Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, has announced a series of measures during its “Asia Tech Startup Day” online conference to further support Korean SMEs, startups and developers on their digital transformation journeys.
The measures included a new startup support program called “Accelerate Growth Together” (AGT), which provides entrepreneurs with resources to onboard with Alibaba Cloud more efficiently.
AGT will offer participating Korean SMEs and startups access to complementary technologies and ecosystem support over the next three years. Under the program, eligible Korean startups will receive up to USD20,000 in cloud credits, which can be used to purchase Alibaba Cloud products, as well as having the opportunity to be listed on the Alibaba Cloud Marketplace to showcase their software for purchase.
“Korea is a strategic market for Alibaba Cloud and we are committed to helping local businesses, especially SMEs, speed up their digital transformation via secure, reliable and scalable cloud solutions. We will continue to invest in the Korean market to further enable local customers with the latest cloud-based technologies and services,” said Unique Song, Regional General Manager of Japan & South Korea, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence.
Alibaba Cloud will also provide free training as well as technical support for cloud capabilities, including around architecture, migration and assessment. Leveraging the company’s technological capability and business networks, the aim of AGT is to help Korean startups digitalize while at the same time enable new growth and development.
Utilizing its global business network, Alibaba Cloud will assist startups in engaging with local and global investors and accelerators to help grow their businesses. Eligible companies will also have streamlined access to the Alibaba Group ecosystem of solutions, including those around e-commerce and payments, to capture emerging opportunities in Korea and other Asian markets.
Non-listed companies with annual revenue not exceeding USD500,000 (approximately KRW579 million) are eligible to apply to join AGT from now until March 2022. They should also have a track record demonstrating their potential for growth and have received seed funding.
“Alibaba Cloud is supporting SMEs and startups in Korea through a variety of means, from incubation services on our platform to network resources within our ecosystem, which are empowering businesses to build the capabilities necessary to succeed locally and globally. We look forward to continuing our support for Korean SMEs and startups to achieve their digital transformation goals and grow their businesses,” said Stone Ni, Country Head of South Korea, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence.
During “Asia Tech Startup Day”, Alibaba Cloud also announced a support program for Korean SMEs in the gaming sector. The benefits include six months of free Alibaba Cloud services, tailored support to address pain points, regular meetings with Alibaba Cloud technical experts, and access to the company’s Asia business expansion services.
Another highlight of the event was the launch of Alibaba Cloud Korea Community (ACKC), an online space where Alibaba Cloud users and cloud enthusiasts can discuss ways to leverage the cloud in their work or as a hobby.
In Korea, Alibaba Cloud works with a number of local partners and organizations, including Megazone, Global Knowledge, CNT Tech, Bluepoint Partners, Gyeonggi Global Game Center, and Incheon Creative Economy Innovation Center to extend its ecosystem support for SMEs and startups. For example, Alibaba Cloud partnered with Megazone’s subsidiary Cloud Class and Global Knowledge to provide workshops for personal and enterprise users, focused on increasing access to knowledge about how to use the cloud effectively.
Other examples of how Alibaba Cloud is supporting Korean SMEs include:
Sebang Chain, an accessory exporting company which operates in Korea, China and Vietnam, which utilized the Alibaba Cloud’s service to improve its network speeds and resolve the instability of its global networks.
Huarendejia, the largest online Chinese supermarket in Korea, which upgraded its computer system and digital services using Alibaba Cloud’s Elastic Compute Service (ECS) as well as expanded its business into China and global markets with the company’s Short Message Service (SMS) solution.
