'First Round of Everyone's Startup' Regional Auditions Select 200 Innovative Entrepreneurs

70% of Selected Participants From Outside the Seoul Metropolitan Area
10 Million Won in Commercialization Funding
Mentoring From Experienced Entrepreneurs and Other Support

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on October 21 that it had selected 200 innovative entrepreneurs to advance to the next stage in regional auditions for the general and technology tracks of the first round of Everyone's Startup, held across 17 cities and provinces nationwide.

The regional auditions were conducted as public presentation evaluations, in which participants presented their business ideas themselves. Their ideas were assessed comprehensively, including for their quality and potential to enter the market.

Young people aged 39 or younger accounted for 57.5% of those selected, making up more than half. The share of selected participants from outside the Seoul metropolitan area was 70%. By sector, IT accounted for the largest share at 35.0%, followed by bio and medical at 18.5% and hardware at 9.5%.

Minister of SMEs and Startups Han Seongsuk poses for a commemorative photo with selected participants at the launch ceremony for the first cohort of Everyone's Startup, held at SVC Seoul in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on June 16, 2026. Photo by Yoon Dongju

The ministry said that outstanding cases stood out among those selected, including entrepreneurs who had turned their technologies into market results such as actual sales, investment, and partnerships with large companies or overseas businesses, as well as those who had developed extensive field experience into innovative startup ideas.

One selected participant from Daejeon demonstrated the commercial viability of a “porous coating solution for artificial knee joints” by securing an order for industrial equipment worth about 300 million won. The participant is now pursuing global collaboration, including a paid proof of concept (PoC), with a U.S. artificial joint manufacturer. A selected participant from Gyeongbuk who is developing an “integrated hydrogen safety management system” established a company and attracted equity investment after securing a domestic patent. Another selected participant from Jeonbuk developed a “disposable patient restraint device” based on problems encountered while working in emergency medical care for more than 10 years. The participant is refining the product through usability testing with current employees of fire service agencies.

The 200 participants selected in the regional auditions will receive 10 million won in commercialization funding, mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs, and other support. They will next take part in auditions across five regions, through which 100 participants will be selected to advance to the nationwide final audition. Jo Gyeongwon, director general for startup policy at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, said, “At the regional auditions, we saw ideas rooted in field experience and expertise develop into business results, including investment and patent applications.” He added, “We will carefully provide follow-up support so that participants’ efforts lead to actual startups and growth, throughout the remaining regional and final audition stages and beyond.”

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