The Ministry of SMEs and Startups said on the 30th it is recruiting corporations to join the "2026 overseas market entry program linked to investment" to support securing overseas private investment for promising domestic artificial intelligence (AI) startups.
The program targets roughly 20 startup corporations in the AI industry with less than 10 years in business that seek to expand overseas and attract investment.
Ten corporations will be selected through recommendations from the lead agency and overseas investors, and 10 corporations through an open call. AI startups wishing to be selected through the open call can apply online on the K-Startup website starting on the 31st. They can also attend a briefing on startup opportunities at Orange Planet in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, at 9 p.m. on the 9th of next month.
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) plans to run a specialized, investment-attraction-focused program so selected corporations can secure actual funding. In addition, about 80 million won in funding for global expansion, a roughly five-week on-site program in the United States, overseas validation to verify the technological capabilities of AI products and services, and opportunities to participate in at least three local investor briefings are provided.
Cho Kyung-won, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) director-general for startup policy, said, "As competition in the AI field intensifies, there is a need to lay the groundwork so that capable domestic AI startups can enter overseas markets and compete."