Genetically Modified Foods Essay

Presentation The world is gradually coming up short on food. Ruined individuals have no place to turn. Biotechnology specialists think they have figured out how to turn around the world starvation. Thusly is through hereditarily altered nourishments which are food sources that originate from hereditarily designed creatures. Instances of such life forms are sheep, bovines, and fish. Be that as it may, since it is another innovation, it is being met with unforgiving and authentic concerns. While it might help the world’s food emergency, it might likewise do that to the detriment of human wellbeing. In addition, In the 90’s in the USA, the Food and Drug Administration concluded that hereditarily adjusted food was sheltered and didn't require uncommon guideline. They expressed that is was, â€Å"not naturally risky. † (FDA, 1998). This permitted hereditarily altered food, for example, soybean oils and tomatoes to enter the market. There are heaps of thoughts regarding the GMF. A few researchers state that it is no hurtful effects of GMF and it might be an answer for shortage of food and even it is solid. In any case, some others state that GMFs are hazardous for general wellbeing. Also, It can harm biodiversity. Hereditarily changed nourishments might be a decent solition to expand the measure of food. The issue is there are loads of individuals rest hungry ordinary and the quantity of hungry individuals is getting greater. Furthermore, International Food Policy Research Institute state there are â€Å"120 devoloping countries† which are exceptionally near restriction of yearning and â€Å"57 of which with a genuine or more terrible craving circumstance. †(Global Hunger Index, 7) The explanation of this appetite is there isn't sufficient food to take care of them and on the grounds that the total populace is getting higher yet the zones which use in cultivating are getting littler. Ranchers couldn't discover reasonable zone to plant their harvests. That is the reason, They need to see an alternate arrangement as profitable. Conko contends that biotech horticulture is the strategy by which we can increment agrarian efficiency without turning to increments in unsafe concoction manures, herbicides, and pesticides. In the Genetic Modification it says that hereditary alteration gives a way to give protection from wide range herbicides into crops where current weed control is viewed as troublesome. Along these lines, ranchers can be increasingly gainful and they can get more item on their fields. â€Å"In the United States, in 2002 around 5. 5 million ranchers in 145 countries were planting in excess of 145 million sections of land worth of GM crops. † (Conko) On the other hand, hereditarily adjusted herbicide open minded yields may negatively affect biodiversity. Hereditarily Modified harvests affect winged creatures and creepy crawly. A harvest plant adjusted to be poisonous to creepy crawly bugs can have a direct unsafe impact on non-target bugs on the off chance that they eat the plant. It can likewise have a circuitous impact by diminishing the creepy crawlies that are a food hotspot for other natural life, for example, farmland winged animals. Hereditarily Modified yields that are open minded to herbicides could likewise prompt a decrease in weed populaces that go about as shelters for gainful bugs, and those that are eaten by feathered creatures. This procedure requires some serious energy in view of this GM crops assess as a decent arrangement however it can obliterate the organic assorted variety. Also, US protection association Royal Society,founded in London In 1660 is a scholarly society for science, bolster it. They express that the probability of the spread of Genetically changed into the wild populaces, the danger of superweeds being delivered, the effect Genetically altered presentations may have on the provinces of small scale life forms living in the dirt and how such dangers can be assesed and dissected. Likewise John Innes Center, Founded in England is a free community for examination and preparing in plant and microbial science, express that Monarch butterfly hatchlings took care of just on leaves shrouded in dust from Bt corn developed all the more gradually and endured higher demise rates and pink bollworm benefited from cotton creating the Bt poison. Aphids benefited from Genetically Modified potatoes delivering an alternate poison were additionally answered to harmfully affect ladybirds benefiting from the aphids. Hereditarily Modified harvests can be advantageous for wellbeing regarding their food esteem. Nourishments incorporate bunches of nutrients which are important to our body. In early days, our nourishments were loaded with nutrients, proteins, starch and they were busy with esteem. Be that as it may, presently there are insufficient nourishments which are brimming with esteem. Since there are loads of ecological elements like an Earth-wide temperature boost which causes to summers takes long time, and shortage of water, and furthermore a few nuisances. These components impact the harvests and ranchers need to utilize pesticide and this reason to diminish food esteem. Furthermore, it drives loads of medical issues. Furthermore, the one of the most significant medical issue is Vitamin An insufficiency. This is the reason for in any event â€Å"1 million youth deaths† every year and is â€Å"considered the absolute most genuine motivation of visual impairment among children† in the creating nations. â€Å"A conceivable answer for this issue is the hereditary alteration of rice. † ( Potrykus, cited