According to Yonhap News,

(SEOUL=Yonhap News) Campus Seoul, the first Asian campus set up in South Korea by U.S. Internet giant Google Inc., on Tuesday celebrated its first anniversary after helping startups attract investments worth over 12 billion won (US$10.24 million).

Campus Seoul, a Google space that opened in southern Seoul on May 8 last year to provide more business opportunities for startups and entrepreneurs, held more than 450 startup-related events that attracted over 20,000 startup hopefuls in the past year, Google Korea said in a statement.

As a result, seven startups residing in Campus Seoul and nine startups that finished startup-related programs offered by Google were successful in attracting 12.1 billion won from investors. Of the 16 startups, one was from the U.S. and the rest were from Korea, the statement said.

In the past year, some 13,000 startups and investors from 80 countries have registered with the Campus Seoul community as members. Three out of 10 members were women, it said.

In the second year of operation, Campus Seoul plans to offer mentoring services and add more specified and practical programs that will support the growth of startups.

"For two weeks from June 13, a group of Google employees who have their own expertise in sales, marketing and development will come to Campus Seoul to share their know-how and experience with local startups," Jeffrey Lim, head of Campus Seoul, said.

Campus Seoul is Google's third campus for startups after the first that opened in London in March 2012 and the second launched in Tel Aviv, Israel, in December 2012. Google said the project's global network will provide participants with a wide range of opportunities.

Google added more campuses in Spain, Brazil and Poland last year, bringing the total to six globally.

kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr

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