Hoban Group said on the 6th it will hold the "2026 Hoban Next Startup Contest" to discover innovative technologies and expand open innovation. The contest is co-hosted by Hoban Group, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Korea Institute of Startup and Entrepreneurship Development (KISED), and the Seoul Business Agency (SBA).
Since last year, Hoban Group has expanded its technology contests for startups to twice a year, holding one each in the first and second halves. It has run the "Hoban Next Startup Contest," as well as the "Hoban Innovative Technology Contest" scheduled for the second half, since 2020, supporting a total of 62 winning companies to date and developing innovative technologies.
The recruitment categories for this contest are related to the Smart City industry: ▲ construction automation (construction robots, construction automation, etc.) ▲ digital infrastructure (building information modeling, digital twin, etc.) ▲ energy and ESG (carbon reduction, resource efficiency, etc.), and an open proposal category for ▲ new businesses (AI, robots, energy convergence technologies, etc.).
Startups with innovative technologies that can create synergy with Hoban Group are eligible to apply. Corporations wishing to participate can submit applications by the 22nd through the Seoul Startup Hub (SBA) "Startup Plus" website.
The Hoban Next Startup Contest will select a total of four companies through document and presentation evaluations. Winning companies will receive up to 140 million won in commercialization support, as well as a technology testbed applicable to business sites and workspace. In addition, various follow-up support programs will be provided, including assistance for global market entry and networking for winning companies and linkage to private investment through the Technology Incubator Program for Startups (TIPS).
A Hoban Group official said, "We look forward to strong interest and participation from startups with differentiated technological competitiveness in the Smart City and new business fields," adding, "Through proof-of-concept and commercialization with the winning companies, we will continue to expand a win-win open innovation model in which the group and startups grow together."