Incheon Metropolitan City’s systematic efforts to build a global bio cluster and foster companies in relevant industries are translating into tangible results.
Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Chan-dae) announced that bio companies headquartered in or operating major research facilities in Incheon received multiple awards at the “2026 Global Open Innovation Week,” held from September 9 to 11 at The Four Seasons Hotel Seoul. The awards recognized the companies’ outstanding technological capabilities and growth potential.
Hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and organized by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute and other organizations, the event is Korea’s largest open innovation platform. This year’s event brought together a record 23 leading global companies and investment institutions, including global pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, Amgen, and Novo Nordisk, as well as venture capital firms.
At the awards ceremony, leading companies based in or operating in the Incheon Songdo Bio Cluster dominated major award categories, highlighting their growing presence in the global market. Samsung Biologics received a Minister of Health and Welfare Commendation (Organization) for contributing to the development of a global open innovation ecosystem based on its world-leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) capabilities for biopharmaceuticals.
Voronoi Co., Ltd., headquartered in Incheon and recognized for its research and development of precision-targeted anticancer drugs, was selected to receive a Commendation from the President of the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (Organization). Voronoi has laid the foundation for its growth through close support from Incheon Metropolitan City, including technical support under the Startup Leap Package and startup investment funds launched by the city in 2020.
In addition, Epibiotech Co., Ltd., an Incheon-based company specializing in the research and development of hair loss treatments, and Samsung Biologics were each named recipients of a Commendation from the President of the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association. Epibiotech has also strengthened its competitiveness through systematic support from the city, including technical consulting in 2021 and support for developing sales channels in 2022.
These achievements can be seen as a logical outcome of Incheon’s strategy to foster the bio industry. Incheon has steadily built a robust value chain centered on Songdo by combining the production infrastructure of large corporations with the R&D capabilities of promising startups.
During the event, 97 promising companies selected from 715 advance applications held a total of 171 in-depth meetings with 19 global companies through 1:1 partnering sessions. The city government explained that, through these meetings, local innovative companies that have received support from the city actively pursued discussions on tangible commercialization opportunities, including technology transfers and joint research, with global pharmaceutical companies and investment institutions.
Connection with global capital is essential for bio startups seeking to overcome the “Death Valley” they face during the R&D stage. The city government added that the event demonstrated how its bio cluster policy has successfully evolved beyond simply attracting companies to serve as a platform connecting global capital with innovative technologies.
