2 out of 5 Startup CEOs Say Domestic Ecosystem Is Negative

Survey of 100 Startups Participating in Google Changgu Program
21% Positive and 42% Negative Views on Ecosystem
Active Use of AI Technology, About Half Currently Using It

Among five domestic startup CEOs, two currently hold a negative view of the startup ecosystem.

According to a survey conducted by Google targeting 100 startup CEOs participating in the 'Changgu' program, 42.7% of respondents evaluated the current startup ecosystem negatively, with 8.7% responding "very negative" and 34% "negative." On the other hand, 21.4% answered positively, with only 2.9% responding "very positive."

The 'Changgu' program is an annual initiative run by Google Play in collaboration with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development to support domestic application and game developers. This survey was conducted from the 12th to the 27th of last month.

The pessimistic outlook on the startup ecosystem was mainly attributed to the contraction of the investment market and economic recession. Many startups are experiencing difficulties in the domestic market and view overseas markets as a new breakthrough. According to the survey results, 37.9% of startups have already entered overseas markets

and 52.4% are considering overseas expansion. The primary target markets were North America, Southeast Asia, and Japan.

Additionally, the survey found that about half of the startups are utilizing AI technology in their operations. 47.6% are already using AI technology in app or game development, and 41.7% plan to adopt AI technology in the near future. Furthermore, 85.4% of startups responded that they have hiring plans within the next year, indicating sustained demand for personnel.