2026 K-Startup Grand Challenge (KSGC) Call for Applications for (Pre-)Startups

□ Program Benefits: Support program for entry, settlement, and

growth in the Korean market; Demo Day participation and

investment attraction opportunities; Visa acquisition and

company incorporation support; Provision of office space, etc.

< Key Updates for the 2026 KSGC Program >

▸(Settlement-oriented selection) Shifting the evaluation system from

technology-focused to settlement potential in Korea, including company

establishment and commercialization feasibility

▸(Intensive operation of core programs) Intensive short-term operation of key

programs such as business matching, IR and incorporation aligned with entry

timing (“Core Week”)

▸(Expansion of international student participation) Increased participation of

pre-startups including international students and strengthening of

entrepreneurship capacity-building programs

▸(Enhanced follow-up support) Continued support for the growth of alumni, including investment attraction and collaboration with large and mid-sized

enterprises

1. Prize Money and Financial Support

◦ (Participation Grants) Provided to forty (40) teams to cover

expenses such as airfare required for participation in the Phase

2 program

◦ (Prize Money) Awarded to the top twenty (20) teams selected

through the KSGC Demo Day

◦ (Growth Grants) Provided to the top eight (8) teams based on

the commercialization evaluation conducted after the

completion of Phase 3

<Prize Money and Financial Support>

Category Recipients Details Timing

Participation

Grants (Total:

KRW 320 million)

40 teams

participating in

Phase 2

• First entry: KRW 4 million per team
• Second entry: KRW 4 million per

team

• First entry

(September)

• Second entry

(December)

Prize Money

(Total: KRW 380

million)

Top 20 teams

selected at the

COMEUP Demo

Day

1st: KRW 100 million / 2nd: KRW 70 million

3rd: KRW 50 million / 4th: KRW 40 million

5th: KRW 30 million / 6th–8th: KRW 10

million

9th–20th: KRW 5 million

At the end of

Phase 2

(December 2026)

Growth Grants

(Total: KRW 250

million)

Top 8 teams

based on

commercializatio

n evaluation

EX Grade: KRW 50 million × 2 teams

VG Grade: KRW 30 million × 3 teams

GD Grade: KRW 20 million × 3 teams

At the end of

Phase 3 (April

2027)

1. Korea Market Entry Support Program

□ [Phase-1] Support for “Market Exploration” in Korea

◦ (Recipients) 80 teams

◦ (Participation Method) Online (via video conferencing)

◦ (Support Details) Introduction to the Korean startup

ecosystem through online sessions, lectures by companies that

have successfully entered the Korean market, consulting on

each company’s Korea market entry plan and localization

strategy, etc.

□ [Phase-2] Support for “Market Entry” in Korea

◦ (Recipients) 40 teams selected through presentation evaluation

after the completion of Phase 1

◦ (Participation Method) Online & Offline

◦ (Support Details) Business partner matching and meeting

support in Korea through dedicated professional managers, participation in investor pitching (IR presentations), support for

vida acquisition and incorporation in Korea, coverage of travel

and accommodation expenses for visits to Korea, provision of

office space, etc.

‣ (Acceleration) Business partner matching and meetings with potential customers in Korea, IR

pitching to Korean investors, consulting on Korea market entry strategies and product/service

localization, etc.

‣ (Participation Grants) Support for airfare and accommodation expenses required for participation in

orientation, Demo Day, and acceleration programs (KRW 4 million per team for the first entry, and

KRW 4 million per team for the second entry)

• Orientation (scheduled for September 2026, Seoul), KSGC Demo Day (scheduled for December 2026, Seoul)

‣ (Visa Support) Issuance of a recommendation letter for the Startup Preparation Visa (D-10-2, valid

for one year)

‣ (Company Incorporation) Administrative support required for establishing a corporation in Korea

‣ (Office Space) Provision of office space for global startups

• Provision of office desks and chairs, wired network, printers, and other basic facilities

□ [Phase-3] Support for “Market Growth” in Korea

◦ (Recipients) Top twenty (20) teams selected at the KSGC

Demo Day after the completion of Phase 2

◦ (Participation Method) Online & Offline

◦ (Support Details) Provision of intensive acceleration programs

and growth grants to support stable expansion in the Korean

market, as well as linkage to relevant government support

policies

• Upon completion of Phase 3, eight (8) teams will be selected

based on commercialization evaluation, and will receive growth

grants along with follow-up support, including collaboration

opportunities (Open Innovation, OI) with large corporations and

mid-sized enterprises.

‣ (Dedicated Manager) Assignment of a dedicated professional manager to each company to

support entry into the Korean market

‣ (Acceleration) Online and offline matching with potential customers and business partners

in Korea on a per-company basis

‣ (Visa Support) Issuance of a recommendation letter for the Technology Startup Visa

(D-8-4, valid for two years)

‣ (Growth Grants) Differential grants awarded to the top eight (8) teams based on

commercialization evaluation results

• EX Grade (2 teams): KRW 50 million per team, VG Grade (3 teams): KRW 30 million

per team, GD Grade (3 teams): KRW 20 million per team

4 International Student Track:

Program Benefits and Support

□ [Phase-1] Business Plan Development Training for Application

of International Students

◦ (Recipients) International students residing in Korea who wish

to participate

◦ (Participation Method) Online (via video conferencing)

◦ (Support Details) Basic training programs to enhance

application capabilities of international students, including

understanding of the Korean startup ecosystem and business

plan development

□ [Phase-2] Entrepreneurship Training and Mentoring

◦ (Recipients) Top twenty (20) teams selected through document

and presentation evaluation

◦ (Participation Method) Online & Offline

◦ (Support Details) Practical training covering overall

entrepreneurship including business model advancement,

market validation, and investment understanding, along with

customized mentoring for each team to strengthen pitching

capabilities

□ [Phase-3] Support for Outstanding International Student

Teams

◦ (Recipients) Top three (3) teams selected at the Demo Day

◦ (Support Details) Awarding of prize money totaling KRW 15

million to the top three teams selected through the

International Student Track Demo Day

• 1st place: KRW 7 million, 2nd place: KRW 5 million, 3rd place: KRW 3 million
• Linkage with inbound policies (e.g., support for participation

in programs such as the GSC Program) and preferential

consideration in the document evaluation stage of the

K-Startup Grand Challenge main track

1. Eligibility for Application to the K-Startup Grand Challenge (All of the following requirements must be met)

◦ Pre-startups or startups established within seven (7) years of incorporation

• However, for startups in new industry sectors, applications are accepted up to ten (10) years from the date of incorporation.

** The date of incorporation must be on or after May 7, 2019

(or on or after May 7, 2016 for startups in new industry sectors).

◦ The representative (CEO) of the (pre-)startup must not be a

Korean national

• In cases where there are multiple representatives, all representatives must

hold non-Korean nationality.

1. Eligibility for the International Student Track (All of the following

requirements must be met and will be verified based on a Certificate of

Enrollment)

◦ A pre-startup team composed of university (undergraduate or

graduate) students, led by an international student currently

enrolled in a university (or graduate school) in Korea

◦ A startup team in which at least fifty percent (50%) of the

members are international students

◦ A startup team that includes either international students

expected to graduate by 2027 or graduate students