The global appetite for Korean “K-Style” has moved beyond mere cultural consumption into a high-growth asset class. As K-Beauty exports reached a record $11.43 billion in 2025 (a 12.3% YoY increase), the infrastructure for scaling these brands internationally has become the new frontier for venture capital.
Organized by beSUCCESS Media Group, in collaboration with KPOPPOST and KoreaProductPost, the K-Style Expo Q1 2026 is set to take place on March 25, 2026. This quarterly digital expo serves as a curated high-signal environment where 15+ handpicked startups pitch to a panel of world-class investors.
The Q1 2026 panel represents a strategic “Super-Network” of VCs, CVCs, and accelerators, specifically curated to provide Korean founders with the high-signal feedback required for rapid international scaling. It ensures that participating startups receive more than just a score—they receive a roadmap to global institutional capital.
Scaling is no longer just about the product; it’s about the infrastructure of trust. Our judges are the architects of that trust.”
The Southeast Asian Corridor: Deep Integration
A significant portion of the panel focuses on the Singapore-Indonesia-Vietnam triangle, where K-Beauty and K-Content have seen a 12.3% YoY growth in export value.
Adrien Wang (COO, One Tree Hill Ventures, Singapore)
As the COO of this Singapore-based venture builder, Wang specializes in the “Korea-to-Southeast Asia” corridor. He has a verified track record of supporting over 280 founders in navigating cross-border expansion, specifically focusing on building operational infrastructure for K-Food and K-Beauty brands.
Athaya Kadzima (Senior Investment Associate, BNI Ventures, Indonesia)
Representing the Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) arm of Bank Negara Indonesia, Kadzima targets Pre-Series A to Series B startups. She manages strategic investments with typical check sizes ranging from $1 million to $5 million, focusing on fintech and consumer-tech synergy within the Indonesian market.
Bella Irmena Puteri (AVP of Programs, Meet Ventures, Singapore)
Based in Singapore, Puteri is the AVP of Programs at Meet Ventures, where she oversees innovation consultancy and early-stage incubation. Her work focuses on creating market-entry programs that bridge the startup ecosystems of Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
The High-Growth Frontier: India & the Middle East
With bilateral trade between Korea and India reaching record highs, and the UAE emerging as a hub for Korean “Sovereign AI” and luxury branding, these judges provide a gateway to massive new demographics.
Goya Choe (Founder, GOYA Studio, UAE)
Operating out of Dubai, Choe is a strategic branding consultant with over 13 years of experience. She specializes in the “Cultural IP” of Korean brands, providing a critical entry point for K-Beauty and K-Fashion startups looking to establish premium positioning in the GCC (Middle East) region.
Arun Rajiah (Managing Partner, LVL1 Accelerator, India)
A serial entrepreneur with 15+ years of experience, Rajiah leads this Chennai-based accelerator. His firm focuses on tech-heavy sectors like AI, Fintech, and Healthtech.
Shakeel Ahamed (Founder, WisePrince, India)
The founder of this India-based accelerator, Ahamed is a specialist in Investor Relations (IR) and fundraising strategy. His firm focuses on “startup readiness,” ensuring that early-stage founders have the rigorous financial and narrative structure required to secure capital in South Asia.
Sunay Kumat (Angel Investor, India)
With over 12 years in global financial services and risk management, Kumat is an active angel investor based in India. He evaluates startups through a lens of financial sustainability and risk-mitigation.
Strategic Powerhouses: North America & Taiwan
Grace Kim (Investor, Sazze Partners, USA)
An investor at the US-based Sazze Partners, Kim focuses on Pre-Seed to Series A consumer tech. Drawing from her 6-year background at Amazon Web Services (AWS) in New York, she prioritizes data-driven retail and product scalability for Korean founders entering the North American market.
Michelle Chang (Investment Manager, Pegatron VC, Taiwan)
An Investment Manager for the CVC arm of Pegatron Corporation (a global manufacturing giant), Chang focuses on hardware integration and manufacturing technology. She is also a prominent advocate for Women in VSEA, championing diverse leadership in the venture ecosystem.
Robin Lee (Strategic Relationship Lead, SHOPLINE / Atalanta Ventures, USA)
With 18+ years of experience, Lee serves as a Strategic Relationship Lead at SHOPLINE and a Partner at Atalanta Ventures. A mentor at Techstars, he specializes in global e-commerce logistics and helping brands navigate the complexities of cross-border Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) scaling.
The European Gateway: Westward Expansion
Urska Vracun (Angel Investor, Slovenia)
Urska brings deep cross-border experience as a startup mentor and association leader. She acts as a western gateway for Asian startups, focusing on international expansion and European market entry.
Beyond the Pitch—Building the K-Style Infrastructure
The selection of these judges for K-Style Expo Q1 2026 signals a transition in how the world values Korean innovation. We are moving past the era of “K-Culture as a trend” and entering the era of “K-Style as a Global Standard.”
Final Call for Startups: Your Stage is Ready
If you are a founder in K-Beauty, K-Fashion, K-Food, K-Content, and digital lifestyle segments looking for more than just a check—if you are looking for a global roadmap—this is your moment.
The K-Style Expo offers a high-signal environment where only 15 elite startups are selected to pitch. Winners receive:
- Direct Access: 3-minute pitch + 3-minute live Q&A with the full panel.
- Strategic Intros: Top performers receive 5+ curated one-to-one introductions to VCs aligned with their stage and sector.
- Media Amplification: Priority coverage across beSUCCESS, KPOPPOST, and KoreaProductPost, reaching over 500,000 global readers.
Applications for the Q1 2026 cohort close on March 15, 2026.
Don’t leave your global expansion to chance; join the architects of the K-Style economy and put your innovation in front of the world’s most active cross-border investors.
