Dong-A University Selected for 'Innopolis Campus Support Project' for 7 Consecutive Years

Support for Startups in Future Energy, Hydrogen Storage and Transportation, and Smart Mobility Fields

Dong-A University (President Lee Hae-woo) has been selected as the lead institution for the '2024 Busan Special Zone Innopolis Campus Support Project,' organized by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Research and Development Special Zone Promotion Foundation, and will receive a budget of 200 million KRW.

The Dong-A University Startup Support Group (Startup Incubation Center) has been operating the Innopolis Campus Support Project for eight years since 2014 and recently achieved the remarkable feat of being selected as the lead institution for seven consecutive years.

This project aims to select a lead university within the research and development special zone to support technology startups utilizing the university's infrastructure, discover and verify promising items for prospective and early-stage entrepreneurs with excellent ideas and items, and focus on nurturing outstanding technology startup companies through strengthening startup capabilities.

The Dong-A University Startup Support Group operates high-quality programs such as 'special zone-type technology startup and investment support' by leveraging the industrial activation and commercialization capabilities of the Busan special zone through cooperation with participating organizations, Smart Farmer and Dong-A University Technology Holding Company, based on startup infrastructure specialized in regional industries.

It also plans to activate startups in the fields of 'future energy,' 'hydrogen storage and transportation,' and 'smart mobility,' establish a special zone-type startup incubation system, and support the scale-up of startup companies.

Selected participants will receive follow-up support including ▲education and mentoring ▲investment capability enhancement ▲funding for item verification ▲support for technology transfer and residency in the startup incubation center ▲networking with related organizations for startup growth and linkage with large companies in related projects.

The Dong-A University Startup Support Group expects this project to contribute to revitalizing startups in the region through discovering excellent technologies within the university, linking through technology transfer, establishing research institute companies, and supporting investment in outstanding companies.

Jeon Hyung-pil, Deputy Director of the Startup Support Group and project general manager, said, “We hope that the excellent technologies and capabilities possessed by Dong-A University, combined with various supports from the Busan special zone, will further activate startups within the special zone,” adding, “We will play the role of a key player in the Busan startup ecosystem to drive startup activation in the region.”