Seoul Bio Innovation Hub 'Hongneung' Named Top Small Giant R&D Zone

Received ‘Excellent’ Rating in Government’s Annual Evaluation of Small Giant R&D Zones
Recognized for Attracting Investment Focused on Advanced Bioindustry
Achieved a Record Investment of 75.4 Billion Won – the Highest Nationwide

On July 5, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that the Hongneung Small Giant Research and Development Zone (Hongneung Small Giant R&D Zone) has received the highest rating for the second consecutive year in the government’s annual evaluation of Small Giant R&D Zones. Hongneung, as a core hub of Seoul’s bioindustry, is being recognized for establishing an innovative ecosystem that connects research achievements to startups, investments, and global expansion, thus positioning itself as Korea’s leading advanced bio cluster.

Hongneung, the only Small Giant R&D Zone in Seoul, serves as the core hub of the city’s bioindustry, concentrating research institutes and universities such as KIST, Korea University, and Kyung Hee University, as well as bio startup support infrastructure including Seoul Bio Hub. It is leading the commercialization of advanced bio technologies by building a virtuous cycle ecosystem where R&D achievements translate into technology transfer, startup creation, investment attraction, and global expansion.

Master plan of Hongneung Small Giant Research and Development Special Zone. Seoul Metropolitan Government

The Small Giant R&D Zone is a small-scale, high-density R&D innovation cluster designated by the government to connect research achievements from core technology institutes, such as universities and government-funded research institutes, to technology commercialization and startups. The Hongneung Small Giant R&D Zone, covering approximately 1.38 square kilometers across Anam-dong and Jeongneung-dong in Seongbuk-gu and Hoegi-dong in Dongdaemun-gu, is the only such zone in Seoul. KIST, Korea University, and Kyung Hee University participate as core technology institutes. Located in the supporting area are Seoul Bio Hub and the BT-IT Convergence Center, both established and operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, which support bio startups and corporate growth.

The Hongneung Small Giant R&D Zone has established itself as a hub for the growth of bio-innovation companies, significantly exceeding its targets in investment attraction, technology commercialization, and startup performance. In particular, companies benefiting from the 2025 zone development project attracted a total of 75.4 billion won in investments, which is 460% higher than the original target, signaling the full-fledged realization of technology commercialization outcomes.

The zone’s representative achievement stems from the ‘GRaND-K Startup School.’ Over the past five years, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has built a foundation for the growth of bio startups through entrepreneurship education, investment linkage, and R&D support. This year, 80 teams applied, of which 40 were selected. Among the 20 pre-startup teams, 13 successfully launched their businesses. Additionally, 15 participating companies raised a total of 5.63 billion won in investments, and 10 companies secured 6.2 billion won in R&D funding.

The interregional cooperation model is also yielding results. The ‘Hongneung-Chuncheon Venture Support Platform,’ operated jointly with the Chuncheon Small Giant R&D Zone, uses a ‘2-hour intensive discussion’ format to connect experts and companies, addressing business challenges and delivering tangible outcomes.

From this year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to cultivate the Hongneung area into a global medical cluster through the second phase of the Small Giant R&D Zone development project (2026–2031). The city aims to further strengthen the full-cycle support system covering startup discovery, investment, and global expansion, and to advance the innovative ecosystem that connects research achievements to startups and industry.

The flagship entrepreneurship program, ‘GRaND-K Startup School,’ will be expanded from 40 to 60 teams. In addition, the newly introduced ‘Hongneung Venture Studio’ will provide intensive support across all stages, from idea discovery to startup creation, investment attraction, and market entry. Through the ‘Global Innovation Bridge,’ the city will support bio companies in entering overseas markets, and it will further develop the ‘Hongneung Venture Support Platform’ to expand tailored technology commercialization and investment connections.

Lee Sooyeon, Head of Economic Policy at Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated, “Moving forward, we will further strengthen the full-cycle support system so that research-based companies and startups can continue to grow, and we will do our utmost to secure global competitiveness.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.