Seoul City Opens First Recruitment for 'Golmok Startup Academy' to Nurture Alley Restaurant Owners

‘Sangkwon Innovation Academy’ Opens, Food Service Startup Incubating Space with Theory Classroom + Practice Room
Practical Training for 20 Prospective and Re-entrepreneurs in Food Service and Dessert Sectors for 6 Months Starting July

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 26th that it is recruiting the first batch of students for the Alley Startup Academy, which aims to nurture successful restaurant owners. Amid the long-term COVID-19 pandemic reshaping consumer structures from large commercial districts to neighborhood markets, the academy plans to produce alley restaurant owners who will lead local commercial revitalization through a practical curriculum that supports stable startups.

The 'Commercial District Innovation Academy,' a training school supporting stable startups for prospective entrepreneurs, will officially begin its first session in July. The first batch targets prospective entrepreneurs in the food service and dessert sectors, as well as re-entrepreneurs who wish to switch their business type or item to food service.

The training will be conducted on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. over six months starting in July. The core objective is to cultivate competitive entrepreneurs within a short period through an intensive and dense program.

The 'theoretical education' focuses on practical training for prospective entrepreneurs, including commercial district analysis, business model development, lease contracts, and the use of delivery apps. Additionally, it covers how to respond to crises and various situations that may arise during business operations.

The 'practical training' primarily takes place in the 'practice space' located on the 5th floor of the academy. There are specialized spaces equipped with professional equipment necessary for item-specific practice, such as the 'food cooking room' with gas burners and ovens, the 'bakery/dessert practice room' with mixers, fermenters, and ovens, and the 'coffee practice room' with grinders and coffee machines, where individuals can practice and train.

After theoretical and practical training, internship opportunities are provided at mentor businesses or senior academy businesses. Participants are matched with businesses in their preparation field to work and learn business operation know-how and management philosophy firsthand. Another goal of this internship is to create a virtuous startup ecosystem where graduates who operate their own businesses later hire junior prospective entrepreneurs as interns to pass on their know-how.

In addition, continuous support is provided, including startup fund loans (up to 50 million KRW with annual interest rates in the 1% range), one-on-one startup consulting, linkage to other policy funds, and participation benefits in comprehensive city support projects.

This year, Seoul plans to select 20 prospective and re-entrepreneurs in the food service and dessert sectors for training first, with plans to expand to other high value-added sectors such as handmade goods in the future.

Applications are open until the 21st of next month. Prospective entrepreneurs registered as residents in Seoul or re-entrepreneurs with business registration in Seoul who can participate in weekday training are eligible to apply. Applicants will undergo document and interview screening, with final candidates selected based on thorough consideration of entrepreneurial passion, determination, and item originality. Detailed information about the recruitment can be found on the Seoul Self-Employment Support Center website. During screening, applicants’ experience in the food service industry, detailed business plans, and startup items will be strictly evaluated. The business plan form is available in the recruitment announcement.

Seo Seong-man, Director of Labor and Livelihood Policy at Seoul City, said, “The academy’s goal is to produce entrepreneurs with the competitiveness and qualities to revitalize local commercial districts that have been depressed by COVID-19. Through a practical curriculum designed to minimize failures caused by lack of experience or insufficient preparation, we aim not only for stable business operations but also to foster leaders who will lead the alley commercial districts.”

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