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Korea Pre-Startup Package

The 2026 package provides non-repayable commercialisation funding up to KRW 80 million per prospective founder. The revised call planned about 300 selections, generally around KRW 40 million each, with an initial KRW 20 million stage and additional funding for founders that pass the interim stage evaluation; the ceiling is not an automatic award. · Korea SMEs and Startups Agency / KISED

Korea Pre-Startup Package is a grant programme from Korea SMEs and Startups Agency / KISED for Prospective founders in South Korea without an existing business registration, subject to the annual category rules Current lifecycle: closed. Real economics: The 2026 package provides non-repayable commercialisation funding up to KRW 80 million per prospective founder. The revised call planned about 300 selections, generally around KRW 40 million each, with an initial KRW 20 million stage and additional funding for founders that pass the interim stage evaluation; the ceiling is not an automatic award..

Tier 3governmentsouth-koreagrantnon-dilutive

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Key facts

FunderKorea SMEs and Startups Agency / KISED
AmountThe 2026 package provides non-repayable commercialisation funding up to KRW 80 million per prospective founder. The revised call planned about 300 selections, generally around KRW 40 million each, with an initial KRW 20 million stage and additional funding for founders that pass the interim stage evaluation; the ceiling is not an automatic award.
Decision timeThe revised notice uses written review, preparation and presentation evaluation followed by final eligibility verification. Selection notices are published through K-Startup, but the reviewed official material does not provide a stable application-to-decision day commitment.
EligibilityA prospective technology founder who met the revised notice's no-business-registration and no-corporate-representative tests at the stated cutoff, is not barred by recent closure, arrears, debt, excluded sectors, duplicate startup-commercialisation support or prior programme history, and commits to form and operate the Korean startup during the programme. Specialist-track applicants must additionally prove the selected category.
RestrictionsAwardees use the integrated startup-support account, follow the approved budget and agreement, document each commercialisation expense, participate in required education, mentoring and evaluations, form the business during the programme, and complete interim and final reporting and settlement. Conditional later funding depends on the stage evaluation; misuse, false statements, duplicate support or failure to perform can trigger cancellation and recovery. Funding supports approved startup commercialisation such as materials and data, outsourced services, machinery, software, IP filing or acquisition, founder/team labour where allowed, rent, travel, market validation and promotion. Unsupported, unrelated, pre-agreement, duplicate-funded, prohibited-sector and improperly documented expenses are excluded; the public call summaries do not establish a universal IP ownership allocation.
Statusclosed

Always confirm on the official page before applying — dates and terms change.

Application process

  1. Choose the general or an eligible specialist category and its supervising organisation
  2. Create the K-Startup account and submit the prescribed online business plan and declarations
  3. Pass applicant-status, duplicate-support, debt, tax and prohibited-sector eligibility checks
  4. Undergo written business-model, feasibility, growth and team review
  5. Complete the prescribed entrepreneurship, BM or MVP preparation and any organiser mentoring
  6. Present the venture to the evaluation panel
  7. Complete final eligibility verification and sign the electronic agreement if selected
  8. Receive the initial commercialisation tranche and execute the approved plan
  9. Pass the interim stage evaluation for any conditional additional funding
  10. Form the startup, submit expenditure and outcome evidence, and complete final settlement

Background

Korea SMEs and Startups Agency / KISED operates Korea Pre-Startup Package. This pass separates direct cash, repayable finance, credits, incentives and umbrella programs so later ranking does not compare unlike instruments. The revised 2026 call planned about 300 founders: 110 in the general category and 190 across specialist categories The revised programme used an initial KRW 20 million stage followed by conditional additional funding after evaluation The broader January 2026 startup-package plan initially described 750 Pre-Startup Package founder places, while the later revised call controls the actionable cohort represented here

How the application really works

Choose the general or an eligible specialist category and its supervising organisation → Create the K-Startup account and submit the prescribed online business plan and declarations → Pass applicant-status, duplicate-support, debt, tax and prohibited-sector eligibility checks → Undergo written business-model, feasibility, growth and team review → Complete the prescribed entrepreneurship, BM or MVP preparation and any organiser mentoring → Present the venture to the evaluation panel → Complete final eligibility verification and sign the electronic agreement if selected → Receive the initial commercialisation tranche and execute the approved plan → Pass the interim stage evaluation for any conditional additional funding → Form the startup, submit expenditure and outcome evidence, and complete final settlement

Tips

Watch out for

Track record

The revised call planned about 300 selections—110 general and 190 specialist—but the official sources reviewed do not publish a combined eligible-application denominator or realised acceptance rate.

