The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) held the Global Unicorn Vision Ceremony on June 23 at Startup Venture Campus Seoul (SVC Seoul) to mark the start of its push to nurture companies valued at KRW 1 trillion or more.
 
At the event, MSS announced its vision of producing 50 unicorns by 2030, along with the Unicorn Bridge program, which supports companies in attracting global investment, entering public markets, setting up overseas offices, and joining the “1 Trillion Club”. Around 100 people attended, including representatives from MSS, the Korea Technology Finance Corporation (KOTEC), the Korea Venture Business Association, and the companies selected for Unicorn Bridge.
 
The ceremony opened with the vision announcement, followed by a talk on attracting investment for unicorn growth, the presentation of certificates to the 50 companies selected for the Unicorn Bridge program, and presentations by the selected companies on their plans to become unicorns.
 
Launched this year, the Unicorn Bridge program identifies potential unicorns with proven innovation and growth and helps them develop into globally competitive companies. Selected companies receive up to KRW 1.6 billion in government funding over two years, along with up to KRW 20 billion in special guarantees from the Korea Technology Finance Corporation. MSS also plans to run overseas investment programs, including global investor relations (IR) sessions, to help the selected companies secure opportunities to attract global investment.
 
The 50 companies selected for the 2026 Unicorn Bridge program have an average enterprise value of around KRW 180.1 billion, having attracted an average of KRW 38.4 billion in private investment, with average revenue of KRW 24 billion and an average of 106 employees.
 
“Attracting global investment is essential for startups and venture companies to grow into unicorns,” said Vice Minister Roh Yong-Seok. “To build 50 global unicorns by 2030, we will actively support potential unicorns so they can compete and take off in global markets.”
  

For more news and updates on Korea’s SME and startup policies, follow the Ministry’s official LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mss1357