What STEPI does

STEPI (Science & Technology Policy Institute, 과학기술정책연구원) is a South Korean government-funded research institute (출연연) established in 1987, operating under the supervision of the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Economic·Humanities and Social Research Council. Headquartered in Sejong Special Self-Governing City at the Sejong National Research Complex with 101-250 employees, STEPI functions as Korea's premier national think tank for science, technology, and innovation (STI) policy research. Its primary customers are Korean central government ministries — particularly the Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Office for Government Policy Coordination — supplemented by international organizations (OECD, UN ESCAP, UNDP, APEC), local governments, and ASEAN/ODA partner countries.

STEPI's core outputs are policy research reports, national statistical surveys, and academic publications rather than commercial products. Its research portfolio covers six core domains: systems innovation, innovation growth, global innovation strategy, S&T human resources policy, SME/venture innovation, and R&D fiscal evaluation. The institute operates Korea's only two nationally approved statistical surveys on innovation — the Korean Innovation Survey (KIS, Approval No. 395001) and the PhD Workforce Activity Survey (KCDH, Approval No. 395002) — along with the SSCI-indexed AJTI journal (co-published with ASIALICS Korea), the English-language STI Policy Review, and a portfolio of periodic publications (STEPI Insight, 과학기술정책 Brief, Future Horizon+, STEPI Outlook). It also operates the Space Policy Research Center (SPREC) and runs the 469+ edition Science and Technology Policy Forum series and an annual STEPI Global Symposium.

STEPI's business model is government appropriations and commissioned research, not commercial monetization. Revenue is derived from national R&D budget allocations routed through the Economic·Humanities and Social Research Council, plus bilateral commissioned research agreements with Korean ministries and international organizations. STEPI is statutorily designated as the sole institution for conducting mandatory R&D feasibility studies (예비타당성조사) before large government R&D investments, and serves as the national secretariat for OECD's Committee for Scientific and Technology Policy (CSTP). All published research outputs are made available under open public licensing (공공누리 제4유형) at no charge. Pricing for commissioned research is determined through bilateral agreements with government clients.

Name

STEPI

Legal name

과학기술정책연구원 (Science & Technology Policy Institute)

Website

https://stepi.re.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

STEPI is a South Korean government-funded research institute established in 1987 that conducts science, technology, and innovation policy research for the Korean central government, international organizations (OECD, UN ESCAP, UNDP), and partner countries, operating Korea's designated R&D feasibility study function and national innovation statistics surveys.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science & Technology Policy Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), International Affairs (92812)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Development Cooperation & Foreign Aid Administration (BPAIAIAG)

Keywords

• Science technology policy research
• R&D feasibility studies
• Innovation system analysis
• National innovation survey
• STI policy advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Sejung

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government R&D Funding / Public Institution Operations: STEPI operates as a government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT (과학기술정보통신부), funded through national research and development appropriations. Its primary revenue is derived from commissioned research for government ministries, public institutions, and international organizations (OECD, UN ESCAP, UNDP, etc.).

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

STEPI is a Korean government-funded research institute that conducts science, technology, and innovation (STI) policy research, including policy studies, feasibility assessments for large government R&D investments, national innovation surveys, future foresight studies, and international STI cooperation advisory. Its core outputs are research reports, periodic publications, statistical surveys (KIS and KCDH), and policy forums delivered primarily to Korean government ministries and international organizations.

Product overview

STEPI (과학기술정책연구원, Science & Technology Policy Institute) is a Korean government research institute established in 1987 that conducts comprehensive research on science and technology policy and innovation. The institute offers a portfolio of research publications and services including: research reports covering policy studies, basic research, feasibility studies, and commissioned research; periodic publications such as STEPI Insight, 과학기술정책 Brief, Future Horizon+, STEPI Outlook, and STI Policy Review; national statistical surveys including the Korean Innovation Survey (KIS) and PhD Workforce Activity Survey (KCDH); the AJTI academic journal; video reports; and forums including the STEPI 과학기술정책포럼 and STEPI 글로벌 심포지엄. The institute also operates the Space Policy Research Center (SPREC) for specialized space policy research. STEPI functions as a policy research hub rather than a commercial product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SPREC (Space Policy Research Center): National Space Policy Research Center conducting space policy research and analysis
• AJTI

Products and services

• Research Reports (연구보고서)
• STEPI Insight
• Science and Technology Policy Brief (과학기술정책 Brief)
• Future Horizon+
• STEPI Outlook
• STI Policy Review
• Korean Innovation Survey (KIS, 한국기업혁신조사)
• PhD Workforce Activity Survey (박사인력활동조사, KCDH)
• AJTI — Asian Journal of Technology Innovation
• Space Policy Research Center (SPREC, 국가우주정책연구센터)
• Video Reports (영상보고서)
• STEPI Science and Technology Policy Forum (과학기술정책포럼)
• STEPI Global Symposium (STEPI 글로벌 심포지엄)

