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Busan Metropolitan City Selects New “2026 Service Hidden Champion Companies” and Holds Certificate Presentation Ceremony

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Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Chun Jae-soo, and the Busan Economic Promotion Agency announced that they have selected 15 local service-sector companies with outstanding competitiveness and growth potential as the “2026 Service Hidden Champion Companies” and will hold a certificate presentation ceremony today (July 21) at 10:30 a.m. at Hyatt Place Busan Yeonsan.

Approximately 20 participants, including Kim Kyung-duk, Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs of Busan Metropolitan City, Oh Ji-hwan, Vice President of the Busan Economic Promotion Agency, and representatives of the newly selected Service Hidden Champion Companies, are expected to attend the ceremony.

Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs Kim Kyung-duk will personally present certificates and certification plaques to representatives of the 15 selected companies and will listen to their suggestions and concerns during a roundtable meeting.

Since 2016, Busan Metropolitan City has identified and fostered promising local service-sector companies with strong competitiveness and growth potential. Including this year's selections, a total of 155 companies have been designated as Service Hidden Champion Companies.

This year, 15 companies were selected through a comprehensive evaluation of growth potential, innovation, and business performance among 48 applicants, followed by deliberation by the selection committee.

The newly selected Service Hidden Champion Companies include Adaptive Co., Ltd., an AI solution, public system integration (SI), and mobile application development company led by CEO Nam Ji-hyuk in Nam-gu; Vine Plant Co., Ltd., a company specializing in ship maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) led by CEO Han Nyeong-gyun in Haeundae-gu; Food Travel Co., Ltd., led by CEO Park Sang-hwa in Nam-gu, which organizes and operates events such as Christmas Village and Port Village Busan; along with 12 other innovative local companies that are growing through creative ideas and advanced technologies.

The Service Hidden Champion Company certification is valid for five years from the date of selection, and Busan Metropolitan City plans to continue providing customized support according to each company's stage of growth.

Immediately after selection, companies will receive benefits including access to SME development funds, preferential interest rates, and priority consideration for outstanding enterprise programs and various public support initiatives.

From the second through the fifth year after selection, companies will be eligible for up to KRW 25 million in policy funding through the Self-Directed Growth Support Program, under which each company evaluates its own business conditions and submits a customized growth model for assessment.

Kim Kyung-duk, Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs of Busan Metropolitan City, is expected to state, “The service industry is a key driver of regional economic growth through new services and technologies. We will spare no effort in supporting these Service Hidden Champion Companies so that they can become successful examples of raising the productivity and competitiveness of Busan’s service industry.”