inGenetic Modification) Although GM nourishments are benefical for the food esteem, in certain conditions, it tends to be destructive for human wellbeing. Without an excess of control eating hereditarily changed food can be perilous and it can lead bunches of maladies like Eosonophil Myalgia Syndrome. In this discussion, the Physicians and Scientists for Responsible Application of Science and Technology, is a site to teach the overall population about hereditary building all in all and nourishments, uncovered that After eating a food supplement delivered by hereditarily designed microorganisms, â€Å"37 people were executed 1500 individuals were for all time disabled† in the US in a sickness called Eosonophil Myalgia Syndrome. It was brought about by at least one incredibly toxic substances that unexpectdedly showed up in this food supplement. This mishap affirms the forecasts of sub-atomic scientists that hereditary designing can cause the presence of risky sudden substances. As a Conclusion, there are heaps of contentions in the GMF. Perhaps It can be an answer for loads of issues, possibly it very well may be development of the this century. I think, be that as it may, without an excess of investigating about GMF we can't utilize it to pick up benefit. Since human wellbeing is significant than anything. We need to increasingly cautious. Later on, After profound examination about the GMF, we can take care of the sustanibility issue. Works refered to â€Å"Chapter 8: Genetic Modification. † Agricultural Pollution. 193-211. n. p. : Taylor and Francis Ltd/Books, 2002. Condition Complete. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Genetically Modified Plants and the Environment. † Royal Society Submission to the Government’s GM Science Rewiev. The Royal Society, 1 May 2003. Web. 31 Mar 2013. <http://royalsociety. organization/uploadedFiles/Royal_Society_Content/strategy/distributions/2003/9827-Environment. pdf>. â€Å"New proof show that hereditary building was the reason. † Most significant news. PSRAST, 06 Jan 2007. Web. 31 Mar 2013. <http://www. psrast. organization/demsd. htm>. U S Food and Drug Administration Home Page. Web. Conko, G. The advantages of biotech: as the world’s populace develops, natural stewardship will expect science to discover approaches to deliver more food on less land. Guideline, 26(1), pp. 20-25. Print. Spring 2003. Ringler, Claudia ,Rosegrant, Mark W. , Olofinbiyi, Tolulope, Wiesmann, Doris, Fritschel, Heidi, Badiane, Ousmane, Torero, Maximo, Yohannes, Yisehac, Thompson, Jennifer, von Oppeln, Constanze, Rahall, Joseph, Von Grebmer, Klaus, Claudia, Ringler Global Hunger Index. Universal Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), 2012. Print. â€Å"Impact of developing GM crops on biodiversity. † John Innes Center. Norwich Research Park, n. d. Web. 18 Apr 2013.

Different types of wastewaters Essay

Residential wastewater Residential effluents are created from exercises, for example, washing, clothing, cleaning, cooking, washing, and other kitchen exercises. This contains a lot of natural waste with suspended solids and coliforms. Figurings made dependent on accessible information show that a large portion of the natural waste is from the household area (PEM, 2003). As expressed in the EMB report, residential wastewater releases contribute most elevated to the BOD load as the absence of sewage treatment framework permits in excess of 90 percent of insufficiently offered local sewage be released into surface waters, which contain microscopic organisms and infections that undermine human life. Topographically, information show that 33% (30 percent) of BOD age originates from Metro Manila and Region IV alone, at 18 and 15 percent, individually (PEM, 2003). Modern wastewater Reports show that the volume and qualities of mechanical effluents change by kind of industry and are affected by various factors, for example, creation forms and the size of creation utilized. Enterprises that are seen as water-concentrated, for example food and dairy fabricating, mash, paper and paperboard items, and material items, correspondingly release a lot of wastewater (PEM, 2003). The vast majority of the water contamination concentrated enterprises are in National Capital Region, Calabarzon, and Region III. Food fabricating enterprises, piggeries, and slaughterhouses are the primary wellsprings of natural contamination (PEM, 2004). A report from an examination led by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in 1999 underscores that the circumstance is significantly progressively basic concerning unsafe squanders. In the said report, roughly 2,000 cubic meters of dissolvable squanders, 22,000 tons of overwhelming metals, irresistible squanders, organic muck, ointments, and unmanageable squanders, just as 25 million cubic meters of corrosive/soluble fluid squanders are inappropriately discarded every year in the Metro Manila zone alone. An investigation by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) led in 2001 (as refered to in National Economic Development Authority’s record on the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan 2004-2010) states that around 700 modern foundations in the Philippines produce around 273,000 tons of perilous squanders per annum. It was additionally evaluated that with 5,000 potential unsafe waste generators, about 2.41 million tons of dangerous squanders will be produced. At present, the report included, there is no coordinated treatment office for risky squanders in the nation in spite of the fact that there are around 95 little to mediumscale treatment