Quantifiable outcome

• STEPI has published 1,816 research reports, 513 periodic publications, and conducted feasibility assessments for government R&D projects numbering in the hundreds.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) — CSTP (Committee for Scientific and Technology Policy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEPI serves as the national secretariat for OECD's CSTP, actively participating in and contributing to OECD Science and Technology Policy Committee meetings, working groups, and international peer review processes. STEPI played a key role in revising the 1988 OECD Recommendation on International Scientific and Technical Cooperation and participates in the STIP Compass and STIP Survey initiatives.
• UN ESCAP (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEPI cooperates with UN ESCAP's Trade, Investment and Innovation Division on science and technology cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. Joint activities include seminars, policy forums, and research on STI cooperation for sustainable development.
• UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEPI implements the Mekong-UNDP Nexus Policy Research project (한-UNDP 3단계 협력사업) under the Korea-UNDP cooperation framework, focusing on science and technology cooperation for sustainable development in the Mekong region.
• APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEPI participates in APEC's Policy Partnership on Science, Technology and Innovation (PPSTI), contributing to the APEC STI agenda, co-organizing workshops, and providing analytical inputs on regional technology cooperation.
• ASEAN / 한-아세안 (Korea-ASEAN STI Cooperation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEPI operates the Korea-ASEAN Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Program (한-아세안 과학기술 공동연구 프로그램), supporting joint research between Korean and ASEAN researchers. STEPI also organizes the annual Korea-ASEAN STI Cooperation Forum and the Korea-ASEAN Excellence in STI Innovation Award (한-아세안 우수과학기술혁신상).
• ASIALICS Korea (Asian Society for Innovation and Learning in Competitive Societies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEPI co-publishes the AJTI (Asian Journal of Technology Innovation) SSCI-indexed journal with ASIALICS Korea, publishing research on science and technology innovation, technology management, and technology policy across Asia.
• Korean Government Ministries (과학기술정보통신부, 중소벤처기업부, 기획재정부 등)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEPI conducts commissioned research (수탁연구) for various Korean government ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Office for Government Policy Coordination. STEPI is the designated institution for conducting R&D feasibility studies (예비타당성조사) required before large government R&D investments.
• Local Governments and Regional Innovation AgenciesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEPI conducts commissioned studies for local governments including Gyeongnam Province (경남형 과학기술기관 설립 기본계획), Jeollabuk-do (전북研究院), Jeonju City, Gwangju City, and Daejeon City for regional innovation ecosystem research. STEPI also collaborates with regional universities and innovation agencies on living lab (리빙랩) programs.
• K-Innovation Partnership Program Partner Countries (Ghana, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Cambodia, Peru)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEPI operates the K-Innovation Partnership Program in collaboration with partner countries (Ghana, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Cambodia, Peru), providing policy advisory and training on science and technology innovation management as part of Korea's ODA (Official Development Assistance) strategy.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• ITIF (Information Technology and Innovation Foundation): US-based think tank on technology and innovation policy. Comparable to STEPI in producing policy research on innovation, technology competitiveness, and industrial strategy, though operating as a private think tank rather than government institute.

Direct peers

• SPRU (Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex): One of the world's leading academic centers for S&T policy research. Comparable to STEPI in research focus on innovation policy, technology management, and futures studies, and a longstanding contributor to OECD CSTP work.
• NISTEP (National Institute of Science and Technology Policy, Japan): Japan's national S&T policy research institute under MEXT. Direct functional equivalent of STEPI — conducts STI policy research, maintains national innovation indicators (J-STI), produces internationally comparable science indicators, and operates under similar government funding.
• KIEP (Korea Institute for International Economic Policy): Korean government-funded think tank focused on international economic policy. Sister institute to STEPI under the Economic·Humanities and Social Research Council with similar funding model, structure, and international cooperation mandate.
• KISTEP (Korea Institute of Science & Technology Evaluation and Planning): Korea's primary national R&D evaluation and planning agency. Closest domestic counterpart to STEPI, also operating under MSIT and conducting national R&D evaluation, technology foresight, and policy research for the Korean government.
• Korea Development Institute (KDI): Korea's premier economic policy think tank. Comparable to STEPI as a government-funded research institute providing evidence-based policy research to Korean ministries, with a similar governance structure under the Economic·Humanities and Social Research Council.

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: Major US public policy think tank. Comparable to STEPI in producing policy research, convening expert forums, and publishing scholarly outputs across S&T, economic, and international affairs domains.
• RAND Corporation: Global policy research institution. Comparable to STEPI in providing research and analysis for government clients on technology, defense, and international affairs with similar breadth of policy domains and commissioned research model.
• Fraunhofer ISI (Institute for Systems and Innovation Research): Germany's leading institute for innovation and systems research. Operates in the same S&T policy research space as STEPI, producing innovation indicators, foresight studies, and R&D evaluation for the German federal government and EU.
• IIASA (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis): Austria-based international research institute conducting systems analysis on global challenges including energy, climate, and technology. Comparable to STEPI in conducting international interdisciplinary research with government sponsorship across multiple countries.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5Nsv1nZdcK0uJmLxtQL0Tg
• Facebookfacebook.com/STEPIPR
• Xx.com/stepi_en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about STEPI