The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced that it will recruit startups to participate in the open innovation program “Everyone’s Challenge Climate Tech” from June 16 to July 10. The program matches startups with the real-world tasks posed by large companies and public institutions, and provides both collaboration opportunities and commercialization funding.
A solar power facility is inspected autonomously by drones, and the carbon emissions from a shipyard are tracked in real time. Startups will now help solve these on-site problems that large companies and public institutions want to address together.
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups said it will recruit startups to join the open innovation project “Everyone’s Challenge Climate Tech” from June 16 to July 10. The initiative pairs startups with the technologies and business models needed to tackle actual tasks proposed by large companies and public institutions, while also providing collaboration and commercialization funding. This approach of solving problems by joining hands with startups outside the company rather than seeking answers internally is called open innovation.
◆ 82 tasks submitted by companies, chosen by startups
This year’s Challenge involves eight demand-side companies. These include five public institutions under the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, such as the Korea Water Resources Corporation and Korea Electric Power Corporation, along with three major companies including Hyundai E&C, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, and Samsung Heavy Industries. Together, they have proposed a total of 82 collaborative tasks.
The tasks are concentrated in carbon neutrality, the energy transition, and eco-friendly energy technologies. Korea Water Resources Corporation submitted the most with 35 tasks, followed by Hyundai E&C with 18, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries with 15, and Korea Electric Power Corporation with 8. The areas range from autonomous inspection of solar power facilities using drones and artificial intelligence, to real-time detection of algal blooms in rivers and lakes, and real-time management of carbon emissions at shipyards.
The notable point is that startups choose the tasks themselves. They apply by selecting tasks that fit their own technology and business model. Rather than fabricated problems from a desk, the program reflects actual on-site needs that companies must solve immediately.
◆ Up to 140 million won per task, with direct evaluation by demand-side companies
Selected startups will receive substantial support. They will go through a process of technical verification and prototype development with the demand-side company to determine whether the solution is usable in the field. They will also receive up to 140 million won in commercialization funding per task.
The review process is also practical. Representatives from the demand-side companies that proposed the tasks will serve directly as evaluators and select the startups they can realistically work with.
The procedure begins by narrowing the pool to about three times the number of final selections through document screening, followed by a presentation review of collaboration plans for the final decision. Selected startups will then begin collaboration at the concept proof-of-concept (PoC) stage, where the technology is tested to see whether it truly works in the field.
◆ Strengthening climate tech competitiveness through public-private partnership
“Everyone’s Challenge” is a program that connects startups and demand-side companies in new industries. It operates by sector, including AI transformation (AX), robotics, and defense, and this round is for climate tech. Climate tech refers collectively to technologies that support carbon neutrality and the energy transition.
For startups, it offers an opportunity to verify their technology in real-world settings and open new sales channels. For demand-side companies, it provides a pathway to bring in innovative technologies that are difficult to develop internally. Jang Kyowon, director of startup policy at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, said, “Climate tech is a field that will determine the future industrial competitiveness of carbon neutrality and the energy transition, so public-private cooperation is extremely important.” He added that the ministry would support the growth of climate-tech startups by effectively linking the on-site needs of large companies and public institutions with the innovative technologies of startups.
Technology to confront the climate crisis is no longer a distant future issue. The next step for Korea’s climate tech will be decided at the point where the field held by large organizations meets the technology held by smaller companies.