"Support for Smart Equipment Implementation"... Project Launched for 1,200 Small Business Owners

Ministry of SMEs and Startups-KOSME 'Smart Workshop Technology Dissemination Project'
Automation and Digitalization... Targeting Support for 1,200 People
Applications Open Until the 17th... Document and On-site Evaluations Conducted

The government will support the introduction of smart technologies to 1,200 manufacturing companies with fewer than 10 employees.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Small Enterprise and Market Service announced on the 3rd that they will promote the "Smart Workshop Technology Dissemination Project," which supports the establishment of smart equipment to improve manual processes of small manufacturers (Sogongin) and to automate and digitize their work.

The project targets small business owners (Sogongin) whose main business is manufacturing and who have fewer than 10 regular employees.

This year, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Small Enterprise and Market Service plan to support 1,200 Sogongin through this project. By type, the support is divided into ▲ Equipment Automation for 450 people ▲ Process Digitalization for 750 people ▲ Cluster Type (separately announced in June).

Support will be provided for equipment or software rental fees, material costs, software development costs, etc., necessary to introduce smart technologies within the process. The support amount per company is around 45 million KRW, with about 30% of the total project cost being self-funded.

Applications for participation in the project can be submitted on the e-Naradoom website by 6 p.m. on the 17th.

The evaluation process proceeds in the order of eligibility verification → document evaluation → on-site evaluation. First, eligibility is checked based on sales, number of regular employees, and other criteria, then external evaluators review the Sogongin’s business plan according to evaluation items.

Based on the document evaluation scores, 1.5 times the number of final selected candidates are chosen for on-site evaluation, during which the site is visited to assess the possibility of smartification of the business site.

Meanwhile, entities such as Baeknyeon Sogongin (Centennial Small Manufacturers), subscribers to wind and flood insurance, and women-owned businesses receive additional points. Manufacturing businesses deemed to be in unhealthy industries such as gambling and entertainment or those suspected of promoting speculation are excluded from support.