Ongoing Recruitment for K-Startup Center Participants
Supporting Korean Startups in Global Expansion
On May 6, the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (Jungjinkong) announced that it is accepting applications on a rolling basis for companies wishing to participate in the '2025 K-Startup Center (KSC) Program,' which supports promising Korean startups in expanding globally.
The KSC Program is a systematic support initiative that helps domestic startups with innovative technologies and high growth potential enter global innovation cities with strong startup ecosystems, establish themselves in local markets, and expand their businesses.
As of 2024, the KSC has supported a total of 195 companies, of which 178 successfully entered overseas markets. Through this, the program has achieved remarkable results, including attracting approximately 493.2 billion KRW in domestic and international investment, 74.6 billion KRW in export performance, and the creation of 676 new jobs.
Startups selected through this recruitment will be able to utilize K-Startup Centers located in major global cities such as Singapore, Tokyo, Seattle, Paris, and Hanoi. Specifically, they will receive a range of customized programs for business development and investment attraction, including provision of local office space, legal consultation for company establishment and local settlement, expert mentoring, market fit validation, venture capital (VC) matching, and demo day events.
Support is provided for the first year from the date of entry, and may be extended for up to two additional years based on overseas expansion performance evaluations, for a maximum of three years. Eligible applicants are startups with domestic or international investment records, or those that have achieved export performance to the relevant or neighboring countries within the past three years.
Starting this year, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and Jungjinkong plan to expand the range of support by offering services not only to KSC resident companies but also to general startups. These services include support for participation in promising local exhibitions, policy consultations, connections to legal and accounting experts, and free use of KSC shared offices.
Park Janghyuk, Executive Director of Global Growth at Jungjinkong, stated, "Through this recruitment, we will spare no effort in providing practical support to help more Korean startups successfully enter overseas markets," adding, "With tailored local support programs, we will drive the sustainable growth of domestic startups in global markets."
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