SK Telecom Champions 15 AI and ESG Startups at MWC 2026 to Attract European Venture Capital

SK Telecom is set to back 15 innovative South Korean startups focused on AI and ESG technologies at the upcoming MWC26 event in Barcelona.

The company will operate a dedicated pavilion at 4YFN, MWC26's startup side event starting March 2, to showcase collaborations and cutting-edge solutions from these startups.

Spotlight on AI Trailblazers

Ten AI startups, including MesaCure with facial recognition and Broz for 3D space generation, will demonstrate applications in security, healthcare, and energy.

Other AI highlights feature Energi.ai's inference optimization engine and AIve's distributed GPU cloud, addressing key industry challenges.

ESG Innovations for Sustainability

Five ESG startups like Sixty Hertz for renewable energy forecasting and For Natures for carbon reduction will present solutions for environmental and social impact.

Um Jonghwan, head of SK Telecom's ESG Promotion Office, emphasized the pavilion's role in global exposure: "We have prepared an exclusive pavilion to showcase the technological capabilities and collaboration achievements of innovative startups."

This initiative builds on SK Telecom's history of nurturing over 30 AI startups in the past two years, fostering investments and joint projects.

By hosting an investor relations session on March 4 with major European VCs, SK Telecom aims to secure funding and partnerships for these startups.

The move signals Korea's rising prowess in AI-ESG fusion, potentially accelerating global adoption of sustainable tech solutions.

Looking ahead, SK Telecom commits to ongoing support as a reliable partner, driving the startups toward international market expansion and technological leadership.

Overall, this pavilion could catalyze significant investments, enhancing Europe's access to Asia's top AI and ESG innovations.