KEIT Transportation Program

KEIT Transportation R&D Grant

Funds Korean consortia advancing advanced transportation and semiconductor-enabled industrial technologies.

The KEIT Transportation R&D Grant funds Korean industry-led consortia conducting R&D in automotive technology, shipbuilding, marine and offshore systems, and AI accelerator-based semiconductors for Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs). The program is administered by the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT) under the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE), which designates SDV-specific AI semiconductors as a strategic 'super-gap' capability where Korea aims to establish and extend a global technology lead. Additional priority areas include vehicle electrification and autonomy, shipbuilding decarbonization and digitalization, offshore wind support structures, and marine-system remote monitoring.

Project-level grants typically range from KRW 500 million to KRW 5 billion per year per project, with multi-year projects continuing upon successful annual evaluation and an industry co-funding contribution of approximately 30 percent. The 2026 KEIT programme budget for this thematic area is KRW 561.9 billion (approximately USD 374.6 million). Korean OEMs including Hyundai, Kia, Samsung Heavy Industries, and HD Hyundai, as well as Tier 1 automotive and marine-systems suppliers, are primary industry participants alongside research institutes such as KIMM and KAERI and major universities. Eligible primary recipients must be Korean-registered for-profit companies; research institutes and universities participate as consortium partners. TRL range at entry is 4–8.

Annual solicitation rounds are conducted by KEIT in Korean, with project evaluation based on technical merit, MOTIE strategic alignment, commercialization prospects, and consortium capability. Companies with relevant technology in automotive electronics, propulsion, or maritime systems should review KEIT's annual program announcement (사업공고) and engage a Korean industry partner or research institute as the primary recipient. International collaboration is supported through KEIT's global open innovation framework, with English-language program summaries available at keit.re.kr/eng/.