Small business agency opens additional applications for smart store technology program

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Small Enterprise and Market Service announced Wednesday that they are accepting additional applications from small business owners to participate in the 2026 Smart Store Technology Dissemination Project.

The program helps small businesses adopt smart technologies — including barrier-free kiosks, serving robots and digital signage — in response to the growing shift toward contactless and digital consumer environments.

In this additional recruitment round, applicants can choose from three support options — purchase, rental or software subscription — depending on their store's circumstances.

The program covers up to 70 percent of technology adoption costs through government funds. However, widely used technologies such as electronic whiteboards and digital signage are eligible for up to 50 percent coverage. Small business owners applying individually under the software subscription option can receive full cost coverage.

Under the purchase option, support for general technologies reaches up to 5 million won ($3,620), while barrier-free unmanned information terminals designed to improve accessibility for the elderly and people with disabilities are eligible for up to 7 million won. The rental option provides up to 3.5 million won per year for a maximum of two years, and the software subscription option covers up to 300,000 won per year for up to two years.

Business owners with disabilities, simplified taxpayers and sole proprietors qualify for preferential treatment, with the government funding ratio expanded to between 60 and 80 percent.

Applications open Wednesday at 10 a.m. and close Sept. 30 at 5 p.m. Submissions can be made online through the Smart Store website.

For small business owners, upfront adoption costs are widely cited as the main barrier to embracing smart technology. Kiosks and serving robots, in particular, can reduce labor costs and improve operational efficiency, but the initial investment is a significant burden for small operators relying solely on their own funds. The decision to expand support options beyond outright purchase to include rental and software subscription models appears to reflect the varying financial circumstances and technology readiness levels across different stores.

"We hope this additional recruitment round will give small business owners who want to adopt smart technology a genuine opportunity to participate," said In Tae-yeon, president of the Small Enterprise and Market Service. "We will actively support technology adoption tailored to each store's situation to strengthen the management efficiency and digital competitiveness of small businesses."