Looking for Innovative Entrepreneurs to Lead Regional Balanced New Deal

Recruitment for Youth Startup Academy Entrants Until the 8th of Next Month

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Cheol-hyun] The Small and Medium Business Corporation (Chairman Kim Hak-do, hereinafter referred to as SBC) announced on the 31st that it is looking for capable young entrepreneurs who will lead the regional balanced New Deal through manufacturing innovation, focusing on regional key industries.

The Youth Startup Academy is a project aimed at supporting young people with excellent technology and passion to successfully settle in the startup ecosystem, marking its 11th year since establishment this year. SBC is recruiting students for the Youth Startup Academy until the 8th of next month.

This year, to create a startup ecosystem leading the regional balanced New Deal, entrepreneurs engaged in key industries by region will be given priority in selection and their proportion will be expanded. By focusing support on product development, prototype production, and investment attraction linkage, the success rate of commercialization will be increased. In addition, collaboration programs with startup support related organizations located in the region will be expanded to take the lead in fostering regional industries.

Furthermore, SBC will newly open a Youth Startup Academy in Sejong Special Self-Governing City, which was the only metropolitan city without a Youth Startup Academy, thereby establishing a nationwide startup support infrastructure. In addition, support for innovative manufacturing and convergence startups will be strengthened. Along with existing manufacturing technology startup support, the selection of young entrepreneurs possessing new technologies in the 4th Industrial Revolution field will be expanded to activate the convergence of new technologies such as manufacturing and ICT.

In the entrepreneur selection system, artificial intelligence (AI) competency evaluation will be introduced on a trial basis. Through this, it is expected to enable the selection of entrepreneurs with high chances of success, analysis of entrepreneurship and commercialization capabilities, and provision of customized education and coaching support. SBC has built an evaluation system by analyzing the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs among graduate companies. AI competency evaluation can be participated in from February 9 to 14 after applying for the Youth Startup Academy, and participants will receive additional points in the document screening.

Applications for the 11th Youth Startup Academy of SBC can be made on the K-Startup website until the 8th of next month, and detailed inquiries can be made to the respective regional Youth Startup Academy. Lee Soo-hyung, head of SBC’s Startup Support Division, said, "This year, to foster innovative entrepreneurs who will lead the regional balanced New Deal, we have expanded support for companies engaged in regional key industries and young entrepreneurs possessing manufacturing innovation technologies," adding, "Based on the analysis of entrepreneurs’ capabilities, we will provide customized support so that young people with creative ideas and innovative technologies can lead regional industrial growth."

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