The CEATEC 2026 support notice targets Korean digital ICT AI companies preparing for the Japanese market. It plans to select around eight companies and support their participation in CEATEC 2026 in Chiba, Japan. The application window runs from July 23, 2026 to August 4, 2026 at 18:00 Korea time.
The operator is the Global Digital Innovation Network, so applicants should treat this as GDN CEATEC support rather than a generic travel subsidy. The official K-Startup program notice lists booth, travel, workshop, business matching, and possible interpretation support. Applications are submitted through the GDN event page, and event context is available on the CEATEC official site.
Program snapshot: exhibition support plus Japan-market access
| Item | Summary |
|---|---|
| Program | CEATEC 2026 exhibition support for participating companies |
| Application window | July 23, 2026 ~ August 4, 2026 18:00 KST |
| Event dates | October 13 ~ 16, 2026 |
| Venue | Makuhari Messe, Chiba, Japan |
| Scale | Around 8 digital, ICT, or AI companies |
| Support | Booth rental and setup, round-trip airfare, workshop, 1:1 business matching, interpretation if needed |
For global readers, this is a Korea-based support program. It is most relevant to companies incorporated in Korea that already have a commercial product and some Japan-market readiness signal.
Eligibility: Japan-ready digital and AI companies
Applicants need a commercial product or service using digital, ICT, or AI convergence technology and must be able to demonstrate it. They also need at least one Japan market readiness signal, such as prior export or sales to Japanese partners, an MOU or NDA, local intellectual property, a Japanese subsidiary or branch, investment from a Japanese VC or institution, or previous participation in a Japanese exhibition. At least one founder or co-founder must be able to participate onsite during the exhibition.
For an AI startup Korea team, the application should explain why CEATEC is the right market-development channel. A model demo alone is not enough; evaluators need to see buyer context, deployment conditions, security or data-handling readiness, and a credible follow-up plan.
Evaluation: show evidence, not only ambition
The selection process uses a first quantitative eligibility screen and a second qualitative document review. Missing a required criterion can end the application at the first stage. The second stage relies on external evaluators and ranks applicants based on submitted materials.
Strong applications should connect the exhibition booth to a concrete pipeline: target Japanese customer segments, partner meetings, demo scenarios, pricing or procurement readiness, and post-event follow-up. The notice names GDN Business Team 1 as the contact point at ict@gdinfoundation.com, with phone contacts 031-8039-6756 and 031-8039-6754.
Final checklist before applying
- Confirm whether both the event-page submission and the additional Google Form are required under the notice.
- Prepare evidence for at least one Japan-readiness condition: partner agreement, local IP, subsidiary, investment, sales, or past exhibition record.
- Make sure a founder or co-founder can attend CEATEC from October 13 to 16, 2026.
- Check that the company has not already received overlapping support for the same exhibition from another public program.
- Prepare an English or Japanese demo kit and a post-event B2B follow-up calendar.
This Korean startup grant is best for teams that can turn a booth into customer discovery, partner validation, or concrete sales conversations in Japan.
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