Seoul City Launches '2020 Sewoon Made Project'

Among the 2019 Sewoon Made works, the 'knot Bluetooth speaker' produced by Above Studio

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] Seoul City announced on the 27th that it will promote the ‘2020 Sewoon Made Project’ as part of the Sewoon Shopping District urban regeneration project.

Following its first implementation in 2018, the Sewoon Made Project, now in its third year, is a program that invites ideas for products specialized in the Sewoon area from early-stage startups with prototypes or citizens who want to produce their ideas as products, and supports their realization into actual products.

Last year, through the ‘2019 Sewoon Made Project,’ crowdfunding was conducted for a total of 14 products, including six developed products and eight prototypes from companies active in the Sewoon Shopping District, achieving results beyond expectations.

The main products being recruited this time are those that can combine technology and the parts market within the Sewoon area, products incorporating new ideas in fields such as sound, lighting, and entertainment that were once actively produced in the Sewoon Shopping District, as well as design-centered products linking lighting, props, electronic devices, technology, and culture.

Upon selection, up to 10 million KRW per team will be supported for prototype development costs. Differential support will be provided within a total budget of 550 million KRW. Eligible applicants include companies and startups located in Seoul, as well as groups of two or more prospective entrepreneurs and creators. Extra points will be given to those who already possess prototypes.

The support program will include an accelerating process conducted by the Sewoon Prototype Committee, composed of manufacturing experts. Participants will not only learn know-how on specific strategies and solutions necessary for product development but also have the opportunity to showcase their final products to a wider audience through crowdfunding.

The application period is from October 5 to October 18. Final candidates for product development support will be selected through document and interview evaluations. More detailed information about this project can be found on the Dasi·Sewoon Project website and the Seoul City website’s public announcement section.

The completed products will be sold through crowdfunding in April 2021 with investments from citizens and will be exhibited at Cheonggye Sanghoe within the Sewoon Electronics Museum.

Ryu Hoon, Director of Seoul City’s Urban Regeneration Office, said, “This project is expected to serve as a catalyst for revitalizing the urban manufacturing industry by linking with the industrial infrastructure of the Sewoon Shopping District,” adding, “We will continue to proactively promote participatory programs to revitalize the urban manufacturing industry and expand manufacturing technology and maker culture through the Sewoon Shopping District urban regeneration project.”

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