TIPS Program

What TIPS Program does

TIPS Program (Tech Incubator Program for startup Korea) is a Korean government-private partnership tech incubator program established in 2015 and modeled after Israel's Yozma-style private-investment-led startup support system. It is administered by the Korea Angel Investment Association (한국엔젤투자협회) under the supervision of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (중소벤처기업부), with technical evaluation support from the Korea Technology and Information Promotion Institute for SMEs (중소기업기술정보진흥원). The program selects early-stage startup teams with technology items that can lead the global market and intensively cultivates them through private angel investment matched with government co-investment funds.

The product portfolio comprises four lifecycle stages: the core TIPS Program for selected startups, Pre-TIPS (including a Regional Track for non-metropolitan founders) as pre-incubation with business development funding and investment linkage, and Post-TIPS as a follow-on support tier for graduates. TIPS Town, the program's physical hub, spans three to four buildings in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, providing co-working space for resident startups and a community platform for non-resident TIPS teams. Distribution runs through the official jointips.or.kr portal, the K-Startup government portal, recurring online and offline business briefings, and a network of 30+ operating partners (angel investors, VCs, and corporate CVCs such as POSCO, Hyundai, Sparklabs, K Cube Ventures, and Bon Angels).

TIPS is not a commercial entity and does not generate revenue. It is funded by the South Korean government and operates as public policy infrastructure for early-stage technology entrepreneurship. Operating partners invest in startups in exchange for equity; TIPS itself takes no equity stake and charges no fees to applicants. The program's competitive position rests on its official mandate, the breadth of its operating-partner network, and its ability to combine government matching capital with private angel investment in a single, structured selection process.

Name

TIPS Program

Legal name

TIPS

Website

https://jointips.or.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

TIPS Program is a Korean government-backed tech incubator, operated by the Korea Angel Investment Association under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, that selects early-stage technology startups and cultivates them through angel investment matching, workspace at TIPS Town, and a Pre/Post-TIPS lifecycle program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Incubation Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

Keywords

• Startup incubation
• Angel investment
• Government program
• Technology entrepreneurship
• Venture development

Headquarters

HQ city

Gangneung

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding Program: TIPS is a government-funded program administered by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (중소벤처기업부). The program is operated by the Korea Angel Investment Association (한국엔젤투자협회) as the managing organization, with support from the Korea Technology and Information Promotion Institute for SMEs (중소기업기술정보진흥원). The program facilitates matching between angel investors and startups rather than generating direct revenue.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startup Korea) is a government-private partnership tech incubator, managed by the Korea Angel Investment Association under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The program selects startup teams with technology for global market and provides investment matching, workspace, and community support, modeled after the Israeli incubator program.

Product overview

TIPS Program is a single unified program (팁스 프로그램) — a Korean government-private partnership tech incubator modeled after Israel's program — that selects promising startup teams with technology for the global market and intensively cultivates them toward success. The core TIPS Program is complemented by TIPS Town, a physical co-location hub in Seoul's Yeoksam-dong district with three buildings for resident startups and a broader community platform. Additional offerings include Pre-TIPS (지역트랙), a pre-incubation track for non-metropolitan early-stage startups offering business development funding and investment matching, and Post-TIPS, a follow-up support program for graduates of the core program. Together these form a lifecycle-stage portfolio from pre-incubation through growth support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TIPS Town: Physical hub in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul comprising multiple buildings that serves as a community space for TIPS resident teams and provides co-working facilities.
• Pre-TIPS

