PressThe Second Act of a Middle-aged Man's Life... 'The Dream of Entrepreneurship' Unfolds in Dangjin

5 Sep 2024
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This article was supported by the 2021 Chungcheongnam-do Regional Media Support Project.



"Even though I have technical expertise in my field, I have never done anything like business plans, promotional material production, or company management, so I have a vague feeling."
- Lee Sang-hoon, CEO of PACT-Alliance

"Most women have a career gap due to childcare. As their children grow up and they become middle-aged, they have to return to social activities. They can use their existing major or start a new job. However, in reality, most women are unable to do so."
- Inferniengo CEO Heo Eun-young -


[Dangjin Newspaper = Media Team Leader Kim Jeong-hun] Middle-aged [中壯年] = A term that refers to middle-aged and elderly people. 


Dangjin City and Chungnam Industry-Academic Convergence Center, the first of its kind in Chungnam Province, opened the Dangjin City Middle-aged and Elderly Technology Startup Center in November 2019. We will look into the main role of this center, which supports the initial startups of middle-aged and elderly people aged 40 and older, including space for moving in, startup education, and consulting. We will also focus on the difficulties faced by middle-aged and elderly entrepreneurs who have started the second act of their lives. 

There are so many hurdles to overcome in order to start a successful business, such as initial capital, publicity, and marketing. In order to help realize the dream of starting a business and establish a successful business, Dangjin City opened the Middle-aged and Elderly Technology Startup Center on November 25, 2019 to help middle-aged people aged 40 or older with skilled experience and networks start a business.

Dangjin City will recruit members centered on prospective retirees through institutions and companies linked to the Middle-aged and Elderly Technology Startup Center, and entrepreneurs who complete the startup practical entrepreneurship course will move into the center.



Companies that move into the center will receive support for startup capital and office space, which are the most important things for starting a business, and will also receive 1:1 mentoring in all areas of business, from education on business plans and business registration, which are the first steps of starting a business, to intellectual property rights, public relations, and marketing. 

You can receive more systematic and practical mentoring through advisory committee members in related industries, and we host briefing sessions, workshops, and discussions through various networking such as technology exchange meetings, startup camps, institutional collaboration meetings, and our own competitions.



However, since the current government support is more focused on the youth, there are many areas where the mid-aged and older technology start-up center is worse in terms of facilities, office space, and various support policies.

Middle-aged people over 40 have more concerns about practical matters than young people, so they cannot help but be more cautious and cautious about starting a business. Now that we have entered an era of aging society reaching 100 years of age, if more and more sufficient support is provided to entrepreneurs over 40, it will be of greater help to the development of the local economy.

※This article was supported by the 2021 Chungcheongnam-do Regional Media Support Project. Related videos can be viewed on Dangjin Newspaper YouTube DTV.

“The biggest challenge in life that requires a lot of preparation”
Sanghoon Lee, CEO of PACT-Alliance , a heavy equipment testing and diagnostic platform



●Please introduce PACT-Alliance.

This company, which operates a heavy electric equipment testing and diagnosis platform business, was started as an in-house venture by CEO Lee Sang-hoon, who was in charge of technology consulting at the Korea East-West Power Technology Center, and moved into the Middle-aged and Older Technology Startup Center in 2019. It continuously analyzes the status of heavy electric equipment using artificial intelligence and manages it to prevent breakdowns.


●What kind of support did you receive from the Middle-aged and Elderly Technology Entrepreneurship Center?

The biggest support I got was for office space. And I won two awards at the regular presentation contest held within the center, so I received additional support money.


●I heard that you received comprehensive 1:1 mentoring on company management from the center.

I received training on everything from writing a business plan to creating promotional materials and management consulting. I also received 1:1 mentoring. It is not easy to hire young people, but Chungnam University-Industry Cooperation Center introduced me to young people who had completed the training course.


●Is there anything you would like to see improved in order for the Middle-aged and Elderly Technology Startup Center to develop further in the future?

Currently, the city provides more support for young people to start a business than for middle-aged people, but middle-aged people have to consider more realistic issues. I think it is an age where starting a business is more difficult and more difficult. Currently, only the third floor is office space, so there are few companies, but it would be good if more empty spaces were utilized or one more building was opened so that more middle-aged people could receive support for starting a business.


● What do you think entrepreneurship is?

It is important to prepare a lot. You need to develop your technology, come up with an idea, think about whether it is possible to commercialize it, and think about many ideas in advance. It is also good to start on a small scale first. You can test it while minimizing the risk. Starting a business after retirement requires that much caution.

“Clash with the world...you will see many paths”
Inferniengo, a furniture manufacturing company where both people and cats are happy, CEO Eunyoung Heo 



●Please introduce Inferniengo.

Inferniengo, a furniture manufacturer that combines humans and cats. People, funny, and cats, Inferniengo is a furniture manufacturer that aims to create a space where both people and cats can be happy and joyful. If you were to buy cat tunnels separately from the sofas people use, and the space was wasted, Inferniengo manufactures furniture that combines the two, creating a more efficient space for cats and people to live together, called Care Plus Module Furniture. 


●Unlike technology-based companies, Inferniengo seems to be an emotional business.

Yes. The reason people keep pets is because they heal their lonely or tired hearts. In a society where there are many single-person households and communication is decreasing, the number of households keeping pets is increasing rapidly. I also received a lot of comfort from keeping a pet cat.


●What kind of support did you receive from the Middle-aged and Elderly Technology Entrepreneurship Center?

I received the most important office space and received additional support funds three times through the center's own presentation competition. I also received one-on-one mentoring from professors and other experts on patents and intellectual property rights.


●Is there anything you would like to see improved in order for the Middle-aged and Elderly Technology Startup Center to develop further in the future?

Most of the companies currently in the company do not have a place to set up manufacturing facilities. If factory matching is supported in the future, it seems that more companies will be able to receive help.


●What do you think entrepreneurship is?

Middle-aged women, please don't stay at home, but go outside. And bump into the world. I hope you keep moving like that. If you keep moving, at some point, you will start to see many paths. If you keep bumping into things, worrying, asking those around you, and going along the path without stopping, one day, the place you are will be the place where you find the answer you are looking for.


Source: Dangjin Newspaper 

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PACT-Alliance Co,. Ltd.  |  CEO : Sang-Hoon LEE

Business registration number : 766-87-01492

Isangwan 53, Myeoncheonsinchon-gil, Myeoncheon-myeon, Dangjin-si, Chungcheongnam-do

Customer Center : +82) 041-357-7926



© PACT-Alliance. All rights reserved. 

PACT-Alliance Co., Ltd   |   CEO : Sang-Hoon LEE   |   Business registration number : 766-87-01492

Isan Hall 53, Myeoncheonshinchon-gil, Myeoncheon-myeon, Dangjin-si, Chungcheongnam-do  

Customer Center : +82) 041-357-7926 

© PACT-Alliance. All rights reserved.