Seoul Bio Hub, created by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and operated by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and Korea University, will provide AI-based commercialization support for bio and medical startups.
Seoul Bio Hub said on Apr. 8 that it is recruiting corporations to participate in the "2026 Seoul bio-AI-medical data convergence support program."
The program targets bio and medical corporations in Seoul founded within the past 10 years and plans to select about 22 companies. Compared with last year, when the same program ran for four months for 19 corporations, this year it expanded the scope of support and newly included medical data support. The support period was also extended from four months to seven months.
The support program centers on using AI technology and medical data. Key components include ▲ establishing AI adoption strategies ▲ developing AI models ▲ data processing and analysis ▲ engaging experts ▲ legal consulting. End-to-end support from research and development to commercialization will be provided.
Recently, the bio industry has been changing rapidly by integrating AI technology to improve the efficiency of new drug development and enhance the diagnostic accuracy of medical devices. However, there have been continued concerns that startups face difficulties in securing advanced AI technology and accessing medical data.
To address this, Seoul Bio Hub introduced a "consortium-based support system." Participating corporations must apply by forming a partnership with an AI technology support institution or a medical data-centered hospital. The plan is to supplement technical capabilities and drive commercialization that reflects data from actual medical settings.
A Seoul Bio Hub official said, "The combination of AI and medical data is the key to competitiveness in the bio-healthcare industry," adding, "We will strengthen support so that domestic startups can secure competitiveness in the global market."
Applications can be submitted on the Seoul Bio Hub website, and the deadline is by 2 p.m. on Apr. 13.