The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) said on the 16th that it will conduct a technology demand survey for the deep tech challenge project from the 17th to the 29th of next month. The project is a public-private joint initiative that provides 10 billion won to support small and venture corporations in taking on research and development (R&D).
When the government sets problems for tasks of national strategic importance, corporations, investment firms, and research institutes can form project teams and apply. In the 2026 government budget bill, the size of government grants for the project has been expanded from the existing 3.6 billion won to up to 5 billion won and is under review in the National Assembly.
The technology demand survey targets corporations, investment firms, research institutes, and large and mid-sized corporations. Registration is available on the Integrated Research Support System (IRIS), which is run across ministries. The submitted technology demands will be reviewed for investment need, difficulty, innovativeness, and ripple effect, and then developed into research and development proposals to be set in 2026.
An official at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) said, "We will support small and venture corporations so they can take on tough challenges and deliver results."