Cross-Border Conversations in NYC: Inside the Global Investors Bridge Co-Organized by Elpis Labs

New York City became the meeting point for one of the season’s most focused cross-border gatherings as Elpis Labs co-hosted the Global Investors Bridge (GIB) — a networking mixer designed to connect Korean founders with New York’s investment, accelerator, and corporate innovation communities.

Co-organized with KISED, the Seoul National University of Science and Technology Startup Support Foundation, Draper Startup House Korea, and Nuleep, the event brought together people who rarely end up in the same room: early-stage innovators from Seoul, U.S. decision-makers, and operators who spend their time navigating the realities of market entry.

A Room Built for Real Exchange

The format was intentionally simple — keep the room senior, keep the conversations direct, and keep the barriers low.

The mixer centered on practical questions: How do Korean startups validate U.S. demand? What do American investors actually look for in foreign teams? Where do cross-border partnerships start, and where do they stall?

The result was an atmosphere where founders could speak honestly, ask targeted questions, and get immediate feedback grounded in real U.S. market experience.

For Elpis Labs, co-hosting GIB aligned with the work we do every day: helping international startups navigate commercialization, understand the expectations of U.S. stakeholders, and build global pathways that feel achievable rather than abstract.

The Startups Behind the Conversation

Ten Korean companies joined the session — each approaching U.S. expansion with clarity and strong technical foundations.

Here’s the cohort that shaped the dialogue:

• WYHIL — AI solution improving distribution and MRO efficiency through vector-based search technology.

• DeepSales — B2B sales-intelligence platform identifying high-probability prospects and automating global lead generation.

• Hopae — Deepfake-prevention and identity-verification SaaS enabling secure digital identification.

• Friendli AI — Enterprise AI-operations platform helping teams automate workflows and optimize AI usage at scale.

• STYLEMATE — AI-powered influencer-matching platform connecting brands with the right creators globally.

• RIAD — Hyperautomation platform for B2B travel operations, powered by LLMs and deep learning.

• Colosseum Corporation — AI-driven logistics optimization SaaS improving global supply-chain efficiency.

• ARGOS Identity — AI identity-verification solution offering secure, compliant authentication for digital services.

• VISION SPACE — Industrial robotic-automation system using AI and RAG-based process optimization.

• Spotlite — AI advertising and content-matching platform bridging marketers and creators across borders.

These teams represented a wide spectrum of innovation — from industrial automation to identity security to workflow hyperautomation. What united them was a shared seriousness about understanding what the U.S. market truly demands.

Why Events Like GIB Matter

For founders, sessions like GIB replace guesswork with context. They’re able to hear directly how investors evaluate global teams, how procurement cycles differ from Korea, and which aspects of their technology resonate most with U.S. partners.

For New York’s ecosystem, GIB was a chance to engage with one of Asia’s most dynamic startup communities at a moment when cross-border collaboration is accelerating, not slowing down.

And for Elpis Labs, it reinforced a core belief: global expansion moves fastest when the right people are in the right room — not pitching, but talking.

Thank You to Our Partners

This event was made possible through the collaboration of: KISED, Seoul National University of Science and Technology Startup Support Foundation, Draper Startup House Korea, Nuleep, and Elpis Labs

Looking Ahead

As Korean founders continue pushing into the U.S. market, Elpis Labs will be there — building bridges, sharing practical insight, and helping teams navigate their most important expansion decisions.

If your organization is preparing a global program or exploring U.S. market pathways, our team is always open to collaborating on what comes next.