✈️ Why did Wadizattend BEYOND EXPO 2026, Asia’s largest tech expo?
Last May, Wadizheld an event at The Venetian Macao BEYOND EXPO 2026I went there.
Beyond Expo is a global technology innovation event that brings together a diverse range of tech companies, startups, investors, and platform representatives from across Asia. Now in its sixth year, the event attracted approximately 30,000 attendees, over 1,200 exhibiting companies, and more than 400 speakers.
This year’s theme was “AI: Digital to Physical.”
It was an opportunity to see firsthand how AI is expanding beyond on-screen technology into actual products, everyday life, and industrial settings.
Wadizoperated a booth at the event and participated in speaker sessions and open networking sessions, where we had the opportunity to meet global makers in person. In particular, this on-site program was organized by Wadiz overseas sales team members Jung Soo-yeon and Han Hye-rim, along with Martin Mozming, our China Director, and served as a valuable opportunity to further expand our network with global makers.
👀 Innovative AI products spotted at the Wadiz booth
Martin Mozming, General Manager of Wadiz China, greeting visitors at the event booth.
During the event, the Wadiz booth showcased innovative AI products from domestic makers.
Since its inception, Wadizhas been a platform where tech and innovative products have been actively showcased. Recently, there has been a string of successful funding campaigns for AI-based products.
At this exhibition, we aimed to introduce the products of Korean makers who have demonstrated their potential Wadizto a global audience and create opportunities for them to connect with a broader market.
The products featured this time were For Me Buds, Ionic Cryo Stick Ultra, Nemonic AI, and b. ring Pro.
Although the fields ranged from sleep care and health management to beauty tech and AI printing, they all drew significant interest at the event because they demonstrate how technology is expanding to solve everyday problems.
Buyers, accelerators, and incubator representatives who visited the booth examined the products firsthand and even requested to connect with the makers.
During the product presentations, questions such as “What aspects of this product will appeal to Korean consumers?” and “How would the product be featured if it were fundedWadiz?” naturally came up.
🎤 “Asia Is Now a Single Market”: Plans for Ecosystem Collaboration with Leading Global Platforms
Shin Hye-sung, CEO of Wadiz, delivering a presentation on the Asian crowdfunding market and the potential of the Korean market at the BGlobal Summit.
On May 28, the second day of the event, CEO Shin Hye-sung participated as the keynote speaker representing Korean platforms at the BGlobal Summit session. This marked her second consecutive yearserving as the keynote speaker representing Korea.
The session was titled “The East Asian Launchpad: Mastering Multi-market Crowdfunding Strategies.”
Wadiz, alongside Japan’s Makuake and Taiwan’s Jujek, discussed the characteristics of each market and the potential for cross-border collaboration as leading crowdfunding platforms in Asia.
Shin Hye-sung, CEO Wadiz, said, “Asia is now becoming interconnected as a single market,” adding,Wadizserves as a hub for the crowdfunding ecosystem by connecting Asian brands with supporters.”
Furthermore, while South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan are neighboring Asian markets, their consumer characteristics and approaches to product adoption differ slightly. As a result, there was discussion about the importance of platforms that thoroughly understand each market. Wadizhighlighted the South Korean market’s rapid response time, high consumer standards, and the potential for market validation through crowdfunding.
(Second from the right) Shin Hye-sung, CEO Wadiz, speaking at the BGlobal Summit panel discussion.
💬 What Global Manufacturers Wanted to Know
Wadiz Jung Soo-yeon introducing the Wadiz platform to global makers at Wadiz open networking session.
We also held a Wadiz open networking session during the event.
This session was organized by Wadiz International Sales Team members Jung Soo-yeon and Han Hye-rim, along with Martin Mozming, Wadiz’s China Director.
It was designed to introduce Wadiz and opportunities for entering the Korean market to global makers in person, and to discuss the practical aspects of running a crowdfunding campaign.
During the opening session, Jung Soo-yeon introduced Wadiz, its global services, and the team members involved.
