Busan Creative Economy Innovation Center

What Busan Creative Economy Innovation Center does

Busan Creative Economy Innovation Center (부산창조경제혁신센터) is a regional government-affiliated startup support organization and one of 19 centers in the nationwide Creative Economy Innovation Center (CCEI) network, supervised by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (중소벤처기업부) and operated by the Korean Institute of Startup and Entrepreneurship Development (Kised). Established as part of the CCEI network founded in 2013, with the Busan branch commencing operations in 2016, the center provides free incubation and acceleration services — including education, online and offline consulting, workspace and equipment rental, mentorship, and direct investment — to early-stage startups and entrepreneurs in the Busan metropolitan area.

The center's product portfolio includes the WAVE CLUB workation-networking program in the Haeundae district (operating five sessions serving approximately 40 companies at a 4.8/5 satisfaction score) and the Ocean Startup Alliance (OSA), a public-private consortium of 13 organizations launched in March 2026 that links maritime AI startups with major shipbuilding corporations (Samsung Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean) and government R&D funding. Busan CEIC actively backs portfolio startups across AI/AR content (Wit Global's WITH platform with K-Culture Virtual Fitting), advanced materials for AI semiconductor packaging (CIT's CuFlat-PKGCore shown at MWC 2026 Barcelona), and wellness-tech B2B SaaS (Sasasa's AI sauna solution). The center supports international expansion of its startups via trade shows such as NextRise 2026 and MWC 2026.

The business model is not commercial: the center does not generate revenue and provides all services free of charge to startups, funded by public budget appropriations from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and channeled through Kised. Direct equity investments in startups are made through vehicles such as the Busan Unicorn Startup Private Investment Partnership, with deal sizes in the range of approximately 100 million KRW per portfolio company. The center's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, combining workation communities, investor presentation days, and marketplace listings at major domestic and international startup fairs.

Name

Busan Creative Economy Innovation Center

Legal name

Creative Economy Innovation Center (창조경제혁신센터)

Website

https://ccei.creativekorea.or.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Busan Creative Economy Innovation Center is a government-affiliated regional startup hub within South Korea's 19-center CCEI network. It provides free incubation, consulting, workspace, and direct investment to Busan-region early-stage startups, operating the WAVE CLUB workation program and the Ocean Startup Alliance maritime consortium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Incubation Services

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

Keywords

• Startup incubation services
• Government entrepreneurship programs
• Venture capital investment
• Business consulting services
• Workspace rental facilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Busan

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Funding / Government Budget: As a government-initiated startup support organization under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and operated by the Korean Institute of Startup and Entrepreneurship Development (Kised), the center is funded by public budget appropriations. Services including education, consulting, space rental, and investment support are provided free of charge to startups and entrepreneurs.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Busan Creative Economy Innovation Center is a publicly funded regional startup support hub providing free entrepreneurship services including business incubation, education and training programs, expert mentoring, workspace and equipment rental, online and offline consultation, and direct investment facilitation. It operates specialized initiatives such as the Haeundae WAVE CLUB workation networking program and the Ocean Startup Alliance, a 13-organization public-private consortium nurturing smart maritime startups in partnership with Samsung Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean.

Product overview

Busan Creative Economy Innovation Center (부산창조경제혁신센터) is a regional startup innovation hub operating as part of a nationwide network of 19 Creative Economy Innovation Centers across Korea. The center provides a multi-faceted support ecosystem including startup incubation programs, workation networking (WAVE CLUB), maritime AI initiatives (Ocean Startup Alliance), space rental, consultation services, and direct investment through CCEI Investment. The center also supports portfolio startups like Wit Global's AI/AR-based WITH platform for virtual fitting, Sasasa's AI sauna solution, and CIT's advanced semiconductor materials, demonstrating a focus on AI-driven innovation across retail wellness and advanced manufacturing sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WAVE CLUB: Haeundae workation networking program combining remote work with networking opportunities for workation participants and Busan residents
• Ocean Startup Alliance (OSA)