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

33 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• 한국엔젤투자협회 (Korea Angel Investment Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaging organization (관리기관) for TIPS Program operations. Coordinates program activities, manages operating partners, and handles startup team recommendations and selection evaluations.
• 중소기업기술정보진흥원 (Korea Technology and Information Promotion Institute for SMEs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResponsible for TIPS R&D selection, evaluation, and related inquiries. Handles the technical assessment and evaluation aspects of the program.
• 창업진흥원 (Korea Startup Forum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHandles inquiries related to linked programs including startup commercialization and overseas marketing support.
• POSCO Holdings / POSCO ChangUp GroundmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOperates POSCO ChangUp Ground (TIPS TOWN S6) - a private-public partnership startup hub in Seoul. Provides office space for TIPS resident companies.
• SparklabsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccelerator/VC firm operating as a TIPS partner, identifying and investing in promising startup teams.
• Bon AngelsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAngel investor network operating as a TIPS partner for startup investment and acceleration.
• K Cube VenturesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVC firm operating as TIPS partner, providing investment and support for technology startups.
• Seoul National University Technology HoldingsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOperates S-INNOVATION startup incubator center in Yeoksam, providing office space and support services for TIPS member companies.
• The VenturesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVC firm listed as TIPS partner organization.
• Bluepoint PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVC/investment firm listed as TIPS partner organization.
• FuturePlayminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccelerator firm listed as TIPS partner organization.
• HYUNDAI (Hyundai Motor Group)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor corporation with venture division operating as TIPS partner.
• Kite Entrepreneurship Foundation (카이트창업가재단)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFoundation supporting entrepreneurs, listed as TIPS partner.
• Capstone PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInvestment firm listed as TIPS partner organization.
• PrimerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVC/investment firm listed as TIPS partner.
• Coolidge CornerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVC firm listed as TIPS partner organization.
• Innopolis PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInvestment firm listed as TIPS partner.
• KST Holdings (한국과학기술지주)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorScience and technology holding company listed as TIPS partner.
• ETRI HoldingsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorResearch institute holding company listed as TIPS partner.
• Suprema InvestmentminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInvestment firm listed as TIPS partner.
• Mirae Science & Technology Holdings (미래과학기술지주)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTechnology holding company listed as TIPS partner.
• Venture SquareminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStartup media/platform firm listed as TIPS partner.
• Sunbo Engel PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAngel investment network listed as TIPS partner.
• Synergy IB InvestmentminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInvestment bank/VC firm listed as TIPS partner.
• BNH InvestmentminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInvestment firm listed as TIPS partner.
• Mega Investment (메가인베스트먼트)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInvestment firm listed as TIPS partner.
• Big Basin Capital (빅베이슨캐피탈)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVC firm listed as TIPS partner.
• NtelsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIT services company listed as TIPS partner.
• InfobankminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorData/information services firm listed as TIPS partner.
• KAIST Venture (카이스트청년창업투자지주)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKAIST-affiliated startup investment holding company listed as TIPS partner.
• WAPSminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTechnology/investment firm listed as TIPS partner.
• ActnerLABminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTechnology firm listed as TIPS partner.
• HugelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBiopharmaceutical company listed as TIPS partner.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• K-Startup: Korean government startup support portal under the same Ministry of SMEs and Startups that oversees TIPS. Both are state-backed programs funneling resources to Korean startups, with K-Startup serving as the broader ecosystem platform and TIPS as the private-investment-led accelerator track.
• Y Combinator: Global benchmark for private-investor-led startup accelerators. TIPS explicitly references the Israeli model and shares structural DNA with YC (batch-based accelerator, mentorship-driven, investor selection). Useful comparable for scale, methodology, and ecosystem impact.
• Techstars: Global accelerator network with mentor-driven programs. Operates private-investor-led startup selection models comparable to TIPS and provides a benchmark for international accelerator program structure, mentor network effects, and corporate partnership models.
• Seoul Business Agency (SBA): Seoul metropolitan government agency that supports Seoul-based startups and SMEs through funding, incubation, and global expansion programs. Overlaps with TIPS in target audience (Korean startups) and in being a government-supported startup enabler.

Direct peers

• Sparklabs: Major Korean accelerator and VC that operates as a TIPS operating partner but also runs its own independent accelerator programs. Directly comparable as a Korean tech startup accelerator targeting early-stage founders with mentorship, capital, and follow-on support.
• D.CAMP: Korean startup accelerator and shared workspace hub backed by Kakao and Naver. Comparable to TIPS as a prominent Korean startup support institution providing workspace, mentorship, and ecosystem connectivity for early-stage tech founders.
• Born2Global Centre: Korean government-backed program under the Ministry of Science and ICT supporting Korean startups' global expansion. Comparable to TIPS in being a state-led startup support program targeting globally ambitious Korean tech founders.
• K Cube Ventures: Korean seed-stage VC firm and active TIPS operating partner. Comparable to TIPS as a Korean early-stage tech investor that combines capital with hands-on incubation support for technology startups.

Regional players

• Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA): Korean government agency under the Ministry of Culture that supports content and creative industry startups. Comparable as a sector-focused government accelerator with dedicated funding and incubation infrastructure for Korean startups.

Emerging players

• Pioneer Square Labs (PSL): US-based venture studio/accelerator modeled on private-investor-led startup creation. While not a direct Korean competitor, PSL's studio model provides a useful international comparable for how government-aligned ecosystem programs can scale startup creation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2072 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TIPS Program