This was followed by approximately 40 minutes of one-on-one consultations with international makers. Although the time was brief, around 20 teams of makers visited Wadiz, demonstrating a high level of interest in the Korean market and crowdfunding.
At the event, participants asked a variety of questions, including those regarding trends in the Korean market, funding opportunities, preparation time, and the possibility of launching existing products.
Martin Mozming and Jung Soo-yeon engaging in conversation with global makers during the open networking session
What struck me most was that many makers view Korea not merely as a sales market, but as a market where they can test the waters before expanding globally.
“Will this product resonate with Korean consumers?”
“What points should we emphasizeWadiz?”
“How is it different from Kickstarter or Indiegogo?”
At the event, there was a steady stream of questions like these, all focused on entering the Korean market. Wadizhighlighted the unique characteristics of the Korean market and explained how crowdfunding can be used to gauge consumer response and validate market potential.
He also noted that while Kickstarter and Indiegogo serve as gateways to the broader global market, Wadiz is a local platform that allows makers to reach Korean consumers directly. Through these conversations, I could sense firsthand that the Korean market and Wadizare becoming increasingly important starting points for global makers.
🤝 A brief encounter leads to a new connection
(From left) So Kang-seop of Wadiz Partners and Jeong Su-yeon of Wadiz, who participated in the business matching event.
Following the booths and networking sessions, business matching sessions took place. We had more in-depth discussions with the makers, buyers, and partners we met at the event, exploring product introductions and market entry opportunities together.
Since joining Wadiz as Head of China following the opening of the Shenzhen office in April, Martin Mozming has been leading efforts to discover local Chinese makers and expand partnerships.
During this visit, he met directly with innovative Chinese brands and hardware makers, creating opportunities for Wadizto forge closer ties with the Asian innovation ecosystem, including China.
It reminded me once again of the significance of global events, as a chance encounter sparked by a brief conversation can lead to actual discussions about collaboration.
🔎 Insights from the field in Macau
What struck me most about this year’s Beyond Expo was that the event is no longer just an exhibition showcasing new IT technologies.
At the exhibition, various fields—ranging from robots and AI hardware to sports, content, and investment—were all interconnected. In particular, the official UFC SPORT booth was set up right next to the Wadiz booth, offering visitors a close-up look at the convergence of sports and AI technology.
I was also impressed by how technology is seamlessly integrating into sports and entertainment experiences through areas such as athlete performance analysis, wellness and recovery technologies, data-driven training, and fan experience platforms. Throughout the event, I could clearly sense this trend of technology expanding beyond specific industries and into the broader lifestyle and content sectors.
It was also notable that, amid this trend, booths from Korean organizations—including the Korea Institute of Startup Promotion—were grouped together, naturally creating a “Korea Pavilion” atmosphere. At the event, Koreawas being promoted as a market where global AI products and services can be tested and their growth potential assessed.
There were three main takeaways from my experience on-site.
- AI is now moving beyond tech demos and expanding into products for everyday use
- South Korea is becoming a testing ground that global AI tech companies are taking notice of.
- Wadizhas the potential to become the fastest channel connecting global makers with Korean consumers.
Ultimately, the interest shown by the global manufacturers we met on-site went beyond the question of “what technology they had developed” and focused instead on “where to test it first.”
And in response to that question, I could sense that more and more makers are turning their attention to the Korean market and Wadiz.
📸 A few memories from Wadizat Beyond Expo
(From left) Martin Mozming, Head of Wadiz China; So Kang-seop; and Jeong In-gil, who attended the event together.
Despite our busy schedule, we created many memorable moments together with our team members as we set up the booth, met with makers, and explored the event venue.
Seeing the new products firsthand, answering questions on-site, and introducing Wadiz—all these experiences combined to make this business trip a wonderful memory.
Wadizwill continue to support more global makers in discovering opportunities in Korea and expanding into new markets.
Wherever innovation begins, Wadizwill be there.
Wadiz Han Hye-rim enjoying the atmosphere at the Beyond Expo photo zone.