Products and services

• Startup Support Programs
• WAVE CLUB Workation Networking Program
• Ocean Startup Alliance (OSA)
• Space Rental Services
• Online and Offline Consultation Services
• CCEI Investment Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Participant satisfaction score of 4.8 out of 5 points in WAVE CLUB program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ocean Startup Alliance (OSA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026Busan CEIC launched the Ocean Startup Alliance (OSA), a public-private consortium of 13 organizations to nurture smart maritime startups using AI transformation technology. The consortium held its first official meeting on March 10, 2026. Participants include Samsung Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean, and various maritime research institutions. They discussed cooperation structures for linking startups with major corporate infrastructure and government R&D funding. The consortium plans to hold an OSA DAY event in May featuring investor presentations and technology meet-ups for maritime startups in the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region.
• Samsung Heavy IndustriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the 13 member organizations of the Ocean Startup Alliance (OSA). Participant in the consortium meeting discussing cooperation structures for linking startups with major corporate infrastructure and government R&D funding for smart maritime startups.
• Hanwha OceancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the 13 member organizations of the Ocean Startup Alliance (OSA). Participant in the consortium meeting discussing cooperation structures for linking startups with major corporate infrastructure and government R&D funding for smart maritime startups.
• Wit GlobalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn AI-based content solution company backed by Busan Creative Economy Innovation Center. Busan CEIC supported Wit Global's participation at NextRise 2026, Korea's largest startup fair at COEX in Seoul. Wit Global showcased its all-in-one smart platform 'WITH' with K-Culture Virtual Fitting and space business solutions. The company attracted attention from domestic and international investors and buyers, with foreign buyers initiating follow-up procedures for technology introduction and business cooperation.
• Ministry of SMEs and StartupscoreOthersThe national ministry that oversees the CCEI network and startup policy. Sasasa was selected for the Ministry's Pre-TIPS program, receiving additional commercialization funding on top of Busan Unicorn Startup Private Investment Partnership investment.
• CIT (Busan startup)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusan startup supported by Busan CEIC that unveiled its ultra-flat copper-deposited glass substrate 'CuFlat-PKGCore' at MWC 2026 in Barcelona, demonstrating advanced materials for AI semiconductor packaging. The product offers improvements in flatness, heat stability, and environmental sustainability for high-speed, high-frequency environments.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Futureplay: Korean early-stage deep-tech venture builder and accelerator focused on technology founders — comparable target segment (technical founders) with similar incubation and investment services.
• SparkLabs Korea: Private Korean seed accelerator offering mentorship, office space, and seed investment — directly comparable to CCEI's startup support services but with a private, equity-funded model.
• Ulsan Creative Economy Innovation Center: Sibling CCEI center in Ulsan, also part of the Ocean Startup Alliance consortium alongside Busan CEIC — same operating model, same ministry oversight, and direct co-member in maritime startup programs.
• D.CAMP: Korean startup accelerator and early-stage investor founded by Dong-A Ilbo, offering workspace, mentorship, and direct investment to Korean startups — directly comparable startup-incubation business model.
• Primer (Primer S&P): Korean early-stage investor/accelerator providing seed capital and founder support — competing for the same Korean early-stage founder pool that Busan CEIC serves.
• Seoul Creative Economy Innovation Center: The Seoul flagship of the same 19-center CCEI network under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, offering identical startup incubation, education, workspace, and CCEI Investment programs — directly comparable operating model and mandate.
• Seoul Business Agency (SBA): Seoul metropolitan government agency supporting SMEs and startups via workspace, consulting, and investment programs — directly comparable municipal-government startup incubation mandate.
• TIPS (Tips for Innovative Startups): Korean government-operated startup investment program under the same ministry ecosystem that provides direct equity investment and commercialization funding (Pre-TIPS) to early-stage startups — overlapping mandate and capital-deployment role.

Broad incumbents

• K-Startup (KISED): Korean Institute of Startup and Entrepreneurship Development, the parent operator of the CCEI network; runs the nationwide startup portal and broader programs that encompass Busan CEIC's scope.

Regional players

• Block71 Seoul (NUS Enterprise): Singapore-affiliated global startup hub with Korean operations, offering incubation, mentorship, and corporate-partner access — comparable service mix targeting Korean early-stage founders with cross-border ambitions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@jccei
• Facebookfacebook.com/cceibusan
• Instagraminstagram.com/bccei

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

Investments6 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Busan Creative Economy Innovation Center