Seocho Startup Station offers stage-by-stage support for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs and small business owners
85 tailored support cases completed this year, spanning business consulting, marketing, market access and financing
Seoul's Seocho-gu is building a growth support system for small business owners through its Seocho Startup Station, offering a pipeline that runs from resolving day-to-day operational challenges to securing financing, attracting investment and connecting businesses with government policy programs.
Seocho Startup Station serves as the district's central hub for startup support, running stage-by-stage programs — covering business consulting, expert advisory services, investment and support programs — for prospective entrepreneurs, early-stage founders and small business owners. The station has expanded its reach beyond technology-focused startups to include lifestyle-oriented and community-based small businesses, broadening the foundation of the local startup ecosystem.
Support does not stop at a single consultation. The station has put in place a step-by-step framework that moves from initial business counseling through hands-on training, expert consulting, business plan refinement, financing advice, investment review, policy program linkage and follow-up management — all aimed at giving small businesses a genuine path to growth.
A total of 85 tailored support cases have been completed this year. These included practical training in tax and accounting, marketing and branding, as well as specialist consulting in patents, government grant programs and investor relations. Business plan development and investment matching were also provided.
One standout success story is Coround, a cosmetics manufacturing startup. Seocho Startup Station identified the company's growth potential while working with Coround through its startup and investment consulting process, then connected it with private investment and follow-on support. Coround subsequently received assistance entering Shopee, Southeast Asia's largest e-commerce platform, laying the groundwork for further business expansion. The district plans to continue supporting the company through additional investment attraction and policy financing linkages.
Starting in the second half of this year, the district will strengthen its small business growth support framework at Seocho Startup Station. From this month through year-end, it will run the "Seoripul Small Business Startup Clinic" — a regular consulting program that pairs small business owners with specialists in one-on-one sessions covering investment attraction, financing, business strategy, online market access, startup administration, tax and accounting, labor management and branding.
Starting June 8, the district will open applications for "Seocho Makers Day" participants. The program identifies high-potential small businesses and supports them through investor matching, a demo day and one-on-one business consulting.
The district also plans to identify candidates for the LIPS program, a private investment-linked small business support initiative, to strengthen their fundraising capabilities. Promising companies in local content, manufacturing, crafts, food and beverage, lifestyle, and culture and arts will be nurtured into representative local brands.
"Seocho-gu's small business support goes beyond simple business counseling — it is about identifying companies with growth potential and connecting them to investment and follow-on assistance," a district official said. "We will continue to refine the 'Seocho-style small business growth support model' through Seocho Startup Station, diagnosing the needs of small businesses at each stage of their development and delivering tailored support."
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