The Largest Startup Collaboration Program in the Financial Sector
Applications Open from March 3
A Public-Private 'Open Innovation' Opportunity
Samsung's financial affiliates are partnering with startups to embark on a journey toward future financial innovation.
On March 3, Samsung Financial Networks (Samsung Life Insurance, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, Samsung Card, Samsung Securities) announced that it will co-host the '2026 Samsung Financial C-Lab Outside' with Samsung Venture Investment.
Applications from startups will be accepted through the official website until April 5. After a screening process, startups advancing to the finals will be selected by mid-May. Over the following five months, these startups will collaborate with Samsung Financial employees to jointly develop solutions and validate business models, and the top startup for each financial company will be selected and announced at the final event in October.
The program will recruit startups in three categories: common topics that propose services and technologies applicable to Monimo, Samsung Financial's integrated platform; individual topics presented by each financial affiliate (AI, fintech, robotics, mobility, healthcare); and an open category for new business ideas.
Startups selected for the finals will receive a basic commercialization support fund of 30 million won. In addition, the top startup for each financial company will receive an extra prize of 10 million won and support to exhibit at CES, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition. Notably, this year, in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Business Agency (SBA), companies based in Seoul will also be given a special support fund of 10 million won each, as well as the opportunity to operate a booth at 'Try Everything,' the global startup festival held in September.
Going beyond simple collaboration, Samsung Venture Investment plans to consider follow-on investment to promote the substantial growth of startups. In addition, following a separate review, some startups will be selected to participate in the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' public-private open innovation support project.
Since its launch in 2019, Samsung Financial C-Lab Outside has seen participation from more than 2,000 startups over six years, establishing itself as the largest open innovation program in the Korean financial sector.
Collaboration between Samsung Financial and the finalist startups continues even after the program.
Samsung Life Insurance is currently developing a solution together with SelectStar to evaluate and select AI models applicable to the life insurance business. Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance is utilizing Cyberwrite’s cyber risk assessment solution in its cyber insurance marketing and underwriting work.
Samsung Card, in partnership with GhostPass, has validated a biometric face recognition payment process as a potential future payment method. Samsung Securities is working with Pilsang to enhance solutions for detecting online impersonation sites and illegal investment recommendation chat rooms, which will be used to protect investors.
A Samsung Financial official stated, “In a rapidly changing financial environment, the unique flexibility and innovative DNA of startups are key driving forces that will open the future for Samsung Financial. With even more benefits available this year, we look forward to the enthusiastic participation of innovative startups ready to move forward together toward the future of finance.”
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