The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced that it held the '2025 SME Innovation Network Forum' in Jeju from the 3rd to the 4th in conjunction with the 'APEC Ministerial Meeting on SMEs.'
The SME Innovation Network Forum, as the largest think tank in the field of SME research and development (R&D) policy, was held this year under the theme 'SME Innovation, Connecting the World: DeepTech-Based Global Growth Strategy,' in line with the APEC Ministerial Meeting on SMEs' focus on innovative growth.
First, a global talk concert was held with experts from domestic and international industry, academia, and research institutions in APEC member countries to share policies supporting SME growth with Canada, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and others, and to explore global cooperation plans.
Next, representatives from world-leading research institutions in applied technology, such as the Fraunhofer Institute, Purdue University, known for its renowned engineering college, and the Steinbeis Foundation, which supports industry demand-based problem-solving R&D, attended the forum to present excellent cases of global joint R&D.
These research institutions are key collaborative partner organizations in the global cooperation-type R&D project introduced for the first time by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups this year, and to expand this collaboration, a global R&D cooperation memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed, including technology transfer and personnel exchanges between the Korea Technology and Information Promotion Agency for SMEs (TIPA) and Fraunhofer.
A program for exchanging policy expertise between the U.S. and Korea focusing on 'trends in new technologies such as digital platforms and AI and SME innovation' was also conducted. Through this, the role of SMEs in digital economic innovation, the current status of new technology regulations in various countries, and their impacts on SMEs were discussed in depth.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups has allocated a record-high R&D budget of 2.1955 trillion won for 2025, which is a 45% increase compared to the previous year, to lead the technological innovation and technology-driven growth of SMEs. The expanded budget is planned to support the implementation of strategies from this forum, including the 'SME Venture DeepTech Scale-up Strategy.'
Minister Han Seong-suk of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups stated, 'The SME Innovation Network Forum serves as the largest think tank in the field of SME innovation and R&D policy, seeking technological innovation strategic directions and strengthening global networks.' She added, 'We will concentrate the Ministry's policy capabilities to accelerate the technology-based global growth and overseas expansion of our SMEs.'