KHIDI Medical Device Industry Promotion

KHIDI Medical Device Industry Promotion (seed)

Funds Korean medical-device firms with integrated support for certification, regulation, and global commercialization.

KHIDI's Medical Device Industry Promotion programme delivers comprehensive public support for Korean medical-device companies, spanning innovative-device certification, regulatory advisory services, global market expansion assistance, and direct R&D funding. Operated under the Medical Device Industry Act, the programme reflects a deliberate national policy to strengthen Korea's medical-device sector across the full value chain — from early-stage device development through export-oriented commercialisation. KHIDI's cumulative track record includes 213 medical device development cases, with notable firsts such as the world's first navigable percutaneous disc decompression device (L'DISQ, Grade 3) and the world's first multiplex diagnostics for high-risk virus detection (Hi3-1, Grade 4), demonstrating the programme's capacity to support complex, high-grade device innovation.

Annual calls are administered through KHIDI's EPS portal, with eligible applicants primarily being Korean-registered medical-device companies; universities, hospitals, and research institutes may participate, typically in consortium roles. A One-Stop Service Center provides integrated regulatory support alongside the grant funding, reducing the market-access friction that often delays device commercialisation. Export orientation is an explicit stated focus, with KHIDI's overseas offices in the USA, UAE, China, and Kazakhstan supporting Korean device companies seeking international market entry. Specific award sizes, consortium requirements, and sub-call themes vary annually and require verification against current Korean-language announcements.

A competitive application in this programme should demonstrate a device concept addressing an unmet clinical need, a clear path to Korean regulatory clearance (and ideally international regulatory strategy), and a credible commercialisation plan. Proposals with export market analysis and engagement with KHIDI's overseas network are likely to be viewed favourably. Non-Korean entities wishing to access this programme must partner with a Korea-registered medical-device company as the primary applicant, as Korean-language applications are required through the EPS portal.