The Ministry of SMEs and Startups said it will create the 2026 "Unicorn Bridge program" and begin recruiting corporations to participate on the 30th.
The Unicorn Bridge program is a project launched this year to achieve the national agenda of "fostering unicorn corporations." It will select corporations with high potential to grow into unicorns in a short period and provide step-by-step support over two years, including a total of 1.6 billion won in government subsidies and special guarantees of up to 20 billion won.
The 50 selected corporations can receive 600 million won in government subsidies in the first year, which can be used to develop global markets, and special guarantees of up to 10 billion won. Among the corporations that receive a successful rating in the first year, the top 20 performers can receive an additional 1 billion won in government subsidies and up to 10 billion won in special guarantees in the second year.
To help them make the leap to unicorn status, the program will also support various follow-up initiatives, including programs to attract domestic and overseas investment, participation in overseas expos or renowned academic conferences, and assistance with entering the public sector market.
Eligible applicants are unlisted corporations that have raised a cumulative 5 billion won or more in investment over the past five years and that meet one of the following: ▲ a valuation of 100 billion won or more, or ▲ completion of the "TIPS R&D" or "Super-gap Startup Project," among startup corporations and venture corporations. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) plans to select a final 50 corporations after a performance evaluation.
Minister Han Seong-sook said, "By launching the Unicorn Bridge program, we will do our utmost to support innovative corporations so they can grow into unicorn corporations with global competitiveness."