Ministry of SMEs and Startups

What Ministry of SMEs and Startups does

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (중소벤처기업부, MSS) is a South Korean government ministry under the executive branch, headquartered in Sejong Special Self-Governing Province and operating through 14 regional offices and 10 affiliated public institutions including KOSME, KIBO (Technology Guarantee Fund), SEMAS, KVIC, and KOSBI. Established in February 2013 through a reorganization of the Small and Medium Business Administration, MSS is the statutory authority responsible for SME policy, venture investment regulation, startup ecosystem governance, and trade secret certification across South Korea.

MSS operates a portfolio of flagship programs spanning the full SME lifecycle: the K-Startup Grand Challenge (international acceleration, up to ₩950 million equity-free per startup), Everyone's Startup / Startup for All (nationwide audition with 63,000 applicants in Phase 1 and a tripled KRW 200+ billion Phase 2 budget), the Super-Gap Startup Project (DIPS) for deep-tech ventures, Local to Global for SME internationalization, and the AI Smart Manufacturing 3.0 strategic roadmap (built on patent big-data analysis with the Ministry of Intellectual Property). Core technology platforms include the SMINFO SME information system, the K-Startup portal, the Policy Fund Navigator, and the unified SME·Venture 24 authentication system. The 2026 SME Policy Fund Operation Plan allocates KRW 4.4313 trillion (~$3.3B) across startup financing, AI transformation, defense startups, and export support.

MSS does not generate commercial revenue; it operates through government budget allocations and policy fund deployment via Korea Venture Investment Corp. (KVIC), partner banks (Hana, KB, Woori, Shinhan, Nonghyup), and partner multinational corporations (OpenAI, HP, Mercedes-Benz Korea, Astellas). Primary customer segments are small and micro businesses, early-stage startups and entrepreneurs, smart-manufacturing SMEs, defense startups, venture companies and accelerators, and SME exporters. In 2026 MSS executed a coordinated international expansion push, signing bilateral MOUs with Belgium, Italy, India, Singapore, and Japan, while simultaneously absorbing new regulatory jurisdiction over consumer cooperatives from the Fair Trade Commission.

Name

Ministry of SMEs and Startups

Legal name

Ministry of SMEs and Startups (중소벤처기업부)

Website

https://mss.go.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (중소벤처기업부) is the South Korean government ministry that supports SMEs, startups, and venture companies through policy funds (~USD 3.3B annually in 2026), flagship programs, 14 regional offices, and 10 affiliated public institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government SME and Startup Support Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

National Development Banks & State Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) (BPADACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

SME Term Loans & Growth Capital (FSAKAGAB), SME, Microfinance & Financial Inclusion Facilities (BPADACAI), SME & Entrepreneurship Development (Trade-Linked) (BPADAMAE), SDG / Thematic Sustainable Investment Funds (FSANAJAN), Green/Climate Development Banks & Funds (FSABAKAH)

Keywords

• SME policy administration
• Startup funding programs
• Venture capital
• Government grants
• Innovation policy

Headquarters

HQ city

Daejeon

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Policy Fund Operations: The ministry operates policy funds for SMEs, including joint funds with financial institutions like the 10 billion won KB Financial fund for digital, green, and safety transformation, and the 3.6 trillion won venture fund with 550 billion won dedicated to next-generation unicorns.
2. Government Venture Investment: Q1 2026 venture investment market hit record highs with new venture investments reaching 3.3 trillion won (up 24.1% YoY) and new venture fund formation reaching 4.4 trillion won (up 30.7% YoY), supplying over 5 trillion won in total growth capital.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups designs, funds, and administers South Korea's national programs supporting small and medium enterprises, micro-businesses, and startups. Its core offering is the deployment of more than KRW 4.4 trillion in annual policy funds alongside non-financial services such as SME confirmation certificates, regulatory consulting, R&D vouchers, export support, smart manufacturing AI adoption, and global expansion programs (e.g., K-Startup Grand Challenge, Everyone's Startup Project, DIPS/Super-Gap Startup, Local to Global, K-Food Smart Manufacturing Alliance).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SME·Venture 24 Integrated Membership Service (중소벤처24 통합멤버십) A unified single-account authentication platform giving SMEs and startups access to major policy services without creating separate logins at each institution; planned AI engine will recommend support projects matched to user profile.
• SME Information System (SMINFO) Government portal hosting SME status information, SME confirmation certificate issuance (Inno-Biz, Main-Biz, venture, startup certifications), company information registration, and SME statistics for Korean SMEs and startups.
• K-Startup Portal Central digital portal providing startups with access to MSS programs, application processes, ecosystem resources, and partner institution information across Korea.
• K-Startup Grand Challenge 2026 Government-backed international acceleration program for foreign startups targeting Korea and Asia, offering equity-free financial support, visa assistance, and exposure through COMEUP.
• Everyone's Startup Project (모두의 스타트업) Nationwide startup audition program that selects finalists through regional and national auditions, providing commercialization funding up to KRW 1 billion, mentorship, and AI-based document verification under a three-mentor joint review.
• AroundX Program Startup collaboration program partnering multinational corporations (OpenAI, HP, Mercedes-Benz Korea, Astellas, etc.) with Korean startups through two tracks: startup incubation and joint R&D projects, with up to KRW 200 million per startup.
• K-Food Smart Manufacturing Alliance Public-private collaboration platform promoting AI-based smart manufacturing transformation for K-food, bringing together large food firms (Daesang, CJ CheilJedang), smart manufacturing technology SMEs, and specialized institutions to strengthen global competitiveness.
• Policy Fund Navigator Digitalized demand-driven system for applying to the 2026 SME Policy Fund, replacing traditional application processes and supporting the deployment of KRW 4.4313 trillion in annual policy funds.
• Local to Global Program Program that selects and funds 100 small and micro-businesses per cycle to transform domestic merchants into international brands, providing commercialization funding up to KRW 100 million plus packaging and regulatory consulting.
• SME Confirmation Certificate System System for issuing SME confirmation certificates (중소기업 확인서) including Inno-Biz, Main-Biz, venture, and startup certifications through the SMINFO portal.

