K-Startup Grand Challenge
Offers foreign-founded startups a flagship pathway to enter Korea with acceleration, mentoring, and growth-focused market support.
The K-Startup Grand Challenge (KSGC) is Korea's flagship inbound accelerator program for foreign-founded startups, operated annually by the Korea Institute of Startup and Entrepreneurship Development (KISED) under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The 2025 cycle received 2,626 applications from entrepreneurs across 97 countries, underscoring its position as one of the most internationally visible…
Foreign-founded startups across all technology sectors seeking Korean market entry, incubation, and commercialization support.
Sign up free to see the funding breakdown
Sign up free to see the industries in scope
Sign up free to see the full eligibility
Sign up free to see how to apply
Sign up free to see what you submit
Sign up free to see the timeline
Guides for this application
All guides →Grants for Biotech Startups: NIH, NSF, SBIR/STTR, and Non-Dilutive Funding
A practical guide to grants for biotech startups, including NIH SBIR/STTR, NSF, translational funding, evidence, regulatory readiness, and budgets.
Where to applyGrants for Robotics Startups: SBIR, Defense, NSF, and Pilot Funding
A practical guide to grants for robotics startups, including SBIR/STTR, NSF, DoD, NASA, field validation, TRL, pilot evidence, budgets, and commercialization strategy.
DocumentsGrant Work Plan Template: Work Packages, Gantt, Milestones, and Risks
Use this grant work plan template to structure work packages, tasks, owners, deliverables, Gantt timing, dependencies, and risk registers.
BudgetGrant Budget Template for R&D Applications
Use this grant budget template to structure R&D costs, personnel, subcontractors, equipment, indirect costs, and budget justification for startup grant applications.
More from KISED
All grants from this funder →Early-Stage Startup Package
🇰🇷KISED · South Korea
Supports young Korean startups with commercialization funding and mentorship during early commercialization and customer validation.
Innovative Startup Package — Materials, Parts & Equipment
🇰🇷KISED · South Korea
Funds material and component-focused Korean startups to strengthen local high-value supply chains.
Startup Scale-Up Package
🇰🇷KISED · South Korea
Supports scaling Korean startups with grants and resources for rapid commercialization and business expansion.
TIPS — Tech Incubator Program for Startups
🇰🇷KISED · South Korea
Offers Korean technology ventures matching support for execution and commercialization readiness.
Challenge! K-Startup
🇰🇷KISED · South Korea
Supports early Korean startup teams through a competitive challenge route for commercialization and market entry readiness.
Pre-Startup Package
🇰🇷KISED · South Korea
Supports would-be entrepreneurs in Korea with commercialization guidance and early innovation funding before formal company launch.
Similar grants
Browse the directory →
K-Startup Grand Challenge (KSGC)
MSS · South Korea
Runs a nine-month, government-backed accelerator that helps foreign-founded startups enter and scale in Korea, with prize money for the top 20 teams and further commercialisation grants for the top 8.
International Joint R&D Program — Phase 1 Seed
🇰🇷TIPA · South Korea
Funds Korean small businesses validating joint research partnerships with overseas research organisations.
NRF Sejong Science Fellowship
🇰🇷NRF · South Korea
Offers postdoctoral fellowship support for talented researchers in Korea to pursue independent long-term scientific careers.
Qatar Open Innovation Challenge Grant
QNRF · Qatar
Funds innovators piloting solutions for Qatar-based entities through Qatar Open Innovation challenge grants.
Challenge for All Defense
🇰🇷MSS · South Korea
Funds Korean defense startups validating prototypes and proofs of concept with military and industry buyers.
EIC Pathfinder Challenges
🇪🇺EIC · European Union
Funds European consortia developing breakthrough solutions across AI, climate, energy, materials, medical, and quantum fields.