TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startup)
Mixed package up to KRW 1 billion over up to three years: about KRW 100 million operator angel investment, up to KRW 500 million government R&D funding, and up to KRW 400 million additional startup, angel-matching and overseas-marketing assistance · Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS), South Korea · rolling applications
Government program matching angel/operator investment with substantial R&D grants for high-potential deep-tech startups, delivered through accredited TIPS operators (accelerators). Current lifecycle: rolling. Real economics: Mixed package up to KRW 1 billion over up to three years: about KRW 100 million operator angel investment, up to KRW 500 million government R&D funding, and up to KRW 400 million additional startup, angel-matching and overseas-marketing assistance.
Tier 3south-koreagovernmentdeep-techgrant
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Key facts
| Funder | Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS), South Korea |
| Amount | Mixed package up to KRW 1 billion over up to three years: about KRW 100 million operator angel investment, up to KRW 500 million government R&D funding, and up to KRW 400 million additional startup, angel-matching and overseas-marketing assistance |
| Deadline | Rolling — apply anytime |
| Decision time | Operators appraise investments year-round. Recommended startups enter bimonthly government review through document assessment, business-plan adjustment and a face-to-face assessment; no total submission-to-award day count is published. |
| Eligibility | A prospective or existing technology startup team with at least two people and a concrete technical R&D plan. Applicants first seek investment from one or more designated TIPS operators; only one operator investment agreement can support the government R&D route. Overseas applicants face Korean incorporation, citizenship and ownership rules. |
| Restrictions | Government R&D is milestone-based and paired with operator investment/incubation. The English page does not publish the full current claim/report schedule; the 2026 Korean operating guidance and award agreement control. The comparable KRW 500 million figure is government technical-development funding, not the full mixed package. Private/operator spending must exceed 20% of the R&D fund, with more than half in cash; additional startup, angel-matching and overseas-marketing components have separate uses. |
| Status | rolling |
Always confirm on the official page before applying — dates and terms change.
Application process
- Submit a business plan and technical R&D proposal to one or more designated TIPS operators
- Pass the operator's investment appraisal
- Sign an investment agreement with one operator
- Receive operator recommendation to the TIPS supervising agency
- Complete document review, plan adjustment and face-to-face government assessment
- If selected, execute operator investment/incubation and government R&D milestones
- On success, pay the published government-fund royalty and pursue follow-on investment or exit support
Background
Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS), South Korea operates TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startup). The official-source pass records the actual access gate, economics, constraints, application burden and current lifecycle instead of treating the umbrella headline as an unrestricted grant. Official 2026 support-plan notice confirms the program is operating and directs startups to TIPS operators The live site publishes a July 2026 operator intake list and a public R&D selection contact The operator directory documents sector-specific investment and university/research-institute partners
How the application really works
Submit a business plan and technical R&D proposal to one or more designated TIPS operators → Pass the operator's investment appraisal → Sign an investment agreement with one operator → Receive operator recommendation to the TIPS supervising agency → Complete document review, plan adjustment and face-to-face government assessment → If selected, execute operator investment/incubation and government R&D milestones → On success, pay the published government-fund royalty and pursue follow-on investment or exit support
Tips
- Show direct fit with innovative technology.
- Show direct fit with advanced manufacturing.
- Show direct fit with hardware.
- Show direct fit with ICT and mobile.
- Show direct fit with healthcare and biotech.
Watch out for
- Current lifecycle is rolling.
- Government R&D is milestone-based and paired with operator investment/incubation. The English page does not publish the full current claim/report schedule; the 2026 Korean operating guidance and award agreement control.
- The comparable KRW 500 million figure is government technical-development funding, not the full mixed package. Private/operator spending must exceed 20% of the R&D fund, with more than half in cash; additional startup, angel-matching and overseas-marketing components have separate uses.
Track record
- Official 2026 support-plan notice confirms the program is operating and directs startups to TIPS operators
- The live site publishes a July 2026 operator intake list and a public R&D selection contact
- The operator directory documents sector-specific investment and university/research-institute partners
Operators appraise approximately 1.2 times the final number of teams and the government reviews seven or eight recommended startups bimonthly, but no applicant denominator or overall acceptance rate is published.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this actionable now?
- rolling. Designated TIPS operators accept investment proposals year-round; the government assesses approximately seven or eight operator-recommended startups bimonthly.
- What is the real economic value?
- Mixed package up to KRW 1 billion over up to three years: about KRW 100 million operator angel investment, up to KRW 500 million government R&D funding, and up to KRW 400 million additional startup, angel-matching and overseas-marketing assistance
- Who is eligible?
- A prospective or existing technology startup team with at least two people and a concrete technical R&D plan. Applicants first seek investment from one or more designated TIPS operators; only one operator investment agreement can support the government R&D route. Overseas applicants face Korean incorporation, citizenship and ownership rules.
- How does selection work?
- Submit a business plan and technical R&D proposal to one or more designated TIPS operators; Pass the operator's investment appraisal; Sign an investment agreement with one operator; Receive operator recommendation to the TIPS supervising agency; Complete document review, plan adjustment and face-to-face government assessment; If selected, execute operator investment/incubation and government R&D milestones; On success, pay the published government-fund royalty and pursue follow-on investment or exit support. Operators appraise investments year-round. Recommended startups enter bimonthly government review through document assessment, business-plan adjustment and a face-to-face assessment; no total submission-to-award day count is published.
- What burden and restrictions apply?
- Government R&D is milestone-based and paired with operator investment/incubation. The English page does not publish the full current claim/report schedule; the 2026 Korean operating guidance and award agreement control. The comparable KRW 500 million figure is government technical-development funding, not the full mixed package. Private/operator spending must exceed 20% of the R&D fund, with more than half in cash; additional startup, angel-matching and overseas-marketing components have separate uses.
- What official evidence exists?
- Official 2026 support-plan notice confirms the program is operating and directs startups to TIPS operators The live site publishes a July 2026 operator intake list and a public R&D selection contact The operator directory documents sector-specific investment and university/research-institute partners Operators appraise approximately 1.2 times the final number of teams and the government reviews seven or eight recommended startups bimonthly, but no applicant denominator or overall acceptance rate is published.
Related grants
Sources
- www.jointips.or.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=contents&wr_id=810 — Official March 2026 revised startup-support plan notice and operator-route requirement (checked 2026-08-10)
- www.jointips.or.kr/support_en.php — Official English economics, matching, year-round operator intake, assessment stages, royalty and follow-on model (checked 2026-08-10)
- www.jointips.or.kr/faq_en.php — Official applicant-team, multi-operator, equity, royalty, pre-incorporation and overseas-company rules (checked 2026-08-10)
- www.jointips.or.kr — Live official 2026 news index and public R&D selection contact (checked 2026-08-10)
- www.jointips.or.kr/partners_en.php — Official operator examples, sector focus and incubation partners (checked 2026-08-10)