Establishing an Innovation Hub for Startups and Regional Co-Prosperity
Kookmin University has been selected as the final participant in Seoul City's '2026 Campus Town Project'.
President Seungryul Jung is giving a lecture to students at the Kookmin University College of Business Administration 'Startup Day' event. Kookmin University
With this project, Kookmin University has laid the foundation to become a key hub in the global startup ecosystem representing the northeastern region of Seoul. Starting in 2026, the university will receive a total project budget of 2.4 billion KRW over two years and plans to discover and nurture more than 50 startup teams each year.
After being selected for Seoul City's unit-type Campus Town Project in 2023, Kookmin University demonstrated its outstanding startup support capabilities by achieving an A+ performance rating in 2024.
These achievements provided the basis for its selection in the 2026 Campus Town Project and have created an opportunity for strategic expansion, moving beyond local startups to foster global unicorn companies.
Kookmin University is already carrying out four projects under the 2025 Seoul RISE (Regional Innovation-led University Support System) initiative, and through integration with the Campus Town Project, the university will begin building a full-fledged ecosystem to nurture AI-based innovative startup teams into global unicorns.
In particular, by establishing an integrated startup support system that organically combines Seoul RISE and Campus Town, Kookmin University is expected to further solidify its position as a strategic hub for local startups and innovative company development.
Kookmin University will significantly expand its startup incubation spaces, based on its Startup Incubation Center in Seongbuk-gu and Zero One Design Center in Jongno-gu, and will establish the 'KMU-MBV Campus Town Venture Investment Association' to provide substantial investment attraction support for early-stage startup teams.
Especially for startup teams seeking global expansion, the university will establish a new global testbed environment and offer tailored education and startup packages, aiming to achieve tangible results in nurturing global unicorns every year.
Starting in 2026, Kookmin University plans to discover and foster more than 50 startup teams annually, focusing on 27 future industries, including AI, content, biotechnology, mobility, and smart manufacturing.
The university will implement specialized strategies such as supporting global expansion of AI-based startups, strengthening cooperation among local communities, industries, and universities through linkage with RISE, cultivating AI-skilled talent through collaboration with global companies such as AWS, and establishing a local co-prosperity startup hub.
President Seungryul Jung of Kookmin University stated, "This Campus Town Project will enable Kookmin University to play a pivotal role in creating an innovative startup ecosystem in Seongbuk, Seoul, that nurtures global baby unicorns, going beyond being a startup hub for northeastern Seoul. I am confident that this will be a significant milestone as Kookmin University rises as a core hub for fostering global unicorns."
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