06 May 2026, Seoul, South Korea — New Energy Nexus (NEX) and the Asan Nanum Foundation (ANF) today announced a new partnership to support early-stage climate tech entrepreneurs in South Korea through Asan UniverCT, a program designed to help young founders turn technical innovation into scalable businesses.
The collaboration brings together ANF’s leadership in South Korea’s startup ecosystem with NEX’s global experience supporting clean energy entrepreneurs. Together, they will equip a new cohort of founders with the tools, networks, and support needed to build and scale globally in a rapidly changing energy and climate landscape.
“South Korea has no shortage of brilliant people working on climate solutions, but what early-stage founders often need most is connection: to experienced mentors, to global markets, and to a community that believes in what they’re building. We’re genuinely excited to be part of UniverCT, and to help bring the best of our global network to South Korean university founders who are ready to take on the world,” said Andrew Chang, CEO at New Energy Nexus.
“Climate change is one of the defining challenges facing this generation, and young entrepreneurs have a critical role in responding to it.
With Asan UniverCT, we are helping founders move from lab to business, and from scientist to entrepreneur—building practical solutions with real-world impact.
Working with New Energy Nexus, as its first Korean partner, strengthens that effort by connecting Korean entrepreneurs to global experience, partnerships, and opportunities for growth,” said Eom Yoon-mi, Chairperson of The Asan Nanum Foundation.
The partnership comes at a time when energy price volatility and wider geopolitical shocks are underscoring the risks of continued dependence on fossil fuels. As countries look for more secure, affordable, and resilient energy systems, climate tech startups have an increasingly important role to play in building practical alternatives.
South Korea, with its world-class research institutions and deep engineering talent, is well-placed to be part of the solution. Yet climate tech startups remain a nascent segment of the country’s innovation ecosystem, representing approximately 5% of total startup investment between 2015 and 2024, with most funding concentrated at the earliest stages. Asan UniverCT is designed to meet this moment: connecting South Korean founders to the global networks and capital they need to grow.
Through the partnership, NEX will bring its global mentorship infrastructure, expert matching, and international network to support 15 climate tech startups over a seven-month program. Founders will connect directly with experienced climate tech mentors and investors from around the world.
Participants will receive a ₩10M grant for prototyping and global market validation, alongside tailored mentoring and workshops on business strategy, fundraising, and global market entry. Selected teams will have the opportunity to pitch at Climate Week NYC, with top performers advancing to the Chung Ju-yung Startup Competition, which offers a ₩120M (approximately US$81,000) prize pool.
For more information and to apply, visit: https://univerct.asan-nanum.org/
About The Asan Nanum Foundation
The Asan Nanum Foundation (ANF) is a South Korean nonprofit established in October 2011 in honor of the late Chung Ju-yung, founder of Hyundai. With a mission to foster entrepreneurship and advance social innovation, ANF drives impact across four areas: entrepreneurship education, startup support, social innovation, and ecosystem development. The foundation also operates MARU, an entrepreneurship platform offering startups workspace, educational programs, and networks—based in Seoul, Korea (MARU180, MARU360) and San Francisco, California (MARU SF). Learn more at asan-nanum.org.