tasks, including fostering youth startups and regional anchor companies, in addition to the West Gyeonggi Culture Creation Hub. The Gyeonggi Western Convergence Support Center aims for 150 startup cases, 450 job creations, and 900 startup supports by 2019.
Venture Square - Reporter Lee Ye-hwa January 30, 2018
Original article -> http://www.venturesquare.net/759163