[The Herald Business = Senior Reporter Park Jong-il] Gwanak-gu (district mayor Park Jun-hee) has finalized the selection of 15 promising startups to take up residence at the Gwanak S-Valley startup space through its "2026 Second Round of New Move-In Company Recruitment."
The recruitment drew strong interest in Gwanak S-Valley, which has established itself as a leading venture and startup hub in South Korea. Gwanak-gu and the Gwanak Small and Medium Venture Promotion Agency conducted written and in-person evaluations to assess each company's technological capability, business viability and growth potential before selecting the final 15.
Building on last year's recruitment, the district has again added a cohort of high-quality early-stage companies this year, continuing to expand the Gwanak S-Valley startup ecosystem. The addition of these 15 companies is expected to lay the groundwork for the "Gwanak S-Valley 3.0" project, which is set to accelerate alongside the launch of the 9th elected administration.
The selected companies are expected to serve as key players in Gwanak S-Valley 3.0 and bring fresh energy to the local venture and startup ecosystem.
The incoming companies will be distributed across four facilities based on space characteristics: four at Nakseong Venture Startup Center, one at Sillim Venture Startup Center, five at Smart Office Nakseong and five at Smart Office Sillim — each providing a stable environment for growth.
Gwanak-gu noted that many of the newly selected companies are deep tech firms with core technologies in AI, big data, ICT and robotics. The district expects them to play a central role in advancing technological innovation and upgrading the industrial ecosystem at Gwanak S-Valley.
To support the new tenants' growth, Gwanak-gu plans to provide affordable office space along with tailored scale-up programs suited to each company's stage of development — including business diagnostics, expert mentoring, open innovation initiatives and investment linkage support.
Gwanak S-Valley has cemented its status as a globally competitive startup innovation hub, becoming the first autonomous district to participate in the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) for two consecutive years and winning innovation awards both times. The first round of move-in recruitment drew 97 applicants, underscoring its standing as South Korea's premier venture and startup destination.
"It is deeply meaningful that promising startups are joining the new chapter of Gwanak S-Valley 3.0 alongside the launch of the 9th elected administration," district mayor Park said. "We will further refine our tailored support systems so that our resident companies can grow into the innovative businesses that define Gwanak, and we will do our utmost to build a sustainable venture and startup ecosystem."
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