Tackling early-stage startup challenges with hands-on support — from business know-how to field practice
Five sessions from Oct. 15, featuring experts in IR pitching, marketing and AI
One-on-one business plan consultations to sharpen strategy for aspiring and early-stage founders
Yeongdeungpo-gu is launching a Youth Startup Leap Academy to help young entrepreneurs in the district build successful businesses.
A Ministry of SMEs and Startups survey found that the biggest challenges facing early-stage founders are securing funding (53.7 percent) and a lack of management know-how and experience (36.7 percent). The district designed the academy in response, aiming to help young people who are preparing to launch a business or are within three years of starting one gain a stable footing in the market.
The program runs every Thursday and Saturday from Oct. 15 through Oct. 29, for a total of five sessions.
The curriculum covers four key areas: writing a business plan, investor relations pitching strategies, product-specific marketing methods, and practical AI tools for startup operations. Startup experts and mentors selected by the Seoul Creative Economy Innovation Center will serve as instructors, delivering hands-on, practice-oriented guidance.
A one-on-one business plan consultation is offered to every participant. Aspiring founders can use the sessions to refine their ideas into concrete business concepts, while early-stage entrepreneurs can review and improve their existing strategies. Classes will be held at the Seoul Youth Center Yeongdeungpo, and enrollment is free.
Applications open Sunday and close Oct. 2. The program is open to 30 young people between the ages of 19 and 39 who live in Yeongdeungpo-gu or operate a business there, and who are either preparing to launch a startup or have been in business for less than three years. Applicants can register by scanning the QR code on the promotional poster. Further details are available on the Yeongdeungpo-gu website under "District News" or on the Yeongdeungpo Youth Naver Cafe.
Yeongdeungpo-gu District Mayor Jo Yu-jin said she hopes the program will help young entrepreneurs minimize early missteps and grow into successful business leaders. "We will continue to expand opportunities so that anyone can take on the challenge of starting a business, showcase their abilities and achieve success," she said.
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