Third Cohort of Deep-Tech Startups from Government-funded Institutes Launched... Nine Teams Selected Based on Industrial Demand

NST and KST Accelerate Commercialization by Expanding Open Innovation

Deep-tech startups based on technologies from government-funded research institutes are entering a full-fledged expansion under the third cohort system. The structure directly links technologies held by researchers to industrial demand, thereby increasing the probability of startup success.

The National Research Council of Science and Technology (NST) and Korea Science & Technology Holdings (KST) announced on February 12 that they have selected nine preliminary startup teams for the 3rd cohort of the "Deep Tech Planning and Startup Challenge Program for Government-funded Research Institutes" and will begin full-scale support.

This program is an end-to-end support initiative that discovers preliminary entrepreneurs possessing deep-tech from government-funded research institutes and advances their ideas into business models (BMs). It provides step-by-step, close support ranging from professional consulting and team building to linkage with government support programs, incorporation, and investment matching.

The deep-tech planning and startup platform for government-funded research institutes has produced top-prize winners for two consecutive years in the grand finale of "Challenge! K-Startup," an inter-ministerial startup competition.

In 2024, WaterTreenez, led by Dr. Kim Incheol of the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, and in 2025, XMUT, led by Dr. Lee Byungchul of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, each won the top prize.

In addition, 13 teams were selected for 19 projects under government startup support programs, securing approximately 1.6 billion won, while nine corporations have been established so far and five cases of direct and indirect investment have been made.

For the 3rd cohort, nine teams were selected in cutting-edge fields such as semiconductors, bio, AI, robotics, and energy. Their technological competitiveness, marketability, and commercialization potential were evaluated comprehensively.

For each selected team, a dedicated working group will be formed with participation from technology licensing offices (TLOs) of government-funded research institutes, KST, and private expert organizations to support technology commercialization strategies, BM advancement, IP and regulatory consulting, and IR package development.

In this cohort, an open innovation (OI) approach has been introduced that expands the scope of demand companies beyond large and mid-sized enterprises to include small and medium-sized enterprises. A "bottom-up" model is being applied that matches industrial demand around technologies held by researchers, thereby linking demonstration and commercialization.

Through this, the program aims to simultaneously secure initial customers and mitigate commercialization risks, and to expand into medium- to long-term outcomes such as the establishment of joint ventures (JVs) in the future.

NST Chairman Kim Youngsik said, "We will invigorate the deep-tech startup ecosystem of government-funded research institutes by discovering preliminary entrepreneurs starting from industrial demand and providing close support," adding, "We will strengthen practical startup linkages that take both technology and market into account."