Quantifiable outcome

• 63,000 applicants from 17 cities in Phase 1 of Everyone's Startup program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• POSCO Technology Investment, Douzone Bizon, Daewoong PharmaceuticalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Selected as operating institutions for Phase 2 of Everyone's Startup program, which triples the budget to over 200 billion won and introduces new competition leagues including University League, Youth Startup Camp, and Global League.
• Ministry of Intellectual Property (TIPA and KISTA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Joint initiative to establish 2026 smart manufacturing strategic technology roadmap combining patent big data analysis with on-site demand from small manufacturing corporations, expanding from 49 to over 100 strategic items under AI-based Smart Manufacturing 3.0 strategy.
• Belgium's Ministry of the Middle Classes, the Self-Employed, and SMEscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Korea's Ministry signed a bilateral MOU with Belgium to boost startup exchanges and establish high-level policy dialogues, talent exchanges, and technological matchmaking programs between the two countries, positioning Belgium as a strategic gateway for Korean startups into Europe.
• Italy's Confapi and LegacoopcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises signed separate MOUs with Italy's Confapi and Legacoop to expand bilateral business cooperation, exchange information on cooperative policies, and share market information between the two countries' SMEs and cooperatives.
• IBMcoreTechnology or Integration · 8 May 2026Delegation of five South Korean quantum startups led by KIST visited IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Center in New York for high-level technical exchanges on IBM Quantum System Two architecture as part of Korea's DIPS program providing up to KRW 200 million annually for three years to support quantum startups.
• India's Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium EnterprisescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026The two ministries signed an MOU establishing a structured framework for bilateral MSME cooperation, promoting trade and investment through best practice sharing, business matchmaking, and technical and economic collaboration during South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's visit to India.
• CJ Olive Young, MegazoneCloudcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026Large-Small Business Joint Overseas Expansion Support Program leverages corporate distribution networks of CJ Olive Young for K-beauty programs and MegazoneCloud for AI overseas expansion projects.
• OpenAI, HP, Mercedes-Benz Korea, AstellascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 February 2026AroundX 2026 program partners with 17 multinational corporations including OpenAI, HP, Mercedes-Benz Korea, and Astellas, operating through two tracks: startup incubation and joint R&D projects, with funding of up to KRW 200 million per startup.
• Astellas, Maruho, Ono PharmaceuticalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2026Korea-Japan pharmaceutical and bio R&D cooperation framework where three Japanese pharma companies present technology demands while MSS identifies matching Korean bio startups for joint R&D and commercialization, including partnerships like Korea's Youth Bio Global with Japan's Human LifeCord for cross-border clinical trials.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• UK Department for Business and Trade: The UK government department responsible for business growth, trade, and SME support, including the British Business Bank. Comparable in mandate (SME growth + international trade) though operating with a broader industrial policy scope.
• Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI): Japan's central economic ministry, which includes SME support programs (SME Agency) alongside industrial policy, energy, and trade. Comparable as a state SME support authority within an Asian developed economy, though with a broader industrial-policy remit.
• Germany Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK): Germany's federal ministry for economic policy including SME and Mittelstand support, plus broader climate and energy mandates. A comparable state SME support authority within a major European industrial economy, with a wider portfolio scope.
• China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT): China's central ministry overseeing industry, IT, and SME support, including the 'Specialized and Sophisticated' SME program. A broad-incumbent peer in a comparable Asian economy with overlapping mandates on industrial modernization and SME development.

Regional players

• Korea Development Bank (KDB): Korea's state-owned policy bank, which channels industrial policy credit to Korean companies including SMEs. A domestic Korean state DFI peer, operating in a related (but bank-led, not ministry-led) slice of the SME financing ecosystem.

Direct peers

• India Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: India's national MSME ministry — the most direct counterpart to MSS globally, sharing remit, target constituency, and instrument set. In April 2026 MSS signed a bilateral MOU with this ministry, underscoring that they are explicitly treated as peer entities.
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): The U.S. federal agency with the closest functional analog to MSS: government-backed loan guarantees, venture-style funds (SBIC), and direct grants to small businesses. Both serve as the primary state instrument for SME financing and ecosystem development.
• Enterprise Singapore: A statutory board under Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry that grows stronger Singapore enterprises through capability development, financing, and internationalization. Direct peer in mandate (SME growth + internationalization) and the joint offshore fund-of-funds makes this a working partnership, not just a thematic one.
• Bpifrance: France's public investment bank dedicated to SMEs, startups, and mid-caps — providing guarantees, co-investment, and direct lending. The closest European analog to MSS's policy-fund + fund-of-funds + venture-program architecture.
• Belgium Federal Public Service Economy: Belgium's federal ministry responsible for SMEs, self-employed, and middle-class policy. In June 2026 MSS signed a bilateral MOU with Belgium's Ministry of the Middle Classes, Self-Employed, and SMEs, making this an explicit peer in policy dialogue and startup exchange.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bizinfo1357
• YouTubeyoutube.com/bizinfo1357
• Facebookfacebook.com/mss1357
• Instagraminstagram.com/mss.go.kr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments95 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Ministry of SMEs and Startups