offices that treat unsafe squanders (i.e., utilized oil, slop). There is around 50,000 tons of unsafe squanders put away on or offsite because of absence of legitimate treatment, recuperation and reusing offices. Now and again they wind up being reused in patio tasks further putting in danger laborers and networks facilitating these casual reusing offices. Different perilous squanders are sent out to different nations for recuperation and removal (for example metal bearing muck, utilized solvents and electronic squanders) and treatment (for example PCB). Wellbeing and ecological issues A significant part of the surface water in urban territories is a general wellbeing hazard while rustic surface waters are additionally wellsprings of malady. The World Bank evaluates that presentation to water contamination and poor sanitation represent one-6th of announced malady cases, and almost 6,000 unexpected losses for every year. The expense of treatment and lost salary from disease and passing because of water contamination is pegged at PHP6.7 billion (US$134 million) every year (PEM 2006). Contamination of our water assets, for example, untreated wastewater releases influence human wellbeing through the spread of infection causing microorganisms and infections. Some known instances of ailments that might be spread through wastewater release are gastro-enteritis, looseness of the bowels, typhoid, cholera, diarrhea, hepatitis, and, as of late, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) (PEM 2003). The condition of water in the Philippines (Bacongui, Beau, 2007, October). Recov ered January 9, 2013, from http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/ph/Global/seasia/report/2007/10/the-condition of-water-in-the-phil.pdf Perilous and harmful waste administration Republic Act 6969, actualized by DAO 29 arrangement of 1992, controls the scope of exercises related with dangerous and harmful materials (use, transportation, stockpiling, trade, circulation, assembling, and preparing). Clients or handlers of synthetic compounds should initially check with DENR whether the substances are remembered for the Philippine Inventory of Chemicals and Chemical Substances (PICCS). A Chemical Control Order (CCO) restricting, constraining, or exposing use to specific controls or conditions might be given for synthetic compounds that represent a nonsensical hazard to general wellbeing or nature. Ecological Impact Management System An on-going advancement under the EIS framework is the presentation of automatic consistence. Under this program, ventures sited in announced modern advancement territories might be given a solitary Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC). This methodology has the benefit of decreasing the expense of report arrangement and survey. Moreover, it legitimizes the future utilization of conveying limit appraisals to decide the number and kinds of ventures that ought to be permitted to situate in a given zone. Philippines: Country Profile. In Green Productivity Practices: In Select Industry Sectors. (Abanto, Arnel. 2001) Retrieved January 9, 2013, from http://www.apo-tokyo.org/gp/e_publi/gpp/0302PHILIPPINESrev.pdf Water contamination sneaking in †congressperson MANILA, Philippines †The Philippines faces a crawling water contamination issue due to quick urbanization and industrialization, a congressperson cautioned throughout the end of the week. Congressperson Pilar Juliana â€Å"Pia† S. Cayetano, executive of the Senate Health and Demography Committee, said she is stressed that legislature has feebly actualized projects to improve the nature of new water gracefully. Cayetano called attention to that lacking assets, institutional fracture and poor measurements as the major hindrances in accomplishing the objective of making sure about an adequate future flexibly of clean new water. She said tending to this worry is in accordance with the Millennium Development Goal 7 for condition maintainability which is to lessen by one half, by 2015, the extent of individuals without economical access to safe drinking water and essential sanitation. Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources administrator, said the issue stresses the significance of reforesting the country’s exposed mountains. Woodlands, Zubiri stated, go about as watersheds, putting away and discharging new water through regular procedures. In past Senate Committee hearings, declarations on the country’s timberland hold beingâ denuded at a quick clasp the previous barely any decades had been introduced. Refering to the Philippine Environment Monitor report of the World Bank in 2003, local wastewater speaks to 48 percent of the absolute contamination in the whole nation; the rest is because of mechanical and agrarian sources. In Metro Manila alone, the portion of local sewage is 58 percent of the aggregate. As a result of deficient sewage treatment and removal, in excess of 90 percent of the sewage created in the Philippines isn't arranged or treated in an ecologically worthy way, Cayetano said. A similar report assesses that water contamination costs the Philippine economy an expected P67 billion ($.3 billion) every year of which P3 billion is credited to wellbeing, P17 billion to fisheries creation and P47 billion to the travel industry. Cayetano called attention to that Department of Health (DoH) insights show that roughly 18 individuals bite the dust every day from water-borne infections, which represented 31 percent of every single revealed ailment from 1996-2000. She said the Congressional Oversight Committee was made after the institution of the Clean Water Act in 2004 and discovered shortcomings in the authorization of ecologically related laws. â€Å"There are an excessive number of hands dunking in the stock, as it were. Around 30 government organizations are engaged with the administration of our water assets. The holes, covers and clashes of obligations are evident during the direct of our (board of trustees) hearings, making the institutional structure exceptionally divided, frail and complicated,’’ she said. Water contamination sneaking in †congressperson (Casayuran, Mario. 