Press Release July 07th, 2023

From CEO for 31 Years to a Startup ‘Intern’... The Second Act of a First-Generation Venture Founder at 59​

[Interview] Chang Youngseung, CSO of Epikar (Former President of Seoul Business Agency)​​

​ ​ "On the first day of my internship, I arrived at the office at 7 AM. Everyone was whispering and Googling my name. Since it was hard to assign tasks to someone old enough to be their dad, I just took the initiative and started cleaning and doing the recycling."​​

​ ​ Chang Youngseung, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at Epikar and former president of the Seoul Business Agency (SBA), recalled his first day as an intern at a startup after resigning from his public post.​ ​​

​ Chang (59) is a first-generation venture entrepreneur who founded Nanum Technology in 1990. He later served as CEO of Doremi Records and Candle Media before taking on the role of president at SBA in 2018. There, he led various initiatives such as the global brand “Seoul Made,” which aimed to support the international expansion of Korean SMEs. After stepping down from SBA in 2021, he embarked on a bike tour and then returned to the industry as an intern at several startups, drawing significant attention in the startup ecosystem.​ ​​

​ In June of this year, he accepted an offer to join Epikar, where he had previously interned, as CSO. Epikar is a startup that streamlines and automates processes like test drives and after-sales services in automobile sales and distribution. Major clients include BMW Korea and its seven official dealers.​ ​​

​ From CEO for 31 Years to a Startup ‘Intern’… Living Like the Movie “The Intern”​​
​ From 2021, Chang interned at three different startups over the course of two years. Despite receiving offers to become a university professor or serve as a corporate advisor, he turned them down. Rather than holding a ceremonial position, he wanted to contribute his experience and insights from the ground up.​​

​ ​ “After resigning from SBA, I posted on Facebook that I wanted to be a startup intern like Robert De Niro in the movie The Intern,” he said. “Several companies reached out, and I applied to those where I felt I could be helpful to younger entrepreneurs. After two to three interviews, I was accepted as an intern.”​ ​

​ ​ Chang reported to work at 7 AM every day. During his internship, he even stayed up all night preparing government grant proposals. He proudly mentioned his skills in software like Hangul Word Processor and PowerPoint. He added, “Even the recent Vietnam business trip for Epikar was made possible through a government global expansion program I applied for and got accepted into during my intern period. People were surprised by my posts about all-night work sessions on Facebook, but that’s just part of the intern’s job.”​ ​​

​ At the startup filled with young employees the age of his children, Chang—affectionately called “Young-nim”—took about two to three months to adjust and build relationships. Eventually, he became the life of the party, hosting rooftop BBQ gatherings late into the night.​ ​​

​ He says he learned more from the younger generation than they did from him. “Back when I founded a company, there wasn’t even a term for ‘startup,’” he noted. “But young people today think globally. Unlike the old attitude of ‘if it doesn’t work, so be it,’ today’s young founders operate with a clear sense of mission and responsibility. Their actions are much more predictable.”​ ​

​ ​ Joining Mobility Startup Epikar... “IPO within 3 Years”​​
​ Now serving as CSO at Epikar, Chang is leading the company’s global expansion strategy and mobility initiatives. He recently visited Vietnam to discuss implementing Epikar’s Dealer Management Solution (DMS) with local businesses.​ ​

​ ​ Epikar is planning to relocate its headquarters from Magok, Gangseo-gu, to Nonhyeon-dong in Gangnam to strengthen its DMS business. The first floor of the new building will function as a hub for picking up test-drive vehicles. They also plan to operate a café, showroom, and vegan restaurant for customers waiting on-site.​ ​​

​ Chang stated, “Epikar’s software business, currently B2B-focused, will expand into B2C and B2BC models. I plan to contribute to its growth so that we can go public within the next three years and expand to markets in the U.S. and Asia.”​