TIPS General Track
Offers Korean start-ups public and private co-investment pathways for product development and commercialization milestones.
TIPS General Track 2026 is South Korea's flagship public-private co-investment startup acceleration program, administered by the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development (KISED) under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS). In 2026, MSS announced the expansion of General Track capacity from 700 to 800 projects, with the total General TIPS budget rising 39.9% to KRW 668.4 billion. The program operates on a private-first model: an accredited TIPS Operating Company must invest KRW 100 to 200 million in the startup before government funds are released — non-capital region startups face only the KRW 100 million threshold, while Seoul-area companies require KRW 200 million.
Government support per company is structured in two tiers: up to KRW 800 million in R&D funding (raised from KRW 500 million in prior cycles) over a two-year period, plus up to KRW 200 million in commercialization and overseas marketing support. At least 50% of the 800 General Track slots in 2026 are reserved for startups headquartered outside the Seoul capital region. Eligible applicants are for-profit companies registered and operating in South Korea, established within seven years of application, and backed by a recognized domestic or international private investor. Applications are submitted via the K-Startup portal (www.k-startup.go.kr) and all documentation is in Korean.
Since its founding in 2013, TIPS has supported more than 4,400 startups and facilitated over KRW 20 trillion in follow-on private investment. The program ranks among the top four startup accelerators globally according to CB Insights. Companies that successfully graduate from the General Track become eligible for follow-on programs: Post-TIPS for commercialization or Deep-Tech TIPS for advanced R&D at up to KRW 1.5 billion. Startups not yet backed by a TIPS operator should focus on securing operator investment as the primary entry condition.
R&D and commercialization by Korean tech startups within seven years, requiring prior private TIPS operator investment of KRW 100–200 million before government matching funds are released.
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
Sign up free to see where teams trip up