Korea runs hundreds of startup support programs every year, but only some of them are realistic for foreign founders. A few are designed for non-Korean founders and run in English. Many others are open in principle, but they are announced in Korean and often need a Korean business registration or corporation. This guide shows which programs foreigners can join, the common conditions, and how to find and read official announcements on K-Startup and Bizinfo.
Key facts
| Program | Run by | Main benefit | Key condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| K-Startup Grand Challenge | Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) | Prizes, grants, free workspace, visa support | CEO must be a non-Korean national |
| Global Startup Commercialization Support Program | MSS / Global Startup Center | Average KRW 50 million, up to KRW 80 million | Non-Korean CEO, tech startup up to 7 years old, Korean corporation before signing |
| Startup Korea Special Visa recommendation | MSS + Ministry of Justice | D-8-4S visa without OASIS points | Non-Korean representative; pass a private committee review |
| OASIS programs | Ministry of Justice-approved centers | Training, mentoring, incubation; points for D-8-4 | Usually legal residence in Korea |
| Global Startup Office / SVC Seoul Global Membership | Global Startup Center / KISED | Low-cost workspace | Foreign founders and early-stage teams |
| General programs (e.g., Pre-Startup Package) | KISED and others | Funding up to KRW 80 million | Read each notice; usually in Korean |
Programs designed for foreign founders
1. K-Startup Grand Challenge (KSGC)
KSGC is the largest program for foreign-led startups. In 2026 the main track accepted applications from May 6 to June 17. The CEO must not be a Korean national, and companies must be no more than 7 years old (10 for emerging sectors) (SNU Campus Town – 2026 KSGC notice). Selected teams get prize money (top 20), commercialization grants (top 8), travel support of up to KRW 8 million, free workspace in Pangyo and Gangnam, and C-3, D-10-2 and D-8-4 visa support (K-Startup Grand Challenge – Grand Challenge page). In 2026 there was also an international student track (KSGC – International student track).
2. Global Startup Commercialization Support Program
This is a cash grant program for foreign-led tech startups that already have, or will soon have, a Korean company. The 2026 call (Global Startup Center – 2026 Global Startup Commercialization Support Program):
- About 15 startups selected
- Average KRW 50 million, maximum KRW 80 million
- Representative must be a non-Korean national
- Tech-based startups, 7 years or less since incorporation
- Korean incorporation must be completed before the agreement is signed
- Applications: March 18 – April 10, 2026; application form in English
- Program period: May 2026 – February 2027
MSS said the program grew from 10 to 15 companies, the average grant rose from KRW 40 million (cap KRW 60 million) to KRW 50 million (cap KRW 80 million), the 2025 competition ratio was 13 to 1, and all procedures are in English (Ministry of SMEs and Startups – 2026 Global Startup Commercialization Program).
3. Startup Korea Special Visa (D-8-4S) recommendation
MSS recommends founders for this visa after a private evaluation committee reviews business feasibility, innovation, Korean market potential and contribution to the economy. It “minimizes quantitative requirements” compared with the D-8-4 (Ministry of SMEs and Startups – Startup Korea Special Visa). The Global Startup Center accepts applications on a rolling basis (Global Startup Center – Korea Special Startup Visa).
4. OASIS programs
OASIS (Overall Assistance for Start-up Immigration System) provides training, mentoring, incubation and incorporation help, and each course gives points toward the D-8-4 visa (Global Start-up Immigration Center – Startup VISA points). Courses are offered by the Global Start-up Immigration Center, the Global Startup Center (Global Startup Center – 2026 OASIS Programs), Seoul Global Center (Seoul Metropolitan Government – OASIS 2.0) and, from 2026, a center in Busan (Busan Metropolitan City – Global Startup Immigration Center).
5. Global Startup Center services
The Global Startup Center in Gangnam lists its 2026 programs: OASIS, the Global Startup Office, special naturalization of outstanding private-sector talent, the commercialization support program, GSC Office Hours (1:1 expert matching), the Korea Special Startup Visa and a KSGC growth track (Global Startup Center – home). MSS describes services such as interpreting, visa and incorporation support, IR pitching education, job fairs and legal and patent guidance (Ministry of SMEs and Startups – Global Startup Center opening).
General Korean programs: can foreigners join?
Most large programs are written for all founders, not for foreigners in particular. A good example is the Pre-Startup Package (예비창업패키지) run by KISED. It targets pre-founders who have not yet registered a business or corporation, gives commercialization funds of up to KRW 80 million, supports about 300 people, and takes applications on K-Startup (KISED – Pre-Startup Package). The program page does not state a nationality rule. This is typical: eligibility details are in the full notice (공고문), usually a PDF or HWP file in Korean.
In practice, check these points in every general notice:
- Nationality or residence rules in the “신청 자격” (eligibility) and “신청 제외 대상” (who cannot apply) sections.
- Business registration: pre-founder programs require that you do not have one yet; growth programs require a Korean business registration or corporation.
- Company age (업력): many programs are limited to companies under 3 or 7 years old.
- Language: business plans and interviews are often in Korean. Programs for foreigners (KSGC, the commercialization program) are run in English.
