Round 2 of ‘Everyone’s Startup’ officially launches: “Supporting 10,000 people through every stage of starting a business”

[Financial News] The second-round Everyone’s Startup project, which drew a competition ratio of 9.3 to 1, has officially kicked off.
According to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, on the 20th the government held the launch ceremony for Round 2 of Everyone’s Startup at Startup Venture Campus (SVC) Seoul in Mapo-gu, Seoul, and set the project fully in motion with 10,000 people who had passed Round 1. Events were held simultaneously in all 17 cities and provinces, and the startup spirit was shared with the public nationwide through a YouTube livestream.
Round 2 of Everyone’s Startup drew around 93,000 applicants and selected 10,000 participants to advance to Round 1—twice the number selected in the first edition: 8,000 in the general and technology categories and 2,000 in the local category.
The 10,000 challengers will receive startup activity funding, professional mentoring and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to help flesh out their ideas and increase their potential for commercialization.
The main event in Seoul featured an overall assessment of the judging by the lead mentor, followed by encouragement and support from seasoned entrepreneurs. Jeong Seung-gyeong, CEO of IL Institute and a lead mentor for Round 2 of Everyone’s Startup, said, “The definition of the problem and its applicability in the field stood out more than the sophistication of the technology.”
A discussion was also held in which Minister of SMEs and Startups Lee So-young and challengers from the first and second editions talked about the direction of startup policy and their startup ideas.
The first-edition challengers also shared their experiences of achieving concrete results, including attracting investment and filing patent applications, through mentoring and the process of refining their businesses.
Regional orientations were held across the country’s 17 cities and provinces. The challengers received information about the support program’s main offerings and schedule, connected with mentoring organizations, and began their startup activities in earnest.
The minister said, “Each of the 10,000 challengers here will be the protagonists who change the future of South Korea,” adding, “I will be a steadfast source of support and stand behind them through every stage of starting a business, so they can try freely, learn from failure and try again.”
[email protected] Kim Hyeon-cheol Reporter