INNOBIZ

Name

INNOBIZ

Legal name

중소기업기술혁신협회

Website

https://innobiz.or.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seongnam

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees (연회비): INNOBIZ generates revenue primarily through annual membership fees from member companies. Fees are tiered based on company revenue: under 5 billion KRW (360,000 KRW), 5-10 billion KRW (600,000 KRW), and over 10 billion KRW (1,200,000 KRW). Membership provides access to certification services, training programs, policy support, and member benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

INNOBIZ (중소기업기술혁신협회) is the sole private association designated by the Korean Ministry of SMEs and Startups to operate the official Inno-biz technology-innovation certification system for SMEs, evaluating applicants against international Oslo Manual standards. Its primary revenue-generating activities are annual membership dues and certification/technology evaluation fees, complemented by training through INNOBIZ Academy, an Employment Support Center, overseas market expansion programs, and policy advocacy for the 7,816 member companies and 23,480 certified firms it serves.

Product overview

INNOBIZ (Korean SME Technology Innovation Association) operates primarily as a certification and business support organization rather than a software product company. Its core offering is the INNOBIZ Certification System - a government-recognized technology innovation certification for SMEs based on international Oslo Manual standards. The organization provides technology evaluation services (as a Ministry-designated evaluator), education and training through INNOBIZ Academy, employment support center, and international cooperation programs including the Korea-Indonesia Smart Factory ODA project. The portfolio includes the INNOBIZ.net online portal, the Idanbi member search platform, K-INNOSHOW showcase platform, and various support programs covering 4th Industrial Revolution technologies, smart factory development, and AI adoption for SMEs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• INNOBIZ Certification System (이노비즈 확인제도) A government-recognized technology innovation certification system for Korean SMEs operated by INNOBIZ as the designated management organization. It evaluates companies with 3+ years of operation and systematic R&D activity on technology innovation capability, commercialization capability, technology innovation management, and innovation performance using the international Oslo Manual framework. Successful applicants receive a certification tied to tax benefits, financing preferences, public procurement qualification, and patent fast-track eligibility.
• Technology Evaluation Service (기술평가) Government-designated technology evaluation service for SMEs, designated by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Patent Office. Provides technology capability assessment, patent evaluation, and innovation performance evaluation; members receive preferential evaluation fees and the output is recognized for use in technology-backed loan guarantees at ratios up to 100%.
• INNOBIZ Academy (이노비즈 아카데미) Professional education institution for enterprise competitiveness enhancement, providing structured, demand-driven training programs for SMEs and mid-tier enterprises, including the INNOBIZ MBA program (launched 2008), Morning Forums, CEO Programs, ISO certification courses, AI/marketing productivity courses, and ISO-certified training curricula. ISO International Standards Training Institution designation granted April 2024.
• Employment Support Center (일자리지원센터) Job placement and employment support service offering youth employment subsidies, research personnel training grants, internship programs, and employment grants for SMEs. Established as Korea's first private SME employment support center.
• Overseas / Global Market Support Program (해외/판로지원) International cooperation and export support program covering overseas exhibition groups (2026 Global Exhibition INNOBIZ Consortium, registration through July 17, 2026), Korea-Indonesia Smart Factory ODA Invitation Training (2023-2026), technology innovation expo participation, and regional network support for member companies entering Indonesia, El Salvador, Ecuador, China, and the USA.
• INNOBIZ CEO Program (최고경영자과정) A 15-week leadership development program for CEOs and executives of INNOBIZ/SME member companies, covering humanities, business strategy, and economic trends, with networking opportunities across cohorts of senior SME leaders.
• 4th Industrial Revolution Support Program (4차산업혁명지원) Comprehensive support program for SME digital transformation, covering cloud service adoption, data infrastructure development, smart factory construction, and AI integration, delivered via the Digital Transformation Promotion Headquarters. Includes manufacturing data analysis and AI solutions such as the Daejeon manufacturing AI convergence support project and the K-Manufacturing AI data analysis competition.
• INNOBIZ.net Online Portal (이노비즈넷) Online self-serve portal enabling INNOBIZ certification applications, certification renewal, certification status management, and public lookup of certified Inno-biz companies. Operated as a separate website (innobiz.net) distinct from the main association site.
• Idanbi Member Search Platform (아이단비) Search platform launched by INNOBIZ to help users verify the membership status of INNOBIZ member companies, accessible via the association's member directory page.
• K-INNOSHOW Online Showcase (K-INNOSHOW) Online showcase platform displaying innovative products developed by INNOBIZ-certified companies, supporting product discovery and commercialization.

