For the first time, the World Korean Business Convention will be hosted in the USA. As the largest annual business convention for Korean business leaders worldwide, this event offers bi-national business collaborations, investments, distributions, and partnership opportunities, with an expected attendance of 3,500 business leaders, including 1,500 Korean entrepreneurs from 60 different countries.
Managed by the Orange County Inland Empire Small Business Development Center Network (OCIE SBDC) in partnership with the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), the California Pavilion provides a dedicated space for small businesses seeking international trade assistance and resources. Featuring fourteen federal, state and local agencies and organizations, the California Pavilion offers participants the opportunity to participate in no-cost consulting, matchmaking meetings, and hourly presentations on international trade support, resources, and subsidies.
Get ready for the California Pavilion at the World Korean Business Convention by joining our pre-convention virtual training events and virtual matchmaking opportunities!
Prior to the highly anticipated World Korean Business Convention in October, the OCIE SBDC and our pavilion partners will offer a series of training webinars designed to move your business forward. These informative sessions, scheduled to start in September, will cover various growth opportunities, subsidies and resources offered by federal, state, and local governments, and programs facilitating connections between California businesses and their Korean counterparts.
Our OCIE SBDC Global Trade Team is dedicated to your success. That’s why we’re offering personalized 1:1 no-cost consulting, perfectly tailored to complement the training and matchmaking opportunities leading up to the conference. We want to ensure you’re fully prepared to make the most out of this international business opportunity.
Schedule an intake appointment and get aligned with an OCIE SBDC Global Trade Consultant!
We have partnered with multiple organizations to bring you virtual matchmaking opportunities. Starting from the first week of September until the start of the convention, these virtual matchmaking sessions provide a unique chance for California and Korea-based businesses to meet potential partners, manufacturers, retailers, and distributors. By establishing initial connections beforehand, you’ll have the advantage of fostering deeper relationships during the convention, resulting in even greater matchmaking success.
Experience the Ultimate Opportunities at the California Pavilion
Get ready to maximize on your experience at the World Korean Business Convention with the California Pavilion as your gateway to success. Our goal is to make the California Pavilion the rock-star of the convention, offering a multitude of resources, matchmaking opportunities, personalized 1:1 no-cost consulting, and showcasing speakers and presenters. Brace yourself for non-stop programming, round-the-clock matchmaking, and exciting new opportunities presented every hour on the hour.
Matchmaking is our specialty, and we’re committed to facilitating successful connections between California and U.S.-based businesses seeking trade opportunities in Korea. Through collaboration with CalOSBA, DGS, and various state and federal partners, we aim to arrange as many one-on-one appointments as possible, tailored to your business objectives. The California Pavilion will showcase five private offices, ensuring a conducive environment for productive matchmaking meetings. For those needing language assistance, we’ll provide dedicated translators to bridge any communication gaps.
Get matched with a resource and connect in person at the convention.
Expand your knowledge and gain a competitive edge through our comprehensive lineup of informational seminars and training programs. Each day at the California Pavilion, our esteemed partners will host engaging sessions, covering topics such as state trade export program grant funding, patent and trademark filings, financing opportunities, insights on doing business in Korea, market research strategies, e-commerce and global online selling, and so much more. These seminars not only educate U.S. and Korean companies about available assistance and resources for international business, but they also create networking opportunities and potential matchmaking prospects for California businesses.
Prepare for meaningful connections and collaborations through our vibrant mixers and gatherings. Each day, we’ll host mixers at the California Pavilion, bringing together government officials, business leaders, and industry experts from the U.S. and Korea. These mixers provide a relaxed environment to meet and greet potential partners, accompanied by hors d’oeuvres, refreshing beverages, and fruitful connections. Look forward to ceremonial signings and a professional atmosphere filled with the excitement of creating new partnerships and opportunities.
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Funded in part through a grant with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.
Mike Daniel is the network director of the Orange County Inland Empire SBDC Network, which assists aspiring entrepreneurs and current business owners throughout Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Mike was formerly the director of the SBDC office at Long Beach City College. As business owner and entrepreneur himself, he started his career as the owner of a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory location in Manhattan Beach and went on to open a second location in Long Beach in 2001. In 2007, Mike sold the Manhattan Beach store for an above-market offer then invested in several additional locations as a minority shareholder. Mike further expanded his candy empire with venture located in Shoreline Village in Long Beach called Sugar Daddies Sweet Shoppe, based on fill-it yourself candy options.
Mike has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from California State University, Fullerton.
