Youth International Business Initiative

YIBI 2020 US-Korea Conference on Youth Entrepreneurship

San Roman, CA. January 12, 2020

On December 1st, 2018, two international business programs bonded together through their shared ardor for business in San Ramon, CA. The Youth International Business Initiative, or YIBI, students amalgamated with chosen Korean teens for one day at Launching Pad, where the international meeting proved extremely beneficial towards both parties.

Qualified YIBI members represented their teams: HA-LO, Lend n’ Rent, ShoeGuard, TrackBuddy, and Parkway’s representatives all presented their products to the Korean students, and vice versa. Both parties’ presentations were impressive, as the Korean students displayed their companies’ creations: 3D4U, MCT, Airblock, and Starbugs. The overall preparation and effort the two groups put into their products were highlighted during their presentations and was deeply ingrained in the students’ minds, thus leading to a respectful admirance visible throughout.

During a brief lunch break, albeit the language differentiations and difficulties naturally derived from the differing nationalities, YIBI members intermixed with Korean students to discuss their products, interests, and more.

Having earned and given a sense of trust and respect, the YIBI students proceeded to look over their Korean friends’ presentations. YIBI students provided the Korean students beneficial pointers, which the young Korean entrepreneurs gratefully took. The YIBI members were inspired and amazed with the Korean students’ innovative prototypes and technological prowess.

The Korean students’ visit in California lasted for a span of one week, where they lived in a hotel in Santa Clara and toured around companies such as Luidia, Intel, Google, and others. Having already received prestigious training from the Global 2018 CEO program in Korea, the students gathered from different cities in Korea to improve upon their start-up companies.

By Selina Kao