The Ministry of Science and ICT on Thursday held an online conference to match local information and communication technology startups with investors.

The event, titled “Untact IR” in reference to the trend for non-face-to-face contact, is a weekly online conference that has been hosted by the ministry since April 9 and is designed to increase exchanges between investors and companies amid the viral outbreak.

During the three-hour online conference, local firms promoted their businesses to venture capitalists and received feedback.

The latest event was presided over by the Korea Venture Business Association, which selected 10 local ICT startups across various tech industries, including artificial intelligence, semiconductors and health care.

KB Investment, KDB Capital and 32 venture capitalists joined the online conference to hear from the new businesses.

”I hope today’s event becomes the catalyst to invigorate exchanges between venture capital and startups,” said ICT Minister Choi Ki-young during the video conference.

The next conference scheduled on April 29 will invite associates from Korea’s major telecom firms, including KT, SK Telecom and LG Uplus.

By Shim Woo-hyun (ws@heraldcorp.com)