2011, April) Retrieved January 9, 2013 from http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/312556/water-contamination crawling senator#.UO1KP-TwaSo ‘Water contamination a threat’ Gov’t not authorizing condition laws †SWS survey MANILA, Philippines . Five of each 10 Filipinos accept water contamination is a genuine danger to their wellbeing and condition, however the legislature can't authorize natural laws. Aftereffects of an overview of the Social Weather Stations discharged Friday additionally indicated that at any rate three of each six occupants of Metro Manila didn't concur that contamination was a worthy exchange off for financial advancement. The SWS study, a first on water contamination and requirement of ecological laws, was dispatched byâ the natural gathering Greenpeace as a major aspect of its Project: Clean Water program propelled in September. The activity expects to assemble activity in ensuring the country’s immense new water sources. An ongoing World Bank study cautioned of a potential water shortage issue in the nation by 2025. The overview from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 secured 1,200 arbitrarily picked grown-up respondents partitioned into tests of 300 each in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. We needed to perceive how Filipinos see the issue since it is difficult to push for the usage of ecological laws if people in general acknowledges water contamination as an unavoidable outcome of monetary turn of events, said Beau Baconguis, Greenpeace Southeast Asia

Startup Hubs Around The World Seoul

Startup Hubs Around The World Seoul Home to over half of all South Koreans, Seoul is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. It is the part of the world’s second largest metropolitan area, and is home to over 10 million people. © Shutterstock.com | Sean PavoneIn our continuing investigation of startup hubs around the world, we will take a look at 1) the location, 2) the tax incentives, 3) legal incentives, 4) investors, 5) specialization of the area, 6) local resources, and 7) startups to watch in Seoul.LOCATIONSouth Korea is part of East Asia and the only country in the world to share a land border with North Korea. The country is largely surrounded by water, with coastlines along three different seas. The country receives enough rain to sustain agriculture, with serious droughts occasionally occurring about once in 8 years. Most of the annual rain is expected between June and September. The country mostly escapes the wrath of serious typhoons, which are more likely to affect neighboring countries such as Japan, Taiwan, parts of China and the Philippines. These storm fronts do bring torrential rains with occasional flooding and landslides, causing considerable damage.The capital, Seoul, is a historical ci ty, founded in 18 BCE by Baekje as one of the three kingdoms of Korea. The city is situated on the Han River and contains many UNESCO world heritage sites. Mountains surround the city, the tallest being Mt. Bukhan. This is the world’s most visited national park per square foot. There are also many modern landmarks. As many as 12 million tourists and other foreigners visited the city in 2013. This large tourist footfall helped the city become the world’s 10th most visited and 6th largest earner in tourism.Geographical BenefitsSeoul is divided in two by the Han River which has played a key role in the history of the area. The city is to the northwest of the country and the river was used as a trade route to China through the Yellow Sea. This route is not used in present times since the river opening to the sea is at the border of the two Koreas and is an area off limits to civilians.The city has a surrounding wall of 8 mountains and some level lands of the Han River Plain. The cli mate is humid continental and subtropical transitional. The months from November to May are more continental while the rest of the year has a more subtropical climate with a tropical wet/dry situation. The East Asian monsoon takes place from June until September. August is the warmest month of the year, while winters can be freezing with some days of snow.Advantages of Choosing SeoulAccording to a 2014 Bloomberg Global Innovation Index, South Korea was at the top when compared to all other countries in indicators such as research and development capability, productivity, technology density and patent activity. This is not surprising as South Korea has grown to become an economically strong area with substantial spending in research and development helping it to become a leader in information and communication technology. In addition to manufacturing cutting edge electronics, the country is also an avid consumer of these digital products. A chunk of bandwidth (50mb/s on average) goes into online gaming and the country hosts the world’s largest video game competition. K-Pop music videos are another popular use of broadband and a global export. This has led to a younger crop of technology experts who are entering a startup scene rich in mobile