The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 16th that it will conduct a technology demand survey from November 17th to December 29th to identify new topics for the 2026 Deep Tech Challenge Project. The survey will be conducted among corporations, investors, research institutes, and large and medium-sized enterprises, and applications can be submitted through the Inter-Ministry Integrated Research Support System (IRIS).
The DeepTech Challenge Project is a large-scale, technically challenging R&D project, with funding exceeding 10 billion won per project. The government provides up to 5 billion won in R&D funding, and the private sector must secure a matching investment of at least 2 billion won. Furthermore, companies and investors voluntarily form project teams and apply for participation.
The submitted technology requests will be evaluated based on national strategic necessity, challenge and innovation, and industrial impact, and will be planned as research and development proposals for 2026. With the government budget for next year increasing from 3.6 billion won to a maximum of 5 billion won, the level of projects presented is also expected to increase.
In addition to this survey, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups plans to diversify its exam preparation pathways, including strategic technology challenges identified through market analysis of key areas like AI and challenges linked to deep tech tips. Park Jong-hak, Director of the Technology Innovation Policy Division, emphasized that the technological capabilities of SMEs can play a crucial role in solving global technological challenges and emphasized that the government will continue to provide active support.
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