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Korean SME AI support programmes — how to find them and how to be ready

These programmes change name and terms every year. So rather than memorising what exists this year, what matters is knowing where to check and what to have ready.

Where to check Documents to prepare Why applications fail

The short answer

The structure is broadly the same everywhere — call, application, selection, agreement, execution, settlement. The problem is that application windows are short. Start preparing when you see the call and the paperwork consumes all of it.

So two things matter in practice: fixing a channel so you do not miss the call, and preparing in advance the documents every programme asks for.

Where to check

K-Startup portal — Where startup-targeted programmes are collected. Many carry company-age requirements, so filter to the ones your age qualifies for.

Ministry of SMEs and Startups and its affiliated agencies — The upstream source for AI adoption and digital transformation programmes. Ministry calls and executing-agency calls sometimes appear separately, so check both.

NIPA — Frequently the executing agency for AI and software programmes. Voucher-style AI programmes often appear here.

TIPA — Handles R&D-flavoured programmes. If the goal is development rather than adoption, this is the route.

Local government and regional technoparks — Some programmes are open only to companies based in the region, and competition is often lower than for national ones. Worth checking.

Industry associations — Sector-specific programmes are sometimes announced through associations. Subscribe to your association’s notice channel.

Prepare these once and they serve every application

A current-state document — Which work is handled how, with monthly volumes and time taken. Nearly every application form asks for "current state and problems".

Numeric targets — What you will reduce or increase, and by how much. Applications with only qualitative goals score poorly.

A post-adoption usage plan — Who will use the tool and how, once it arrives. A named owner helps the evaluation.

Standard company documents — Business registration, financial statements, insurance enrolment lists. Some take time to issue, so check in advance.

A matching-fund plan — Most programmes require a self-funded share. Confirm the percentage and whether in-kind counts.

Where applications commonly lose points

Area	The problem	The fix
Abstract current state	Only "our process is inefficient"	Monthly volumes and hours as numbers
Unverifiable goals	Only "improve productivity"	What, by how many percent or hours
No post-adoption plan	A plan that ends at receiving the tool	Owner, schedule, how it is measured
Mismatch with programme purpose	A story that is not what the call asked for	Reuse the call document’s own terminology
No basis for the budget	Only an amount	A quote or published pricing as evidence

What happens after selection matters more

The real burden arrives after selection — the agreement, interim reporting, settlement and evidence. Settlement in particular has strict documentation requirements, and funds can be reclaimed where they are not met.

So reading the settlement requirements at application stage is the safe move. Check which cost items are eligible, and whether payment methods or evidence formats are constrained.

One more thing: running costs for a tool bought with grant money are usually yours once the programme ends. Confirm you have a plan to keep paying the subscription, or the tool stops when the programme does.

Frequently asked questions

Can you tell us which programmes are open right now?

Calls change constantly, so this post deliberately names none. Checking the current calls through the channels above is more accurate. The purpose here is to have you ready to apply the day you see one.

How does this compare with just paying for it ourselves?

Initial cost falls, but administrative load and schedule constraints arrive. If timing is urgent, your own budget is faster; if there is no budget or the scope is large, a programme wins. The test is whether your adoption schedule can bend to theirs.

Can we hire a consultancy to write the application?

You can, but the current-state assessment and the target numbers still have to come from inside. The part an agency cannot fill is the part that weighs most in evaluation.

Can we reapply if rejected?

Usually yes. Where the programme discloses why, that feedback is the best material for the next attempt. Strengthening current state and targets with numbers is what moves the needle most.

Start with the assessment

Build the numbers your application needs

The AX readiness assessment and ROI calculator produce your current state and targets as tables — the form those application sections ask for.

Check readiness