The Complete 2026 "Startup for Everyone" Guide — 5,000 Selected, Up to 1 Billion Won in Funding
A full rundown of the 2026 "Startup for Everyone" project. Based on official sources, we cover eligibility, stage-by-stage funding (2 million to 1 billion won), the schedule (through May 15), and how it differs from existing startup support programs.
The Startup for Everyone project is a nationwide startup audition that the Ministry of SMEs and Startups is launching in 2026. It will discover a total of 5,000 innovative entrepreneurs, supporting participants step by step—from startup activity funds all the way up to 10 billion won or more in funding and a global expansion package for the final winners. Applications are accepted on the Startup for Everyone platform from March 26 to May 15, 2026, and you only need to submit a concise, idea-focused document (source: Korea Policy Briefing, Bizinfo integrated recruitment notice).
What is the Startup for Everyone project?
The Startup for Everyone project is a nationwide startup-audition-style talent discovery and development policy hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and carried out by the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development (KISED). On March 25, 2026, the government officially announced a "platform for nurturing startup talent where all citizens can freely take on innovation," and on the same day held simultaneous launch ceremonies across the country's 17 cities and provinces (source: Ministry of SMEs and Startups press release, 2026.03.25).
Where existing startup support programs centered on document screening and quantitative evaluation, Startup for Everyone is designed as an idea-focused audition format. Anyone from prospective founders to re-founders can participate with a single concise document, and it's structured so that you compete stage by stage—from regional preliminaries to the national finals—with the scale of support growing as you advance.
Key government-announced figures (source: Korea Policy Briefing)
- Discovery target: 5,000 innovative entrepreneurs
- Regional allocation: 70%+ selected from outside the metropolitan area
- Fund size: 50 billion won Startup Boom Fund
- Final intensive support: 100 Startup Rookies
- Participating institutions: about 100 startup organizations nationwide
- Mentor pool: 500 senior founders, including Toss, Wrtn, and Rebellions
Who can apply?
Startup for Everyone is an open audition that anyone with an idea can join. According to the integrated recruitment notice posted on Bizinfo (bizinfo.go.kr), the eligibility for each track is as follows.
| Track | Eligibility | Key keyword |
|---|---|---|
| General/Tech track | Prospective founders or companies within 3 years of founding | Technology-based ideas |
| Local track | Prospective founders | Ideas based on local value |
While the Tech track allows even early-stage founders who have already registered a business to participate, the Local track can only be applied for by prospective founders who have not yet registered a business. With a policy of selecting 70%+ of all participants from outside the metropolitan area (source: Policy Briefing), it is structurally advantageous for applicants who live in a region or have a region-based business item.
How are applicants selected?
Startup for Everyone proceeds in a stage-by-stage audition format. According to the government announcement, "regional, district, and national stage-by-stage startup auditions" will be held, and it's structured so that only those who pass each stage advance to the next round, with the scale of support gradually growing (source: Ministry of SMEs and Startups press release).
Combining the press release and the integrated recruitment notice, the audition structure by track is known to be as follows.
- Tech track: a 5-stage audition centered on technology-based ideas
- Local track: a 3-stage audition centered on ideas based on local value
The evaluation involves a mentor pool made up of about 100 startup incubation organizations such as Primer and FuturePlay, plus 500 senior founders from Toss, Wrtn, Rebellions, and others (source: Ministry of SMEs and Startups). The key difference from existing programs like the Pre-Startup Package is that the weight of idea presentations and mentor evaluation is greater than document screening.
Even those who are eliminated receive a "challenge experience certificate," which acts as a preferential factor when participating in government startup support programs afterward. It's designed to encourage repeated challenges, with the goal of building a re-challenge ecosystem (source: Policy Briefing).
How much funding can you receive at each stage?
The biggest feature of Startup for Everyone is that the scale of support grows step by step like a staircase. All participants receive a basic activity fund, and the commercialization funding increases dramatically as you advance to higher rounds (source: Bizinfo integrated recruitment notice, Korea Policy Briefing).
| Stage | Target | Support provided |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1: All participants | 5,000 audition participants | 2 million won startup activity fund |
| Stage 2: Audition passers | About 1,000 (per reports) | Up to 20 million won in commercialization funding |
| Stage 3: Startup Rookies | Final 100 | Up to 100 million won in follow-on commercialization funding the next year |
| Stage 4: Final winners | TOP round | 10 billion won+ in funding + a global expansion package |
Separately, the government stated it will form a 50 billion won Startup Boom Fund to link selected participants with follow-on investment (source: Ministry of SMEs and Startups press release).
One thing to note here is that the Stage 2 and Stage 3 funding is commercialization funding. It can only be spent on documentable business-related expenses such as labor costs, prototype production, and marketing, and you must have qualified documentation like tax invoices. From this point on, business registration is effectively mandatory, so it's advantageous to prepare your address and registration procedures even before being selected.
When and how do you apply?
