"Welcome to TIPS," aimed at expanding TIPS participation among startups in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk region, was held at the Daegu Creative Economy Innovation Center on the 25th. Around 100 participants, including the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' Startup Policy Officer, startups in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region, and TIPS operators, attended. Investment briefings, lectures from established companies, and operator programs connected local startups with private investment networks.
Focus on the local startup ecosystem
The event opened with an investor relations (IR) session highlighting promising startups in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk region. This was followed by lectures from established companies sharing their growth experiences, providing a realistic perspective on the challenges early-stage startup teams face in the process of advancing their businesses and attracting investment. The second part featured a program with the TIPS operator, which fostered understanding of the private sector's evaluation perspectives and collaborative approaches, while also providing a forum for practical consultation and networking.
This "Welcome to TIPS" event aims to increase participation by local startups in TIPS, and is structured to strengthen on-site, face-to-face contact. The Daegu-Gyeonggi region is expanding its base for technology startups, building on its traditional manufacturing and service foundation. Direct contact with TIPS operators provides the initial impetus for viability verification and follow-up investment. Operators will also gain access to diverse teams emerging from the region, which is expected to alleviate deal flow, which is concentrated in the metropolitan area.
The significance of expanding participation in TIPS
TIPS is known as a leading domestic program that supports technology startups through collaboration between the private and public sectors. This structure, where support is linked to teams discovered and invested in by private operators, acts as a mechanism to increase the likelihood of success by combining market selection with government support. Attempts to connect operators and startup teams in regional hubs, like this one, are significant in reducing the information gap in the early stages and accelerating the development of technology verification, customer development, and commercialization strategies.
From an industry perspective, the market is seeking teams with differentiated technological prowess and clear business models, even in an investment environment characterized by increased focus and selection. On-site IR and operating company programs address this need, providing a platform for startup teams to review and receive feedback on key indicators (customer problem definition, technology implementation level, revenue structure, and expansion strategy). Lectures from established companies share their experiences of trial and error and transformation, helping them design a sustainable growth path that doesn't focus solely on short-term metrics.
Through this event, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups confirmed its commitment to expanding opportunities for startups in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk region to participate in TIPS and strengthening the local public-private partnership ecosystem. Regularizing field-based programs will allow teams starting in the region to quickly establish connections with operators and stabilize their flow into the support system. This will not only increase the volume of local technology startups but also contribute to the creation of a nationwide, distributed innovation pipeline.
There are two key points to watch going forward. First, the rate at which teams discovered through regional IR collaborate with operators and enter the actual support process, and whether this translates into business success. Second, how lectures by senior companies and operator programs are refined to meet the needs of the field. With a continuous feedback structure and follow-up networking in place, the qualitative growth of technology startups in the Daegu-Gyeonggi region is likely to accelerate.
This year's "Welcome to TIPS" event was symbolic in that it took place at the Daegu Creative Economy Innovation Center, a regional hub. This regional hub serves as a catalyst, bringing together promising teams and connecting them with private operators, thereby removing bottlenecks in early-stage funding, mentoring, and market access. With startups and operators meeting in one place to refine their business plans and find common ground for collaboration, it marks a significant step toward achieving the goal of expanding participation in TIPS.
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