The South Korean government has unveiled the ‘Comprehensive Strategy for Becoming a Global Venture Powerhouse,’ aiming to foster 10,000 AI and deep-tech startups, create 50 unicorns and decacorns, and expand annual venture investment to 40 trillion won. This strategy, led by multiple ministries, is the first comprehensive plan to structurally reorganize the venture ecosystem around technology, regions, talent, and capital.
The government plans to strategically allocate part of approximately 50,000 GPUs to R&D and demonstration projects by startups. Centered on six strategic industries—AI, biotech, content & culture, defense, energy, and advanced manufacturing—this policy aims to nurture 10,000 AI and deep-tech startups by 2030. The ‘Next-Generation Unicorn Discovery and Cultivation Project’ will provide up to 100 billion won in staged investments and guarantees, supplying a total of 13.5 trillion won by 2030.
To support global expansion of K-ventures, startup campuses will be established in key innovation hubs including Silicon Valley, Tokyo, Singapore, London, and New York, with a global startup hub being built in Seoul. A ‘Startup One-Stop Support Center’ will offer integrated legal, tax, management, and regulatory support. The public procurement system for startups will be expanded to include venture products and services, promoting access to public markets for mid- to late-stage ventures.
To drive an era of 40 trillion won in annual venture investment, the government will improve the structure of risk capital through the transition to Venture Fund 2.0. This includes establishing a national account for pension funds and ensuring that venture funds bear losses first. Financial regulations will be revised to be more venture-friendly, and corporate venture capital (CVC) will be activated with enhanced tax incentives for private venture investments.