The official application period is from March 26 to May 15, 2026 (source: Bizinfo notice number PBLN_000000000119979). As of today, there are about 3–4 weeks left until the deadline.
- Application platform: Startup for Everyone official site
- How to apply: online (the Startup for Everyone project homepage)
- Documents to submit: a single concise, idea-focused document
- Inquiries: 1357 then press 5 (no area code needed)
According to the notice, the documents to submit are designed as a "concise, idea-focused form," which sets it apart from existing support programs that required you to write dozens of pages of a business plan. That said, since the regional, district, and national stage-by-stage auditions proceed sequentially, it's important to secure enough time to prepare your presentation materials after your initial documents pass.
How is it different from existing programs like the Pre-Startup Package?
Startup for Everyone differs from existing government startup support programs in its evaluation method, entry barrier, and scale of support alike. Compared with the representative programs open to prospective founders in 2026, the differences are clear.
| Category | Startup for Everyone | Pre-Startup Package |
|---|---|---|
| Host | Ministry of SMEs and Startups (KISED) | Ministry of SMEs and Startups (KISED) |
| Evaluation method | Audition (regional, district, national) | Document and in-person evaluation |
| Eligibility | Prospective founders + within 3 years of founding (Tech track) | Prospective founders |
| Documents to submit | Concise, idea-focused form | Business plan (standardized form) |
| Selection size | Total 5,000 (70%+ outside the metropolitan area) | About 1,000 per year |
| Maximum support | 10 billion won+ + investment linkage | Up to 100 million won |
| Support stages | Stage-by-stage increases (2 million → 10 billion) | Lump-sum support |
The Pre-Startup Package requires a standardized business plan and financial plan, so the preparation period is long, but it has the advantage that once selected, you can spend the commercialization funding stably. Startup for Everyone, by contrast, has a low entry barrier but fierce stage-by-stage competition, and the rewards grow exponentially as you advance to higher rounds.
Applying to both programs at the same time is possible, but generally you cannot receive duplicate funding for the same item. You must be sure to check each notice's clause on restrictions on overlapping benefits (source: KISED integrated support principles).
How should you prepare for business registration after being selected?
The commercialization funding disbursed after Stage 2 (passing the audition) of Startup for Everyone requires qualified documentation such as tax invoices. Most major spending items—labor costs, prototype production, marketing agency work, patent applications, and so on—can only be spent if you have a business registration number.
In reality, the following problems often arise when people rush to register a business after being selected.
- Address issue: registering at your home address discloses your personal information and raises your health insurance premiums (related post: 5 real-world problems that arise when you register a business at your home address)
- Rejection risk: there are many cases of rejection for failing to meet requirements on building use, the lease agreement, or business-type suitability
- Timing delays: if your business registration is rejected, re-application/reissuance takes 2–3 weeks, which can push back your funding disbursement schedule
For this reason, many audition participants sign a virtual office contract proactively and register their business right after being selected. For around 20,000 won per month, they can handle the address, mail, and inspection response all at once, so they don't miss the timing for spending their selection funding.
CoworkCity operates virtual offices from 20,000 won per month (VAT included) across over 180 branches nationwide, and you can conclude a contract within 3 minutes via a 24-hour electronic contract system. We guarantee a 100% refund if your business registration is rejected, so you can prepare safely in line with your budget disbursement schedule.
Wrapping up — A checklist for the remaining period
Startup for Everyone 2026 is the representative 2026 startup support program with the lowest entry barrier and the largest top-tier rewards. In the time remaining until the deadline (May 15, 2026), it's advantageous to prepare the items below in order.
- Week 1: Decide between the Tech track and the Local track (based on whether you're a prospective founder, your region, and the nature of your item)
- Week 2: Draft a 1-page idea summary → get feedback from mentors and acquaintances
- Week 3: Sign up on the Startup for Everyone platform (modoo.or.kr) and download the form
- Week 4: Submit the application and secure your business registration address in advance for after selection
To avoid missing the timing for spending your funding after being selected, it's safer to prepare your business registration address in advance. CoworkCity provides an environment where you can register your business the same day, right after being selected—over 180 branches nationwide, from 20,000 won per month, with 24-hour online contracting.
Explore CoworkCity virtual offices
Worth reading together
- A complete guide to government support programs for those preparing to start a business in 2026
- How to register a business with a virtual office: a complete 5-step guide
- 5 real-world problems that arise when you register a business at your home address
References (official sources)
- Ministry of SMEs and Startups — Press release announcing the "Startup for Everyone Project" for the leap into the national startup era (2026.03.25)
- Ministry of SMEs and Startups — Follow-up coverage on "Startup for Everyone Project," the first step into the national startup era
- Korea Policy Briefing — Government to discover 5,000 citizen entrepreneurs via "Startup for Everyone"
- Bizinfo (bizinfo.go.kr) — Startup for Everyone project integrated recruitment notice (notice number PBLN_000000000119979)
- Startup for Everyone official platform
- Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development (KISED)