- Visa: even if a program accepts you, your visa must allow the activity. Commercial operations are not allowed on the D-10-2 startup preparation visa (Global Start-up Immigration Center – D-10-2 / D-8-4 process).
Being selected for a government startup support program also counts as a 30-point prerequisite item for the D-8-4 visa (Global Start-up Immigration Center – Startup VISA points).
Where programs are announced
K-Startup (k-startup.go.kr)
K-Startup is the main startup support portal. Its “ongoing announcements” page can be filtered by ministry, support field (commercialization, R&D, facilities/space/incubation, mentoring/consulting/education, global, personnel, loans, events/networking and more), region, target group, age, and years since founding (K-Startup – Ongoing announcements). Most listings are in Korean, but some programs for foreigners have English titles, for example the “2026 SVC Seoul Membership (Global) Recruitment Announcement”. The Startup Korea Special Visa call was also posted on K-Startup.
Bizinfo (bizinfo.go.kr)
Bizinfo (기업마당) lists support programs from central and local governments for small and medium businesses. It sorts them into eight fields: finance, technology, workforce, export, domestic market, startup, management and other. You can filter by 17 regions and status, sort by date or deadline, and download an Excel list (Bizinfo – Support program announcements). Bizinfo is more useful once you have a Korean company, because most programs there are for registered businesses.
Ministry of SMEs and Startups
MSS posts official notices (사업공고), such as the 2026 KSGC call, on its Korean board (Ministry of SMEs and Startups – Business announcements). The English press release board often covers programs for foreign founders (Ministry of SMEs and Startups – Press releases). Note that the web page of a notice is often short. For the 2026 KSGC call, eligibility, support and schedule were only in the attached PDF (Ministry of SMEs and Startups – 2026 KSGC notice).
How to read a Korean announcement
Use a translation tool, but learn these words so you can find the important parts quickly:
| Korean | Meaning | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 공고문 / 첨부파일 | Full notice / attachments | Always download it; the web summary is incomplete |
| 신청 자격 / 지원 대상 | Eligibility / target | Nationality, age, company type |
| 신청 제외 대상 | Excluded applicants | Reasons you cannot apply |
| 예비창업자 | Pre-founder | No business registration yet |
| 업력 | Years since founding | Usually counted from business registration or incorporation date |
| 사업자등록 / 법인 | Business registration / corporation | Whether you need a Korean entity |
| 지원 내용 / 사업화 자금 | Support details / commercialization funds | Amounts, what money can be spent on |
| 자부담 | Self-funding (co-payment) | Your own share of the budget |
| 접수 기간 / 마감 | Application period / deadline | Exact time (often 15:00 or 16:00 KST) |
| 주관기관 / 전담기관 | Operating organization / managing agency | Who to contact with questions |
| 제출 서류 | Required documents | Plan for translation and apostille time |
A simple monthly routine
- Once a week, check K-Startup with the “global” support field filter and the Global Startup Center homepage.
- Once a month, read the MSS English press releases for new foreign founder programs.
- After you incorporate, add Bizinfo and your city’s startup portal to your routine.
- Keep a folder of standard documents in English and Korean: company introduction, pitch deck, passport and alien registration copies, business registration, and degree with apostille.
FAQ
Do I need a Korean corporation to get government money?
For most cash programs, yes, at least before the agreement is signed. The 2026 Global Startup Commercialization Support Program required Korean incorporation before signing, and KSGC says a Korean entity may be needed to receive awards.
Are there programs in English?
Yes. KSGC and the Global Startup Commercialization Support Program run their procedures in English.
Where should a beginner start?
Start with the Global Startup Center (startup-korea.com) and OASIS courses. They help with visa and incorporation, which you need before most other programs.
Can I join the Pre-Startup Package as a foreigner?
The KISED program page does not state a nationality rule. Read the “eligibility” and “excluded applicants” sections of the current notice and ask the managing agency before applying.
How often are new programs posted?
K-Startup, Bizinfo and the MSS boards are updated with new announcements continuously throughout the year, so check them regularly.
Sources
- Seoul National University Campus Town – 2026 KSGC notice
- K-Startup Grand Challenge – Grand Challenge page
- K-Startup Grand Challenge – International student track
- Global Startup Center – 2026 Global Startup Commercialization Support Program
- Ministry of SMEs and Startups – 2026 Global Startup Commercialization Program
- Ministry of SMEs and Startups – Startup Korea Special Visa
- Global Startup Center – Korea Special Startup Visa
- Global Start-up Immigration Center – Startup VISA points
- Global Start-up Immigration Center – D-10-2 / D-8-4 process (Korean)
- Global Startup Center – 2026 OASIS Programs
- Seoul Metropolitan Government – OASIS 2.0
- Busan Metropolitan City – Global Startup Immigration Center
- Global Startup Center – home
- Ministry of SMEs and Startups – Global Startup Center opening
- Korea Institute of Startup and Entrepreneurship Development – Pre-Startup Package
- K-Startup – Ongoing announcements
- Bizinfo – Support program announcements
- Ministry of SMEs and Startups – Business announcements board
- Ministry of SMEs and Startups – Press releases (English)
- Ministry of SMEs and Startups – 2026 KSGC recruitment notice