On the 12th, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups held the 'Deep Tech Value-Up Joint Meetup Day' at the JW Marriott Hotel in Seocho, Seoul.
The Deep Tech Value-Up program is an initiative in which the Ministry of SMEs and Startups nurtures top-tier venture and startup companies to promote open innovation alongside global corporations.
The event saw participation from approximately 130 people, including 7 major corporations such as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, 26 startups, and representatives from support organizations.
According to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, this year, support will be provided for around 50 startups through the Deep Tech Value-Up program. Demand corporations will select collaboration partners among the startups discovered during this joint meetup. Selected startups can receive collaboration funding of up to 200 million won for technology optimization and global expansion.
On this day, alongside the joint meetup, a technology protection agreement was also established between the National Innovation Centers and the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Businesses. The two institutions agreed to support legal advice related to contracts, including non-disclosure agreements, to minimize concerns over technology leakage from startups.
At the event, Kim Dong-wook, vice president of Hyundai Motor, who presented collaborative case studies, noted, 'This year, we will participate in the program at the group level and collaborate with promising startups.'
Oh Youngju, Minister of SMEs and Startups, stated, 'I will be a solid support so that domestic corporations can find new growth engines through open innovation.'