[Gyeongnam Changwon Strong R&D Special Zone] Youth Tech Startup Idea Competition

Can a foreigner apply?

Yes, with conditions

Foreigners are not excluded, but the announcement attaches requirements — residency, a Korean entity, a visa status or a partner. Read the conditions before you spend time on this.

**General category applicants** must be either: - **Pre-founders** (no business registration in applicant's name as of the announcement date; planned business address in Changwon), aged 19–39 (or 40–64 for middle-aged). - **Existing incorporated or sole-proprietor businesses** with a business place (head office per business registration) in Changwon, with company age under 7 years (under 10 years for new-industry sectors*), and representative aged 19–39 (or 40–64 for middle-aged). **Age:** Minimum 19 (by announcement date, Oct 19, 2026) – maximum 39 for youth; up to 64 for middle-aged. **Company age:** Measured from business commencement date – incorporation date for corporations, business opening date on registration for sole proprietors. **Exclusions:** Applicants with cumulative prize money ≥ KRW 50 million from other startup competitions in the last 3 years for the same/similar idea; cumulative investment exceeding KRW 5 billion; tax arrears or delinquency; existing awardees of this competition from 2023–2025; businesses currently closed; and others listed. *New-industry sectors (27 fields including AI, big data, 5G+, blockchain, bio, AI robots, smart manufacturing, autonomous vehicles, etc.) – companies up to 10 years from founding may apply.