TIPS R&D Funding Raised to 800 Million Won for the First Time in 13 Years

Minimum Direct Investment by TIPS Operators Raised to 200 Million Won
Number of Companies Eligible for R&D Funding Increases to 800

Starting this year, startups selected for TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startup) will see a significant increase in the amount of government funding available for research and development (R&D). Previously, a company could receive up to 500 million won in R&D funding over two years, but now the maximum support has been raised to 800 million won for the same period.

Hansung Sook, Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, is delivering a greeting at the 'TIPS Performance Sharing Meeting' held on December 18 last year at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Ministry of SMEs and Startups

On January 25, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced the "2026 TIPS Startup Support Plan." TIPS is a startup support program in which private investors select and invest in startups with high growth potential and nurture them, while the government provides additional funding for technology development and commercialization.

This year, the overall scale of TIPS support will be expanded. The number of companies eligible for R&D funding will increase by 100 from last year, reaching 800. The number of companies receiving commercialization funding (non-R&D), used for mass production and marketing, will remain the same as last year at 650.

The amount of R&D funding a single company can receive has also increased significantly. For the first time in 13 years since the inception of TIPS, the cap for the general R&D track has been raised from a maximum of 500 million won to 800 million won over two years. Accordingly, the minimum direct investment required from TIPS operating companies will also increase from 100 million won to 200 million won. The aim is to more rigorously select companies with high growth potential by increasing private investment alongside government support.

The deep tech track, which targets companies with advanced technologies, will also be restructured. From now on, only companies that have graduated from the general TIPS track can apply for the deep tech track. If selected, they will receive up to 1.5 billion won in additional R&D funding over three years.

Support for regional startups has also been strengthened. Half of the available slots for the general R&D track will be prioritized for companies outside the Seoul metropolitan area. In addition, the private investment requirement for non-metropolitan companies has been lowered, allowing them to participate with just 100 million won in investment.

Furthermore, a company’s social value will also be reflected in the evaluation process going forward. Climate technology companies and social ventures, as well as other ESG-related companies, will be given priority for 10% of the total general R&D track slots. The introduction of a retirement pension plan will also be included as an evaluation criterion.

To reduce the burden on companies, the deep tech track will reduce the number of in-person evaluations from two to one, and non-R&D funding applications will be assessed through document review instead of in-person evaluations, streamlining the process.

Cho Kyungwon, Director of Startup Policy, stated, "As the global economic paradigm is being reshaped around artificial intelligence (AI) and deep tech, the potential of innovative startups is more important than ever," and added, "Through this support plan, we will further strengthen growth support for innovative startups."