National Policy Planning Committee: "Strengthening Scale-Up Funds to Help Promising AI Startups Become Unicorns"

National Policy Planning Committee Holds AI Startup Roundtable
Support for AI Utilization in Public and Industrial Sectors
AI Voucher Support Policies to Be Introduced

Yonhap News Agency

The National Policy Planning Committee, which is serving as the transition committee for the Lee Jaemyung administration, met with representatives of artificial intelligence (AI) startups and reached a consensus on the need to strengthen scale-up funds so that promising AI startups can grow into unicorn companies.

On June 25, planning and expert members of the Economic Division 2 of the National Policy Planning Committee held a policy roundtable on AI startups to further develop national AI policy initiatives. Entrepreneurs who attended the roundtable stated, "While Korea has established a well-organized support system for early-stage startups, additional support is needed for startups to make the leap to unicorn status."

They also emphasized, "In the AI era, data needed by startups must be strategically built and made accessible," and added, "The government should play a catalytic role in promoting the spread of AI utilization in the public and industrial sectors."

Lee Choonseok, head of Economic Division 2, said, "We will strengthen scale-up funds to foster a startup growth ecosystem, support the expansion of AI utilization in the public and industrial sectors, and implement voucher support policies so that startups can secure references. We will also ensure that the voices of AI startups are fully reflected in national policy initiatives."

Attendees from the AI industry included Seo Bumseok, CEO of Lunit; Baek Junho, CEO of FuriosaAI; Park Sunghyun, CEO of Rebellion; Kang Sunghoon, CEO of StudioLab; Yoo Sunghan, CEO of Banp; Yoon Geonsu, CEO of DSC Investment; and Hwang Bohyunwoo, Vice President of Dime Research.

Representatives from associations and organizations included Cho Youngki, Secretary General of the Korea Internet Corporations Association; Kim Yonggap, CEO of the Global Digital Innovation Network; Lee Gidae, Director of the Startup Alliance; and Han Sangwoo, Chair of the Korea Startup Forum.