Frequently asked questions

Is this actionable now?
closed. The revised 2026 Pre-Startup Package founder call accepted applications from 6 March through 26 March 2026 at 18:00 KST and is closed. It is an annual package with separate general and specialist categories; no later 2026 founder window was verified and capacity announcements are not treated as rolling intake.
What is the real economic value?
The 2026 package provides non-repayable commercialisation funding up to KRW 80 million per prospective founder. The revised call planned about 300 selections, generally around KRW 40 million each, with an initial KRW 20 million stage and additional funding for founders that pass the interim stage evaluation; the ceiling is not an automatic award.
Who is eligible?
A prospective technology founder who met the revised notice's no-business-registration and no-corporate-representative tests at the stated cutoff, is not barred by recent closure, arrears, debt, excluded sectors, duplicate startup-commercialisation support or prior programme history, and commits to form and operate the Korean startup during the programme. Specialist-track applicants must additionally prove the selected category.
How does selection work?
Choose the general or an eligible specialist category and its supervising organisation; Create the K-Startup account and submit the prescribed online business plan and declarations; Pass applicant-status, duplicate-support, debt, tax and prohibited-sector eligibility checks; Undergo written business-model, feasibility, growth and team review; Complete the prescribed entrepreneurship, BM or MVP preparation and any organiser mentoring; Present the venture to the evaluation panel; Complete final eligibility verification and sign the electronic agreement if selected; Receive the initial commercialisation tranche and execute the approved plan; Pass the interim stage evaluation for any conditional additional funding; Form the startup, submit expenditure and outcome evidence, and complete final settlement. The revised notice uses written review, preparation and presentation evaluation followed by final eligibility verification. Selection notices are published through K-Startup, but the reviewed official material does not provide a stable application-to-decision day commitment.
What burden and restrictions apply?
Awardees use the integrated startup-support account, follow the approved budget and agreement, document each commercialisation expense, participate in required education, mentoring and evaluations, form the business during the programme, and complete interim and final reporting and settlement. Conditional later funding depends on the stage evaluation; misuse, false statements, duplicate support or failure to perform can trigger cancellation and recovery. Funding supports approved startup commercialisation such as materials and data, outsourced services, machinery, software, IP filing or acquisition, founder/team labour where allowed, rent, travel, market validation and promotion. Unsupported, unrelated, pre-agreement, duplicate-funded, prohibited-sector and improperly documented expenses are excluded; the public call summaries do not establish a universal IP ownership allocation.
What evidence exists?
The revised 2026 call planned about 300 founders: 110 in the general category and 190 across specialist categories The revised programme used an initial KRW 20 million stage followed by conditional additional funding after evaluation The broader January 2026 startup-package plan initially described 750 Pre-Startup Package founder places, while the later revised call controls the actionable cohort represented here The revised call planned about 300 selections—110 general and 190 specialist—but the official sources reviewed do not publish a combined eligible-application denominator or realised acceptance rate.

Related grants

Korea Early-Stage Startup PackageThe 2026 general route provides commercialisation grants up to KRW 100 million, averaging about KRW 50 million. The separate deep-tech route reaches KRW 150 million and averaged about KRW 130 million; a later investment-linked Startup City route reached KRW 100 million. Company cost-sharing varies by region, with government support normally up to 70% and reduced applicant shares for eligible non-capital regions. · Korea SMEs and Startups Agency / KISEDKorea Startup Leap PackageThe 2026 general route provides commercialisation grants up to KRW 200 million, averaging about KRW 120 million. The separate deep-tech route reaches KRW 300 million, and the later investment-linked Startup City route reaches KRW 200 million. Company co-funding varies by region; the standard structure funds up to 70%, with reduced applicant shares for eligible non-capital regions. · Korea Ministry of SMEs and Startups / KISED1517 Fund Medici Micro-Grant$1,000 or more; the official route does not publish a universal maximum · 1517 FundNat Friedman & Daniel Gross Grants (AI Grant)USD 250,000 maximum; see notes for structure · Nat Friedman & Daniel GrossAnthropic Startup ProgramAnthropic may provide API credits and other program benefits; the current official terms publish no universal numeric benefit value. · AnthropicAnthropic Fellows Program (AI Safety)$3,850 USD, £2,310 GBP or $4,300 CAD per week, plus approximately $15,000 per month of compute; the official source does not publish a guaranteed total stipend · Anthropic

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