awarded for three consecutive years… contributing to the establishment of the startup ecosystem through the operation of CHANGeUP GROUND and direct and indirect investments in venture funds
POSCO Holdings received the 2024 CSS Awards for the third consecutive year at the International Chamber of Commerce event held in Paris, France, on December 4.
The CSS (Corporate Start-Up Stars) Awards, initiated in 2016 as the ‘Corporate Startup Star Award’ by the European Union Executive Commission, is an event organized by the International Chamber of Commerce that selects and honors global companies actively collaborating with startups. Each year, the International Chamber of Commerce identifies and awards companies from the Forbes 2000 and Fortune 500 that have contributed to the creation of a global venture ecosystem through global open innovation, startup discovery, support, and nurturing.
▲ On December 4, POSCO Holdings was recognized as an outstanding company for the third consecutive year at the 2024 CSS Awards held by the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, France, for its contributions to the development of the startup ecosystem.
This year’s South Korean awardees include POSCO Holdings, Samsung, Hyundai Motor, and LG Electronics, with NVIDIA earning the distinction of Best Company. Among international recipients, 100 companies such as BMW, Siemens, BOSCH, Unilever, Microsoft, and 3M were honored. These award-winning companies plan to enhance their future competitiveness by maintaining continuous collaboration with startups that possess innovative technologies and by striving to secure cutting-edge technologies, even amidst uncertain global business conditions. POSCO Holdings intends to continue mutual cooperation with competitive local global companies, primarily through POSCO-Europe.
Meanwhile, POSCO Group inaugurated CHANGeUP GROUND in Pohang in July 2021, establishing a world-class venture ecosystem network. CHANGeUP GROUND is home to 106 companies and employs 1,198 individuals, significantly contributing to local job creation. Notably, among the resident companies, 24 have established their headquarters or branches in Pohang, and eight have relocated or established manufacturing plants in the city. Since 2019, POSCO Group has invested in direct and indirect venture funds totaling approximately 2.8 trillion won, formed by domestic and international external operators and POSCO Technology Investment, thereby supporting the growth of domestic venture enterprises.
▲ Representatives from the award-winning companies are taking a group commemorative photograph at the 2024 CSS Awards held by the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, France, on December 4.
Looking ahead, POSCO Group will continue to actively foster and invest in startups while collaborating with various venture companies to secure innovative technologies essential to the company, including carbon neutrality, secondary battery materials, and new business ventures.