The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced Tuesday that 32 firms emerged from its two preliminary leagues, 10 from the artificial intelligence league and 22 from the innovation startup league.
The firms were drawn from about 344 and 630 applicants respectively.
This year nine ministries including the science and education ministries, each run a specialized league while funneling their top performers into a combined final field of 130 teams.
An AI firm called Intellicia, which offers market-research solutions built on synthetic data generated to spare clients the time and cost of conventional surveys, won the AI league.
Finalists gather for a kickoff event on Sept. 22, after which 20 teams will reach a grand championship offering up to 500 million won and preferential treatment in follow-up support programs.
"We will create many opportunities and offer active support so that these early-stage founders keep pushing ahead with innovation and bold challenges," said Mok Seung-hwan, head of the ministry's startup and venture innovation office.
The program runs under the same ministry that oversaw Startup for All, the separate tournament-style audition that drew a record 62,944 applicants earlier this year before the exposure of 5,000 finalists' personal data triggered a public apology.
AJP Takeaways
- Seoul's marquee startup contest returns with a tighter, nine-ministry structure after this summer's data-leak fallout, signaling the government wants continuity without another trust crisis.
- The winners point to where Korean early-stage capital is flowing: synthetic-data market research and semiconductor-process safety, both AI-adjacent industrial plays.
- With nine ministries now funneling talent into one final and up to 500 million won on the line, the contest has become the government's single largest gateway for early-stage founders.
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