As Korea and the United States deepen their cooperation in technology and entrepreneurship, Mason Korea has opened the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) in Songdo—the global extension of CIE at the Costello College of Business in Fairfax.
The new center connects two campuses across two continents. Together, they will expand entrepreneurship education, strengthen collaboration among universities, industry, and research institutions, and help Korean startups reach global markets.
The opening ceremony brought together representatives from Fairfax and key partners across the region. David Burge, Vice President for Enrollment, and JK Aier, Senior Associate Dean of the Costello College of Business, joined leaders from the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority (IFEZA), the Incheon Global Campus Foundation, Seoul National University, Incheon Technopark, Inha University, domestic startup support teams, and student entrepreneurs.
“The launch of CIE in Korea marks a meaningful step in linking Korea and the United States through a global entrepreneurship platform,” said Joshua Park, Campus Dean of Mason Korea. “By connecting Songdo with Northern Virginia, we hope to build an innovation network where students, researchers, companies, and institutions can collaborate and grow together.”
Sungyee Kim, Director of CIE Korea, introduced the mission of the center and its plan for future programs. “We want to create programs that help students shape their ideas and support companies as they grow beyond Korea,” she shared. “By tapping into George Mason University’s global network, we aim to nurture innovative talent and contribute to a sustainable startup ecosystem.”
Wonsok Yun, Commissioner of IFEZA, and Keon Wook Kang, Director of the SNU Entrepreneurship Center, also gave congratulatory remarks.
Built as a global hub connecting Mason’s Washington, D.C.–area campus with Songdo, the CIE focuses on three directions: fostering Korea–U.S. entrepreneurial talent, advancing applied research through partnership with industry and research institutions, and supporting Korean startups as they explore overseas markets. The center plans to provide education and mentoring, guidance on business models and commercialization, and support in law, compliance, and intellectual property, along with soft-landing and investment-network services for global expansion.
Looking ahead, CIE will strengthen support for entry into the U.S. East Coast through George Mason’s Northern Virginia International Soft Landing Accelerator (NISA) program and develop a model aligned with Incheon’s specialized industries. It also plans to expand joint research with faculty and regional partners, building what it envisions as a “global entrepreneurship innovation belt” that links Songdo and Northern Virginia.
November 18, 2025