KAIST

< [Photo 1] Participants of the 2026 GESS Final Pitch Event pose for a group photo with Silicon Valley investors. >

The 2026 Global Entrepreneurship Summer School (GESS), organized by the KAIST Office of Global Initiatives, has successfully concluded its fifth annual program.

Now in its fifth year, GESS has become KAIST's flagship global entrepreneurship program, providing students with firsthand experience in Silicon Valley—the world's leading startup ecosystem—and equipping them with the entrepreneurial mindset and global competencies needed to launch ventures on the international stage.

Participants in the 2026 GESS program, including both undergraduate and graduate students, were selected through a competitive process consisting of document screening, interviews, team presentations, and peer evaluations.

Prior to traveling to Silicon Valley, the selected students completed a four-month preparatory program that included team building, customer discovery, business model development, and pitch preparation. Throughout the program, they received mentoring from entrepreneurs, venture investors, and industry experts, enabling them to refine their business ideas and evaluate their potential for entering global markets.

The Silicon Valley program, held in late June, was organized in collaboration with leading startup support organizations, including KOTRA Silicon Valley, IBK Changgong Silicon Valley, and Plug and Play. Through meetings with entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and representatives from global technology companies, students gained firsthand insight into the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem while developing a deeper understanding of global markets.

For the fourth consecutive year, students from the KAIST College of Business Impact MBA program also participated in the Silicon Valley program, creating valuable opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and exchange among students with diverse academic backgrounds and professional experiences.

A highlight of this year's program was a startup storytelling workshop conducted in collaboration with educators from Stanford University. The workshop helped students strengthen their communication skills by learning how to present their ideas more persuasively—an essential competency for aspiring global entrepreneurs.

In partnership with KAIST alumni based in Silicon Valley, participants also visited leading global technology companies and unicorn startups, including Meta, NVIDIA, and Moloco. They attended networking events with local professionals and alumni, gaining firsthand exposure to the innovation culture and growth strategies of global technology companies while broadening their perspectives on international careers and entrepreneurship.

To put into practice one of the core values of entrepreneurship—creating positive social impact—GESS participants also organized "Let's Play AI+Tech," a community outreach program for elementary school students from underserved families in Sunnyvale, California. Designed and led entirely by KAIST students, the program introduced fundamental concepts in artificial intelligence through engaging, hands-on activities for children and their parents. The initiative also offered KAIST students a meaningful opportunity to give back to the local community while sharing their expertise in AI and technology.

< [Photo 2] Participants of the 2026 GESS Final Pitch Competition discuss their business strategy and global market expansion plans with Silicon Valley venture investors. >

The program concluded with the Final Pitch Competition, where each team presented the business models they had developed over several months to a panel of Silicon Valley investors and entrepreneurship experts. Through expert feedback and evaluation, participants had the opportunity to validate the global potential of their ventures.

Following a highly competitive final round, Team CUPID was named the overall winner. Team CUPID presented an AI-powered developer platform that automatically routes coding tasks to the most cost-effective AI model, significantly reducing developers' AI usage costs. The team received high praise from the judges for its clear problem definition, strong market potential, and scalability in the global market.

Gianidita Nurani Pertiwi, a member of Team CUPID and a student in the Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, said, "GESS provided an invaluable opportunity to experience Silicon Valley's entrepreneurial ecosystem firsthand. Through conversations with founders, investors, and industry experts, I learned how to refine our ideas from a global perspective. The experience has motivated me to continue pursuing innovation that can create meaningful impact beyond borders."

The 2026 GESS program has been organized for the fifth consecutive year by the Office of Global Initiative in collaboration with the Impact MBA program and the Startup KAIST. KAIST will continue strengthening partnerships with Silicon Valley and other global innovation hubs to nurture entrepreneurial talent capable of leading future industries worldwide.