![[이진호 차장 요청] 한국보건산업진흥원](/magazine_images/banner/8421787274827_1.png)
Kim Dongkyu, Director of the Venture Startup Division at Chungnam Content Agency (CA)
-Performance Powerhouse, Since opening in 2022, resident companies have secured $470 million (approx. 670 billion KRW) in export contracts and 25.1 billion KRW in investment.
-Economic Impact, 48 TIPS selections and 427 new jobs created, significantly revitalizing the regional economy
The Venture Startup Division was established specifically to energize this ecosystem. “Our division is based at INNOST, a hybrid Startup Park located in Cheonan, which integrates Korea's first 'Green Startup Town' and 'Startup Park' models”, explained Director Kim Dongkyu. “We have built an infrastructure that supports the entire lifecycle of a startup—from discovery to growth, investment, and global expansion—and we operate a wide range of corporate support programs.” We met Director Kim at INNOST in Seobuk-gu, Cheonan.
Q: What major projects is the Venture Startup Division currently undertaking?
“We operate the Cheonan Hybrid Startup Park (INNOST) as our core infrastructure. Through our scale-up Acceleration programs, we foster promising companies and connect them with investment opportunities. Currently, 105 startups are headquartered at INNOST.
Beyond providing space, we offer various business support services to ensure our resident companies can focus entirely on their operations. We run scale-up programs in partnership with Accelerators (AC) and Venture Capitals (VC). These include business model diagnostics, commercialization mentoring, and customized consulting in management areas such as tax, accounting, and legal affairs.
To support tech-based startups, we provide funding for product/service verification (PoC) and technological advancement. Additionally, we offer infrastructure for big data analysis and AI service development through our ICT Convergence Center, along with marketing and global expansion support. We also manage infrastructure for the Cheonan Hub-type Smart City Project, designated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, to support on-site verification for startups.”
Q: How would you evaluate your achievements so far?
“Since our opening in 2022, we have focused on the growth of startups centered around INNOST. As a result, our supported companies have achieved cumulative sales of 82.1 billion KRW, attracted 25.1 billion KRW in investment, and secured $470 million in export contracts.
Furthermore, we recorded 48 selections for the TIPS program (a private-led government startup support model) and 427 new hires. These results prove our role as a core platform that contributes tangibly to job creation and regional economic revitalization.
Most importantly, in the Cheonan region—where startup infrastructure was previously lacking—we have consistently supported around 100 startups annually over the past three years. This has allowed us to establish a robust regional growth model that leads from Founding to Growth, Investment, and Global Expansion.”
Q: What are the unique strengths of the Venture Startup Division?
“Our greatest strength is that we operate the region’s largest hybrid startup infrastructure with a field-oriented, hands-on approach. We have established a one-stop support system that tracks a company from its initial move-in to its graduation (up to 3 years), tailored to each growth stage. This allows us to quickly identify bottlenecks and provide timely support.
Another strength is our tight-knit cooperation with regional stakeholders. We maintain close ties with startup-focused universities, research institutes like KATECH, and the Center for Creative Economy and Innovation (CCEI). Rather than competing, we operate under a collaborative structure, sharing information and solving growth challenges together. This synergy has transformed our facility into one of the top-rated startup Infrastructure in the nation, elevating the overall entrepreneurial capacity of the entire region.”
reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com
© 한경매거진&북, 무단전재 및 재배포 금지