Korea Polytechnic, Korea Student Aid Foundation team up to support youth tech startups

Korea Polytechnic University and the Korea Student Aid Foundation have joined forces to support youth-led technology startups, combining technical education with startup infrastructure to build a system covering the full entrepreneurial cycle — from idea development and prototyping through to commercialization.

The two institutions signed an MOU Tuesday at the Korea Student Aid Foundation's headquarters in Daegu, pledging cooperation to promote youth tech entrepreneurship and balanced regional development.

The agreement focuses on building a collaborative model to spread the startup ecosystem beyond Greater Seoul to regional communities, in line with government policies aimed at expanding youth employment, boosting entrepreneurship and achieving balanced national development.

Under the partnership, the two institutions will divide responsibilities to maximize the effectiveness of startup support. The Korea Student Aid Foundation will handle startup program operations, mentoring and fiscal linkages, while Korea Polytechnic University will provide technical guidance, prototype development and technology commercialization support. Together, they aim to help aspiring entrepreneurs turn ideas into tangible products and bring them to market.

The two institutions will also pursue a new startup support model that links Korea Polytechnic University's technical education and hands-on training infrastructure with the residential support already offered through existing startup dormitories. They plan to pilot a joint startup education program, assess the results and expand it in stages.

"We will strengthen our support system so that our technical education capabilities go beyond simple job preparation and help young people create their own jobs through entrepreneurship," said Lee Cheol-su, chairman of Korea Polytechnic University. "We will build a practical model where young people can start and establish technology-based businesses in their own regions."