The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 22nd that it will promote the 2025 'super gap startup 1000+ project,' which focuses on supporting the global expansion of deep-tech startups with exceptional technologies in new industries such as AI by selecting them and supporting technology commercialization, open innovation, and investment attraction.
The super gap project is aimed at nurturing over 1,000 deep-tech startups that will lead the future of the national economy in 10 major new industry areas, including system semiconductors, AI, bio-health, and aerospace, over the next five years starting in 2023, and fostering them to become key players in the global market.
Since 2023, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups has selected 407 super gap startups and has been focusing on long-term support through key policy measures such as technology commercialization, collaboration with large corporations, and domestic and foreign investment attraction programs. Startups participating in the program have seen improved business conditions, with sales increasing by 30.3%, and accumulated investments rising by 16.7% compared to before support, while 12 companies utilized the technology special listing system during the support period to get listed on KOSDAQ.
This year, unlike last year, the Ministry plans to strategically support the super gap project by categorizing deep-tech startups into three stages based on their technology levels and systematizing the support.
The announcement of this super gap program will select a total of 118 corporations, and applications will be accepted from the 23rd to February 20. Selected super gap startups will receive up to 600 million won in commercialization funds for three years and, depending on corporate demand and following an evaluation, up to 500 million won in research and development funds for a maximum of two years, totaling up to 1.1 billion won per corporation. They can also receive linked support for policy funding, guarantees, and exports.
Minister Oh Youngju said, 'New industries such as AI are innovating the national industrial structure and causing revolutionary changes in all fields, and at the center of this are deep-tech startups.' He added, 'The Ministry will do its utmost to support innovative deep-tech startups to establish themselves as key players in the global market through the super gap project.'