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Bringing Together 200 “BUNICORN” Companies to Lead Busan’s Future: Largest-Ever Startup Launch Ceremony Held

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Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Park Heong-joon, announced that it will hold the “2026 BUNICORN Fostering and Support Project Launch Ceremony, B-Startup Day” today (the 1st) at 3:00 p.m. at Busan Eurasia Platform.

This launch ceremony marks the official beginning of a full-scale initiative centered on the “BUNICORN” brand, a combination of Busan and Unicorn, to help promising local startups grow into internationally competitive companies.

Around 300 people are expected to attend, including Seo Jong-gun, President of the Busan Startup Investment Agency, representatives of the 200 companies and teams selected this year, and officials from investment institutions and related organizations. The event will provide a venue for exchange and cooperation through a certificate presentation ceremony and networking programs.

This year’s 200 selected companies and teams are leading promising regional enterprises chosen through an integrated public call in February, overcoming an average competition ratio of 5.2 to 1.

More specifically, they consist of 10 companies in the BUNICORN Support Project for Busan’s leading technology startups, 120 companies in the BUNICORN Fostering Project across the preliminary, early, and leap stages, 20 ESG-leading venture and startup companies, and 50 teams in the Busan U Startup Package.

The selected companies will receive customized support tailored to each growth stage, from SEED to BUILD, BOOST, and BUNICORN.

Through this, a full-cycle growth support system covering commercialization, investment attraction, and global expansion will begin full-scale operation.

In addition, by integrating the previously separately operated Busan U Startup Package, the city plans to strengthen the industry-government-academia-linked support system and further expand exchanges among participating companies.

Companies that received the city’s startup support last year have already produced tangible results.

TQure Co., Ltd., selected last year for the Startup Leap Package, secured cumulative investment of 5.5 billion won and achieved designation as an innovative medical device by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration through the development of an endoscopic diabetes treatment system. VEM Robotics Co., Ltd., selected for Ace Stella, secured cumulative investment of 7.5 billion won and expanded employment by 48 percent compared with the previous year based on its logistics robot solutions.

Mayor Park Heong-joon said, “The companies selected through intense competition will serve as a strong pillar of the Busan economy and the driving force behind future growth,” adding, “We will devote all the city’s capabilities to supporting local startups so that they can grow from Busan into unicorn companies leading the global market.”