Ministry of SMEs and Startups

Now, semiconductor startups and venture businesses gained free use of Flexible Access*, which is the verified design package provided by the UK’s Arm.
 * A system semiconductor design package that includes technical support, using the IPs required for the design, such as CPU and GPU
 
On April 22 (Wednesday), the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (Minister Park Young-sun, hereafter “MSS”) stated that it concluded the "Inclusive Company" Business Agreement (No. 12) for the first time through an online video platform to support the innovative growth of startups and venture businesses in the system semiconductor field.
 

 
The agreement includes the participation of the UK’s Arm, the world’s largest semiconductor design company (CEO Simon Segars), Seoul National University (President Oh Se-jung), whichsecures the excellent infrastructure for the system semiconductor, and Korea Venture Business Association (President Ahn Keon-joon).
 
Using verified IPs is common for the system semiconductor field because the success or failure of a business depends on who develop, launch, and commercialize the chips.
 
However, the burden on incurring costs associated with the IPs brings obstacles to startups and venture businesses in the field when they challenge innovations.
 
To address this, the MSS concluded the agreement for the use of the development support program (Flexible Access) with Arm. Today, the Ministry holds an online ceremony to grant the title to Arm as the 12th "Inclusive Company" to support the innovative challenges of Korean startups and venture businesses.
 
“Inclusive Company” is a large business that shares its own technologies and infrastructure with small and mid-sized enterprises and voluntarily participates in win-win partnerships. So far, 11companies* have been selected, and Arm is significantly the first non-Korean original company for the program.
 * Naver, POSCO, Shinhan Financial, Kookmin Bank, Woori Bank, Softbank Ventures, Samsung Electronics, Hana Bank, Korea Rail Network Authority, Hyundai/Kia Motors, Korea Aerospace Industry
 
This time, the agreement aims for systematic support for companies in the system semiconductor field design package. Accordingly, in cooperation with the Seoul National University, the MSS plans to actively excavate next-generation companies* usinga great growth potential and provide support for the fullcycle from technology development to commercialization.
 *Evaluation process underway to select 10 companies in the field (result to be announced in June)
 
This is promoted as part of the follow-up actions for the “National Strategies to Support Innovative Growth of Top 3 Sectors for Small and Mid-Sized and Venture Companies” (December11, 2019, Economic Vitality Council) that was announced last December to enhance theircapacity.
** Intensive support to companies in 250 sub-sectors under the 15 top 3 sectors: 50 for system semiconductor, 100 for bio-health, and 100 for future automobile (National Strategies to Support Innovative Growth of Top 3 Sectors for Small and Mid-Sized and Venture Companies, December 2019)
 
“It is a great honor to cooperate with Korea, the global leader in the semiconductor field. We hope this partnership enables Korean startups to achieve something more than success,” said Simon Segars, CEO of Arm, delivering his message.
 
“Our university will focus all our competence, including human resources and infrastructure, for this cooperation to help Korea become a powerful nation in the integrated semiconductor field,” said Oh Se-jung, president of Seoul National University, expressing his strong will.
 
“COVID-19 will accelerate the rapid transition to the digital economy byspreading an intact culture. As the MSS moves to such a transition, we regard the signing of the agreement very meaningful using the online video technology of the Korean small and mid-sized company, Dial Communications,” Park Young-sun, Minister of MSS, emphasized.
 
“The first global Voluntary Win-Win Business Agreement toward mutual growth beyond the boundary will serve as a great support for the innovation and development of Korean Fabless (semiconductor design company). Thus, I am looking forward to diverse partnerships for the global semiconductor ecosystem by taking this opportunity,” she added.