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The TIPS family for foreign founders: Pre-TIPS to Global TIPS, track by track

외국인 창업자를 위한 팁스(TIPS) 패밀리 총정리

4 min read5 primary sources

TIPS is five stages, not one programme, per TIPS's own published timeline: launch, non-R&D linkage, TIPS Town, Pre-TIPS/Post-TIPS, and a 2026 growth-stage line. No 2026 notice fetched for this post states a foreign-founder or foreign-investment condition for any track; where a notice is silent, this post says so rather than guessing.

Government Complex Sejong, home to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, which publishes each year's TIPS notice
On this page
  1. The ladder, as TIPS names it
  2. The three TIPS tracks: general, deep-tech and global
  3. What TIPS and Deep-tech TIPS actually pay
  4. Pre-TIPS: the step before TIPS
  5. Who this excludes, or does not confirm

TIPS often reads as a single programme. TIPS''s own timeline names five separate stages between 2013 and 2026, each with its own funding and notice. A foreign-founded company deciding whether TIPS applies needs the stage, not the brand name.

The ladder, as TIPS names it

YearStage, as TIPS''s own timeline names itWhat the timeline states
2013TIPS launchFirst batch: 5 operators, 15 startups selected
2014TIPS fully implementedNon-R&D support (commercialisation, overseas marketing) linked
2015TIPS TownOpened in Seoul''s Gangnam-Yeoksam valley
2018Pre-TIPS and Post-TIPSGrowth-stage support system built
2026Scale-up TIPS and DCP TIPSFollow-up support strengthened

TIPS''s own site names "Post-TIPS" in the 2018 entry and "Scale-up TIPS" in the 2026 entry, without stating on the pages fetched whether one replaced the other. This post treats them as the two names the timeline actually uses, not as confirmed synonyms.

The three TIPS tracks: general, deep-tech and global

A 2026 government notice on the TIPS R&D track lists eligibility for three named tracks: general, deep-tech and global. That confirms three parallel tracks exist.

This post could not open the substantive text of the 2026 Global TIPS notice. The fetched listing page showed only the notice number, its March 2026 date and the issuing division. Its eligibility terms are not stated here for that reason.

What TIPS and Deep-tech TIPS actually pay

TrackMaximum R&D support
TIPS (general)800 million won
Deep-tech TIPS1.5 billion won
Non-R&D linked (commercialisation + overseas marketing)300 million won

This post quotes them directly from the 2026 notice''s own figures. The notice did not state a support period in months on the page fetched for this post, nor a total programme budget; both sit in the full announcement document.

Pre-TIPS: the step before TIPS

Pre-TIPS targets companies not yet at the main TIPS stage. The 2026 second-round notice funded commercialisation costs averaging 90 million won, with a 100 million won ceiling. It covered companies under three years old, located outside the Seoul metropolitan area.

That notice required at least 10 million won already invested by an institution. It also required a representative who meets the SME Creation Support Act''s definition. Its application window ran 10 July to 10 August 2026; each round sets its own dates.

That 2026 window has already passed by the time this post publishes; each Pre-TIPS round resets its own dates and amounts.

Who this excludes, or does not confirm

No notice fetched for this post states a foreign-national or foreign-investment condition, for any TIPS track. This post checked the Pre-TIPS notice text directly. It named no such restriction.

TIPS and Deep-tech TIPS eligibility turns on investment and recommendation from a TIPS operator, per the 2026 notice. It does not turn on the applicant''s nationality or ownership. That is what the notice says, not an inference this post is making.

The TIPS ladder from Pre-TIPS through the three main TIPS tracks (general, deep-tech, global) to the 2026-named Scale-up TIPS stage, with each stage's funding ceiling.

Current TIPS-track announcements, when open, are listed on the programme guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is TIPS a single programme?
No. TIPS's own timeline names five stages introduced between 2013 and 2026: launch, non-R&D linkage, TIPS Town, Pre-TIPS/Post-TIPS, and 2026's Scale-up TIPS/DCP TIPS follow-up system.
How many TIPS tracks exist within the main TIPS stage?
Three, per the 2026 notice's eligibility text: general, deep-tech and global.
How much does TIPS pay?
Up to 800 million won for the general track and up to 1.5 billion won for deep-tech, per the 2026 notice; the fetched page did not state a support period in months.
What does Pre-TIPS fund?
The 2026 second-round notice funded commercialisation costs averaging 90 million won with a 100 million won ceiling, for companies under three years old located outside the Seoul metropolitan area.
Can a foreign national or foreign-invested company apply to TIPS?
No notice fetched for this post states a nationality restriction or an explicit allowance. The Pre-TIPS notice was checked directly and named none; confirm against the current notice or a TIPS operator.
What does the 2026 Global TIPS notice require?
Its eligibility text sits inside a PDF attachment this research could not open; only the notice number and issue date were confirmed.

Sources

Everything above is the rule as published. See how it applies to your case.

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