Korea's 2026 Open Innovation Bottom-Up startup program is not a broad public call. It is a closed K-Startup program for startups already recommended by selected demand-side companies or public institutions. For founders tracking open innovation Korea opportunities, this one only matters if your team is building software, data infrastructure, security tooling, platform technology, or an AI product with a Korean corporate partner.
The headline support is a collaboration grant of up to KRW 140 million per startup. The money is meant for developing and validating a product, service, or technical solution with the demand-side partner. Follow-on R&D support may be available through separate Korean government programs, but that part depends on each program's requirements and is not automatic.
Fast facts for applicants
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Program | 2026 Open Innovation Support, second Bottom-Up call |
| Application window | July 20, 2026 13:00 to July 31, 2026 16:00 KST |
| Application channel | Online submission through K-Startup |
| Who can apply | Startups recommended by selected demand-side programs and meeting Korea's startup eligibility rules |
| Expected selection scale | Around 50 startups |
| Main support | Up to KRW 140 million for collaboration work, plus growth programs and possible R&D linkage |
| Project period | Within seven months, expected September 2026 to March 2027 |
| Program contact | Daegu Center for Creative Economy & Innovation, 053-759-8149 / 053-756-7610 |
For English-speaking founders, the most important context is the referral requirement. This is a Korean startup grant, but it is not designed for overseas companies or unrelated applicants browsing public notices. The applicant must be part of a selected open innovation track and must satisfy Korean startup-law eligibility rules.
Who should take this seriously
The best fit is a referred startup that already has a concrete collaboration theme with a Korean demand-side partner. Examples might include enterprise workflow software, industrial data platforms, cybersecurity products, or AI features that need a real corporate environment for proof-of-concept work. The program is about validating a collaboration, not simply pitching a standalone product.
That makes the application different from a generic accelerator form. The evaluation looks at understanding of the partner's problem, the startup team's technical capability, feasibility of the collaboration plan, and whether the partnership can continue after the subsidized period. Teams used to writing about agentic AI or software delivery should translate those claims into specific milestones, interfaces, data requirements, and decision points.
The notice also allows startups up to seven years old, with possible consideration for new-industry startups up to ten years old. The attached notice lists new-industry areas such as artificial intelligence, big data, service platforms, and cybersecurity. If your company is near the seven-year line, check the official startup confirmation rules before investing time in the application.
Submission checklist
- Confirm that your company was recommended by one of the selected Bottom-Up demand-side programs.
- Make sure the legal representative can complete the K-Startup account, identity verification, and company verification steps.
- If a startup confirmation certificate is required, apply early; the notice warns that issuance can take time.
- Use the official business plan form. A different form can exclude the application from evaluation.
- Prepare corporate registry documents, ID verification material, business registration certificates, and startup confirmation documents where required.
- Press the final submit button before the deadline. Saving a draft is not the same as submitting.
The timing is tight. The notice states that new applications close at exactly 16:00 KST on July 31. If an applicant has already entered the application-writing stage and received a project number before 16:00, some edits and uploads may be possible until 18:00, but relying on that grace period is risky.
Practical risks before you apply
The program has strict overlap limits with other Korean open innovation and deep-tech programs. The attached notice lists projects that cannot be performed at the same time, including other Open Innovation types, Deep-Tech Value-Up, global corporate collaboration programs, and several super-gap startup tracks. A company already moving toward another agreement should check conflicts before submitting the required commitment letter.
The pitch should be led by the startup representative. The evaluation focuses on collaboration understanding, team expertise, feasibility, and sustainability. A strong software or platform startup should show what data, APIs, deployment environment, security controls, and acceptance metrics the partner will use during the collaboration.
Treat the KRW 140 million ceiling as a planning boundary, not the story. The stronger story is a credible path from a Korean corporate problem to a tested product, a follow-on commercial relationship, and, where eligible, later R&D support.
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