game development and social media innovation. A more world-focused attitude has attracted the attention of global investors as well, with Google being a key example with their own startup community focused on South Korean companies. Jess Erikson of 500 believes that the city is on the brink of becoming a hub within Asia for concentrated tech activity. She believes this to be possible within 3-5 years and she sees Seoul as a potential Silicon Valley. Her reasons behind this belief are:Government SupportA supportive government is a vital component to success in most ecosystems to promote entrepreneurship. Per capita government backing is higher than any other country and it is expected that the government will put $3.7 bill ion into startups through initiatives and grants.The Right Timing The startup scene has taken off in Korea recently and the presence of top accelerators such as SparkLabs, KSTARTUP and FT Accelerator as well as investors and startup-focused communities are all indictors of a market on the rise. This has helped generate interest from international investors as well.Shift in Thinking There appears to be a shift in the way the new generation thinks, and instead of traditional jobs in high profile companies, more students are showing an interest in joining a startup or starting their own company.Korea-Specific Opportunities Korea boasts a technology infrastructure that is significantly advanced when compared to other developed countries. Smartphone usage is almost 80 percent with average internet speeds of 50mb/s. The population density in Seoul makes it easier for a mass adoption of new technology.Mobile-Specific Opportunities There is an almost 50 percent higher rate of smartphone ado ption in South Korea than in the US and mobile commerce is also at a rate much higher than in America. With a growth rate of 156 percent year-over-year and mobile sales projected to hit $14 billion in 2014, the country presents a great opportunity for investors and entrepreneurs in the mobile business.TAX INCENTIVESSince the South Korean government is actively involved in the development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem, there have been several steps made over the years to support this agenda. In 2013, the government announced different measures to help encourage startup businesses and create new jobs to fuel future economic growth. Among these were also tax incentives. A key step was to change the startup financing structure from a loan-based one to an investment-centered one. This would be more supportive of the high-risk and high-reward nature of startups.To help this along, tax breaks and incentives for angel investors and venture capitalists were to be introduced together with a change in tax policies to make it easier for these investors to disinvest and reinvest. Another feature is to give tax benefits to mergers and acquisitions within technology-driven businesses that involve research and development.A new exchange KONEX was also to be set up in 2013 to help facilitate access to the capital market with the same system of taxation for investments as the main KOSDAQ stock exchange.LEGAL INCENTIVESDespite the growing startup scene in South Korea, there are some legal and regulatory issues to be addressed. According to the head of the Startup Alliance, Lim Jongwook, “The domestic startup ecosystem is  active but limited due to regulation.” This means that there are regulations in place that are seen to be in the way of startups. An example is the strict aviation and radio wave regulations that prevent startups in the drone industry from reaching the same success as their Chinese and American counterparts.South Korea has taken some steps to help things along, however. Among these is the startup visa option. In 2014, the country issued its first startup visa to encourage foreign entrepreneurs and startups. The visa was granted to a Korean-America IT entrepreneur, Jason Lee, who now runs two business in the country. There remain challenges, however, which need to be continuously addressed. Hiring a foreigner is a task fraught with uncertainty and a lack of a clearly defined process. The process is somewhat subjective, with constantly changing rules that can become frustrating.A restrictive visa and hiring law means that small companies will not be able to expend resources to hire the right people for the early stage of their business. The E-7 visa requires the company to hire 5 locals for every foreign worker and there must be proof that the work cannot be done by a Korean. The D-8-4 Visa issued to Jason Lee is a solution, but there are restrictions applied to that as well, such as patent ownership, which may be impossible for most foreigners to acquire having no Korean background.The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced many deregulation measures this year for foreign-invested firms which should further help matters along.INVESTORSThere are several reasons for the increased interest from investors into the South Korean startup scene. After the Information and Communication Technology boom of the late 1990s there was an emergence of large ICT firms that saw success over the years. These founders as well as the growing group of Korean-Americans who returned to Korea with knowledge of the US investor scene helped fuel a startup boom.This was helped along by the Korean government not only investing in the ecosystem, but also working towards making an enabling environment for entrepreneurs and investors both. The government has also encouraged large Korean companies to set funds aside to support