TIPS - Tech Incubator Program for Startup Korea

Up to approximately KRW 800 million per startup team over a maximum of 3 years: angel investment of about KRW 100 million from the TIPS operator (of which the government contribution is 20%+), R&D funding of up to KRW 500 million (government covers up to 80% of the technology development cost, with the private party covering at least 20%), plus up to KRW 200 million of linked support (KRW 100 million startup commercialisation funding and KRW 100 million overseas marketing). Incubation runs 2-3 years; the R&D project itself runs 24 months, with linked projects adding up to 10 months. The R&D money is a government contribution and takes no equity, but on an 'excellent' or 'average' final evaluation the company pays a technology fee of up to 20% of the R&D funding based on project revenue over the following five years; on a failed but 'diligently performed' project there is no repayment obligation.

You must co-fund 20%.

Ministry of SMEs and Startups (중소벤처기업부), operated by the Korea Angel Investment Association (한국엔젤투자협회) through designated TIPS operators (운영사)

ppp · national

Deadline: rolling — 팁스 운영사의 투자심사는 365일 상시 접수 - TIPS operators accept investment proposals year-round. Operators then recommend invested companies to the managing organisation on a continuous basis, and the managing organisation runs selection evaluations (written review, business plan revision, then in-person evaluation) roughly every two months.

This funder does not publish a success rate. We rank it using the rate observed across similar programmes and label it as an estimate rather than implying we know.

Major bid — written case, budget, possibly partners.

You fund 20% yourself.