Quantifiable outcome

• INNOBIZ certified companies account for 13.9% of total SME revenue in South Korea (317 trillion KRW)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs (외교부)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 June 2026INNOBIZ Chairman met with Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister's Policy Advisor to explore directions for supporting SME overseas expansion.
• NICE D&B (나이스디앤비)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026Business agreement to provide credit management services, company and partner credit management support, domestic company information unlimited access, and CREPORT special discounts for members.
• Korea SMI (대중소협력재단) / DB损害保险minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 May 2026Business agreement for cooperative projects supporting member companies.
• Korea Association of Public Procurement Technology (정부조달기술진흥협회)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 March 2026MOU to support public procurement opportunities for member companies.
• Korea Defense Innovation Companies Association (한국방산혁신기업협회)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2026MOU signed to facilitate K-defense market entry for Inno-biz certified companies, establishing a private-led defense industry ecosystem to reduce barriers to entry for technology innovation SMEs.
• Gyeonggi Creative Economy Innovation Center (경기창조경제혁신센터)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 February 2026Business cooperation for SME innovation and creative economy development.
• Ministry of SMEs and Startups (중소벤처기업부)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 February 2026The Ministry of SMEs and Startups established a hotline with INNOBIZ Association among 11 major associations to share real-time updates on US tariff developments and coordinate support for SMEs affected by tariff changes.
• Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (중소기업정책研究院)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2026Jointly implemented the 4-year Indonesia Smart Factory ODA Invitation Training (2023-2026) funded by Korea's Ministry of SMEs and Startups, with plans to operate the Bekasi Education Center and host Korea-Indonesia Business Cooperation Seminars.
• Quito, EcuadorminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 December 2025MOU signed to expand Latin American cooperation and support Korean SME market entry into Ecuador.
• 36Kr-KSI (China Innovation Platform)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 December 2025MOU signed for cooperation with Chinese innovation platform 36Kr-KSI.
• Kim Chang-joon Hanmi Research Institute (김창준한미연구소)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 September 2025MOU to strengthen support for US market entry by Inno-biz companies, leveraging former US Congress members' networks and facilitating economic cooperation between Korea and USA.
• Korean National Assembly (한국국회)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 September 2025FMC (Former Members of Congress) delegation meeting hosted by INNOBIZ and National Assembly members, with 8 Inno-biz companies presenting innovative technologies to former US congressmen for economic cooperation.
• SVC Seoul (Global Innovation Ecosystem Hub)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2025INNOBIZ Chairman attended the opening ceremony of SVC Seoul, a hub connecting global innovation ecosystems.
• Buena Park City and Korean American Chamber of Commerce (Orange County)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2025Meeting with Buena Park City officials and Korean American Chamber of Commerce in Orange County for US market expansion support.
• Indonesia Government / BINUS UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024Indonesia Smart Factory Education Center opening, cooperation with BINUS University and local manufacturing companies for smart factory training and industrial cooperation.
• El Salvador GovernmentmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2024Digital transformation support for El Salvador through KOICA Global Training Program, providing Fourth Industrial Revolution capacity building training to Salvadoran government officials.
• Korea SMEs and Startups AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024ISO International Standards Training Institution designation and ongoing cooperation in technology innovation support.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bpifrance: France's public investment bank and SME/innovation financing agency. Comparable as an international peer combining SME financing, innovation certification, and capability-building programs for technology-innovative SMEs, with a model relevant to INNOBIZ's internationalization ambitions.
• Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (중소벤처기업진흥공단): Government agency executing SME support policy in Korea; a core partner of INNOBIZ. Comparable as the dominant state-backed SME support institution offering financing, market entry, and training programs to a far broader SME base than INNOBIZ's technology-innovation niche.
• Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (대한상공회의소): Korea's largest general business association, providing member services, policy advocacy, and training across all industries. Comparable as a far larger, broader-scope business membership organization with an overlapping training and certification offering.
• Korea Invention Promotion Association (한국발명진흥회): Designated patent/invention evaluation institution under KIPO. Comparable to INNOBIZ as a government-designated technology evaluation body providing intellectual property and innovation assessment services to Korean companies, including patent evaluation functions that overlap with INNOBIZ's technology evaluation mandate.
• Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA): Government-affiliated trade and investment promotion agency supporting Korean SME exports. Overlaps with INNOBIZ's overseas market expansion and export support programs, particularly for Inno-biz certified companies seeking international market entry.

Direct peers

• Korea Industrial Technology Association (한국산업기술진흥협회): Korean non-profit industrial technology association serving technology-intensive companies. Directly comparable to INNOBIZ as a technology-focused industry association providing certification-adjacent services, policy advocacy, and member support programs.
• Korean Federation of Small and Medium Business (중소기업중앙회): The most analogous Korean SME-focused membership association, representing SMEs across all sectors. Directly comparable as a peer non-profit trade association funded by member dues, providing policy advocacy, training, and government benefit access to Korean SMEs.

Emerging players

• Enterprise Singapore: Singapore government agency supporting SME growth and capability development. Comparable as an international SME support institution offering certification-adjacent capability assessments, training, and internationalization programs for member SMEs.
• SME Corporation Malaysia: Malaysia's central SME development agency with similar mandate to identify, certify, and support innovative SMEs. Comparable as an international peer running SME certification, capability building, and financing programs at national scale.

Regional players

• National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA): Government IT industry promotion agency. Comparable to INNOBIZ in supporting technology-focused SMEs in Korea, with overlapping programs in digital transformation, AI adoption, and smart factory construction for member companies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/INNOBIZ_
• Facebookfacebook.com/innobizorkr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inno-biz-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about INNOBIZ