South Korea’s flagship global startup program, the 2025 K-Startup Grand Challenge (KSGC), has attracted unprecedented international attention, with a total of 2,626 teams from around the world applying to participate. This marks a 1.5-fold increase from the previous year and results in a highly competitive selection ratio of 32.8:1, with only 80 teams to be chosen for the final cohort.
Launched in 2016, the K-Startup Grand Challenge is Korea’s largest inbound startup competition, designed to help promising international startups explore the Korean market and establish a presence in the country. Selected teams gain access to acceleration programs, networking opportunities, and comprehensive support for entering the domestic ecosystem. Top-performing companies at the program’s ComeUp Demo Day in December are eligible for prize money of up to 100 million won.
This year’s applicants represent a wide geographical spectrum, with 42.7% from Asia, 31.1% from Africa, 10.7% from the Americas, and 8.2% from Europe. In terms of industry sectors, IT & Software led with 29.6% of applications, followed by Food & Agriculture at 12.5%, and Healthcare & Bio at 11.4%.
The quality of the applicants was also noteworthy. Among the applicant pool, 61.5% of companies had previously secured investment, and 70.6% reported existing sales performance, underscoring the caliber of participating startups.
According to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, 88 overseas startups selected through the government’s inbound startup policy since last year have collectively achieved significant results—including attracting 40.4 billion won in investment, creating 59 new jobs, and generating 10.6 billion won in sales—demonstrating the program’s growing impact on the Korean startup ecosystem.
