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Busan Metropolitan City to Hold 2026 AI Startup Competition, Recruiting Participants Through September 30

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Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Chun Jae-soo, will hold the “2026 AI Startup Competition” to discover and foster outstanding artificial intelligence (AI) startup ideas and invigorate the local AI startup ecosystem.

The competition is designed to identify prospective and newly established startup teams with innovative startup ideas and business models utilizing AI technology and to support them through the actual launch and commercialization of their businesses.

Starting today, September 7, through September 30, the city will recruit AI-related prospective and newly established startup teams from across the country.

Eligible participants are AI-related prospective startup teams or newly established startup teams that have been in business for no more than two years, with each team consisting of two to four members. Teams may apply if they have an AI-based startup idea or service in one of Busan Metropolitan City’s nine strategic industries.

Busan Metropolitan City’s nine strategic industries are: 1) Digital Tech, 2) Energy Tech, 3) Bio Health, 4) Future Mobility, 5) Convergence Components and Materials, 6) Lifestyle, 7) Maritime, 8) Finance, and 9) Culture and Tourism.

The finals and awards ceremony are scheduled to take place on October 31 at the BEXCO Convention Hall. A total of 11 winning teams will be selected through preliminary and final evaluations.

One Grand Prize team will receive the Busan Metropolitan City Mayor’s Award; five teams receiving the top excellence and excellence awards will receive awards from the President of the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency; and five Merit Award teams will receive awards from the CEO of the Busan Center for Creative Economy & Innovation. All winning teams will also receive access passes to generative AI services as prizes.

Busan Metropolitan City will also provide follow-up support so that outstanding startup ideas do not end with the competition but can lead to actual business launches and commercialization.

Based on their competition rankings, the city will enter into agreements with six teams that meet the agreement requirements, including establishing a startup in Busan or relocating their business operations to the city. These teams will receive expert consulting and up to KRW 30 million per team in funding for startup and commercialization-related expenses.

In addition, Busan Metropolitan City will work with the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency and the Busan Center for Creative Economy & Innovation to provide startup and commercialization support and connect teams with the startup ecosystem, helping outstanding AI startup teams establish themselves and grow in Busan.

Kim Dong-hyun, Director-General of the Future Technology Strategy Bureau, said, “AI technology is a key growth engine that will determine the competitiveness of future industries. Through this competition, we will actively support outstanding AI ideas from across the country so that they can lead to actual startups and commercialization in Busan and grow into competitive AI companies.”