Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) Campus Town Project Team is accepting applications until Tuesday, October 20, for the “2026 KMU Global Startup Challenge,” aimed at promoting domestic entrepreneurship among foreign aspiring entrepreneurs and discovering global startup talent.
 
This program, part of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Campus Town initiative, was designed to identify foreign aspiring entrepreneurs with outstanding startup ideas and to enhance their understanding of the domestic startup ecosystem and their business development capabilities. It will provide step-by-step support ranging from practical startup training to tailored consulting, as well as connections to business development and investment networks.
 
The program is open to foreign aspiring entrepreneurs interested in starting a business, regardless of affiliation or major, and applications may be submitted individually or as a team. Approximately 10 teams will be selected, and the final list of participants will be announced on Wednesday, October 21, following a document review.
 
Selected participants will receive practical, hands-on in-person training focused on entrepreneurship every Friday from October 23 to November 20, for a total of five sessions. The curriculum consists of topics essential for foreign aspiring entrepreneurs preparing to launch a business in Korea, including ▲ startup visas and related laws ▲ business plan development ▲ business model review ▲ strategies for commercialization in Korea ▲ investor relations (IR) and investment attraction strategies.
 
In addition, the program will provide customized one-on-one consulting tailored to participants’ startup ideas and commercialization stages, as well as support for connecting with domestic startup support programs such as the K-Startup Grand Challenge. Even after the program concludes, the university plans to help participants refine their startup ideas and explore follow-up commercialization opportunities by leveraging its networks in commercialization, incubation, workspace, and investment.
 
The “Global Startup Challenge Demo Day” will be held on Friday, December 4. Participants will present the business ideas and models they have developed through training and consulting, and will also be offered opportunities to connect with follow-up investment programs.
 
An official from Kookmin University’s Campus Town Project Team stated, “Through this Global Startup Challenge, we plan to discover outstanding foreign startup talent and support their smooth entry into the domestic startup ecosystem,” adding, “We will continue to provide various forms of support to foster the growth of global startup talent and revitalize the startup scene.”
 
Meanwhile, online applications will be accepted until Tuesday, October 20; those interested in participating can apply via the application link (https://forms.gle/cs7cZCCQP5wxc4it6).

△ Photo: Poster for “Recruiting Participants for the Global Startup Challenge” at Kookmin University’s Campus Town