Korea New Growth Synergy Association launches to connect small manufacturers with policy, technology and funding

The Korea New Growth Synergy Association has received approval from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups to operate as a nonprofit and is set to begin full-scale activities. The association plans to build a private-sector cooperation platform connecting government support programs and emerging technologies with the on-site needs of small manufacturers and small and medium-sized enterprises.

The association said it received the ministry's authorization on Aug. 31. It had earlier held a founding general assembly, where members adopted a founding declaration and articles of association, elected officers and approved a business plan. Kim Ji-wook, a former executive director of the Korea Smart Consulting Association, was elected inaugural chairman.

"Even when good policies and technologies exist, they are hard to use on the ground if they are not connected to each other," Kim said. "We will help small manufacturers and SMEs find the resources they need and turn AI and smart manufacturing technologies into real results."

The association is focusing its work on matching policy, technology, funding and experts to the specific needs of businesses. Key initiatives include building a new-growth policy-linkage platform to support small manufacturers, operating an AI-based collaborative workshop, providing funding support, offering cooperative-model training, running regional pilot projects and developing business models by industry sector.

The policy-linkage platform will aggregate information on support programs scattered across central and local government agencies, helping businesses identify the policies most relevant to them. The association plans to compile policy data into a database, then use AI to provide tailored recommendations alongside expert consultations.

The AI-based collaborative workshop is designed to help small manufacturers navigate the digital transformation of their production floors. Drawing on assessments of each company's capabilities, the initiative will connect businesses with smart manufacturing consulting, AI skills training and inter-company collaboration projects, with the aim of boosting productivity and competitiveness.

The association also plans to identify regional pilot projects in partnership with central and local government agencies, public institutions, universities and private companies. It intends to expand its activities in stages, focusing on AI and digital transformation, smart manufacturing, business growth support, expert development, and research and policy recommendations.