Translink Investment and Wilt Venture Builder have launched a 12-week program to foster entrepreneurship among the 2030 generation. Unlike government-supported initiatives, this program is purely centered around private venture capital (VC). The program will run from September 7 to December 7, offering 13 weeks of mentoring from the nation’s top VCs and experts. It is open to young aspiring entrepreneurs in their 20s and 30s, regardless of qualifications. Applications are being accepted until August 23.
A new program has been launched to instill fundamental entrepreneurial skills and spirit (Entrepreneurship) from the ground up for young people in their 20s and 30s aspiring to start a global business. On the 6th, Translink Investment and Wilt Venture Builder announced the start of the 'Zero100' program, designed to inspire entrepreneurship in the 2030 generation and lead them to actual startups.
Zero100 aims to go beyond creating something from nothing ('Zero to One') and seeks to foster entrepreneurship that pursues substantial growth on a global stage, such as '10x, 100x growth.' Park Hee-deok, CEO of Translink Investment and planner of the Zero100 program, explained the initiative's purpose: “When comparing the startup ecosystems of the United States, particularly Silicon Valley, which produces the most unicorn companies, and Korea, we see a similar growth trajectory in the early stages, from zero to one and one to ten. However, from ten to one hundred, companies often struggle or collapse due to weak foundations. This difference stems from establishing solid foundations of cooperation, value, execution, and global standards early on, rather than just pursuing more money and fame, which enables a sustainable entrepreneurial journey.”
Won Dae-ro, CEO of Wilt Venture Builder, who organized the 'Zero100' program for Korean startups in Singapore, emphasized, “Having supported investments and market entries for major domestic and international startups globally for over a decade, we realized the importance of solid 'entrepreneurial qualities' over mere passion and haste. Therefore, we developed this program.”
He added, “We have seen that companies with objectively analyzed and prepared business models can fully demonstrate their capabilities on the main stage. This program is unique in that it not only selects talents with strong entrepreneurial spirit but also mentors them through both startup and growth phases.”
Under the motto 'Embrace the Possibility of Zero to 100,' the Zero100 program features active global venture capitalists, venture builders, and startup accelerators who have supported global startup expansions in the US, Singapore, and Korea over the past decade. They voluntarily participated in programming the initiative.
In addition to Park Hee-deok and Won Dae-ro, the mentoring team includes notable venture capitalists such as Kim Beom-soo, Deputy CEO of Translink Investment known for the startup community 'Demo Day,' Kim Sung-hoon, CEO of Mission Law Firm, Bae Gil-dong, CEO of Blessing Partners, Lee Ki-dae, Director of Startup Alliance, Lee Hee-woo, CEO of Hallym University Technology Holdings, Ha Dae-woong, COO of KREAM, and Lee Yoon, Co-CEO of Brandwalker Partners.
Applications for the program will be accepted online through the website (https://www.zero100.ac) until August 23. Participants will be selected through a document review and interview process. Those selected will participate in a 13-week program from September 7 to December 7, which focuses on the core values of Zero100: openness, cooperation, value, execution, and global foundations. Participants will work with experts to enhance their personal skills, build teams voluntarily, and validate their business models, adhering to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. Additionally, the program offers the opportunity to participate directly in industries such as food tech on a global scale.
Furthermore, the launch of Zero100 is supported by major private startup support organizations in Korea, including D.CAMP, MYSC, and Startup Alliance. The Milk, a startup founded in Silicon Valley, also supports the program's mission and will sponsor it.
