SMEs Ministry Launches Recruitment for 2026 Startup Package "Deep Tech Specialization"… Until the 27th

Regional Preference Policy Introduced
Private Matching Rate Set at 10% for Special Support Areas

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on January 5, 2026, the launch of the 2026 Startup Package ‘Deep Tech Specialization’ and began recruiting promising early-stage and growth-stage companies based on high-difficulty technologies.

The Deep Tech Specialization Startup Package was newly established last year through a supplementary budget to strengthen the startup ecosystem in the deep tech sector, which requires significant time and capital for demonstration and commercialization. The program will focus on the five key fields with high demand for support-big data, AI, biohealth, future mobility, and others-offering commercialization funding and tailored programs for each technology sector.

The Startup Package consists of three stages according to the age of the startup: the Pre-Startup Package (preparation stage), the Early Startup Package (within 3 years of founding), and the Startup Leap Package (between 3 and 7 years since founding). At each stage, startups can receive support such as commercialization funding, mentoring, and investment attraction programs.

This year’s Startup Package is divided into three types: Deep Tech Specialization, General, and Investment-Linked. The support programs will be designed more meticulously, taking into account not only the age of the company but also industry characteristics and investment stage. Starting with the announcement of the Deep Tech Specialization, the General and Investment-Linked types will be announced sequentially.

A regional preference policy has also been introduced to promote balanced regional development. For startups outside the Seoul metropolitan area, the government support ratio will be increased and the company’s matching burden will be reduced by adjusting the private matching rate according to the level of regional development. The private matching rate for startups will be lowered from the current 30% to 25% for general support, 20% for preferential support, and 10% for special support.

Special support targets 40 cities and counties that are both among the 56 least-developed areas (in terms of balanced development) out of 84 rural population decline areas and among the 58 lowest-ranked areas in the preliminary feasibility study for underdevelopment. Preferential support applies to 44 rural population decline cities and counties not eligible for special support, while general support is available to non-metropolitan cities and counties that do not fall under special or preferential support.

Applications can be submitted on the K-Startup website until 4:00 p.m. on January 27. Afterward, the final recipients will be selected through document and presentation evaluations, and commercialization funding and other support will be provided.