startups. Strong ties with neighbors China and Japan help provide an initial testing ground or first export market to many startup accelerators.SPECIALIZATIONAs mentioned briefly in this article, the key strengths for South Korean startups are in the information and communication technology fields. The country boasts a large group of skilled developers and engineers who work on anything from gaming apps to social media innovation. One key specialization area for the country is mobile, with four in every 5 people owning and using smartphones, a rate 50 percent higher than the United States. In addition the bandwidth on average is 50mb/s compared to the 10mb/s in the United States again. This has led to a tech savvy country that is years ahead of other developed countries in technology-based infrastructure.The proliferation of the internet and smartphones has led to a large percentage of online sales and mobile commerce which are steadily increasing. According to estimates for 2014, per capita mobile spending is $280 in Korea vs. $105 in the US and $45 in China. These statistics make the co untry a lucrative market for those investors and entrepreneurs with an interest in mobile opportunities.Another area of interest is online gaming and social media. South Korea hosts the world’s largest gaming tournament and has three channels dedicated to the screening of such tournaments. The tech savvy new generation of entrepreneurs takes a lot of interest in this field and it is a great opportunity for investors.LOCAL RESOURCESWith the increase in scope of startups, there has also been an increase in the number of startup hubs, accelerators and communities in the city of Seoul. Some of these include:The VenturesThis company was started in 2014 by the creators of Viki, a community-driven distribution platform for TV content that was acquired by the Japanese firm Rakuten for $200 million. Changseong Ho and Jiwon Moon’s firm works with various startups for an indefinite period of time. These startups are provided with an office space, professional support and are mentored until such time as they are ready to enter the market.FuturePlayThis company was also created in 2014 and is focused on early-stage tech startups. FurturePlay believes that the requirement for market understanding and a solid base is an acceleration period of three months. A combination of incubator, accelerator and venture capital, the company provides bright entrepreneurs a paid 12-month intensive program. Digital Entertainment VenturesThis company began in New York in 2012 and has a primary interest in media, entertainment and platform businesses. The company ventured into Korea following immense support by the Korean government for the ecosystem. The company combines acceleration in both Korea and the US.KStartupThis organization began as a pilot in 2012 and officially launched in 2013. It is now one of the largest acceleration/incubation programs in the country and is supported by Korean and American Corporations. The main focus is on early-stage startups and the goal is to create g lobal companies. The program inducts founders for a period of three months. During this time, they are provided with support to develop ideas and are mentored by entrepreneurs, marketers, designers and investors based in the Silicon Valley.SparkLabsThis organization offers a small investment, mentoring and workspace in exchange for an equity stake in the company. Started in 2012, the company runs the program for three months, twice a year. The company has taken out three batches, acquired two companies, graduated 30 companies and raised $75 million in follow-on funding.Seoul SpaceThis is one of Korea’s top startup accelerators and was founded by David Lee and Richard Min. Lee and Min are two of Korea’s leading techies and have had a part to play in the move to make Seoul Korea’s Silicon Valley. If a startup is selected for the program, it becomes a resident company in the Seoul Space and is provided mentorship and expertise.STARTUPS TO WATCHKakao Talk This is one of the most successful Korean Startups and is worth $2 to $3 billion. More than just a messaging app, it is also a mobile-only platform and a portal to social gaming, ebooks and music streaming.Coupang This startup is worth $350 million and offers daily deals, flash sales and social ecommerce. It is operated by a US-based company called Forward Ventures. The company made it to the list of top 100 of the world’s most valuable privately-held tech companies. There is a slight downward trend among online deal websites in Korea so the company’s current value may be a bit lower.Texat This program helps users analyze text message conversations for underlying emotional patterns. Users are asked a few background questions and then upload a thread of messages. The program has analyzed 1.2 billion text messages including stickers and emoticons and the company is confident in its ability to predict these emotional patterns.Vingle This is a content sharing social network. It has 3,000 channels and is continuously growing. The startup already has 2.5 million unique visitors each month and 100 million monthly page views. Though the service is popular in Korea and the US, co-founder Ms. Moon aims to reach a Japanese audience.Bapul This is an education application. The program aims to bring in the geniuses of the world to educate others. The main focus is on math problems. When a student is stuck, they can share a photo of their work along with their approach to solving the problem. The correct answer and explanation is supposed to come back in 20 minutes.