The Gwanak Small and Medium Venture Promotion Agency, established by Gwanak-gu, has cemented its reputation as a startup-nurturing powerhouse after being named a mentor institution for a major national government program just one year after its launch.
The agency was selected as a mentor institution for the "2nd Everyone's Startup Project," a nationwide startup audition program hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and organized by the Korea Startup Agency.
The Everyone's Startup program is a large-scale national initiative that supports aspiring entrepreneurs at every stage — from idea discovery and mentoring to commercialization and investment linkage — so that anyone with an innovative idea can take the leap into starting a business.
The achievement is all the more remarkable given that Gwanak-gu launched the agency only a year ago. Despite being a newly established institution, it has earned a place among the mentor organizations for a major government competitive program, demonstrating its startup infrastructure and entrepreneurship support capabilities to the wider public.
The Gwanak Small and Medium Venture Promotion Agency directly operates seven startup spaces — including the Nakseong Venture Startup Center and the Sillim Venture Startup Center — and has served as a key hub nurturing up to 52 companies.
Its track record of hands-on, field-centered support proved decisive in securing the mentor designation: the agency has helped startups gain global exposure through participation in major domestic and international exhibitions including CES, and has provided concrete fundraising opportunities through Bridge Demo Day events and investor matching programs.
With the selection confirmed, the agency will serve as a core partner in the Everyone's Startup project, providing systematic support across the entire entrepreneurship journey. Through the program, it will actively identify prospective entrepreneurs in Gwanak-gu — including young people, homemakers and office workers who have been interested in starting a business but felt the barriers were too high — and act as an incubator, offering intensive expert mentoring and short-term practical validation programs to help residents turn their ideas into real business models.
In particular, the agency plans to use the Seoul Startup Cafe Nakseongdae branch as the "Everyone's Startup Gwanak Center," operating it as the central hub for startup activities.
It also plans to hold the "Gwanak-style Everyone's Startup Idea Seminar" (tentative name) in early September, offering hands-on education covering everything from idea conception and refinement to writing a business plan.
Through these efforts, the Gwanak S-Valley startup ecosystem will expand well beyond its existing focus on technology ventures to encompass resident-driven lifestyle and innovation entrepreneurship — providing powerful momentum for the district's flagship "Gwanak S-Valley 3.0" initiative.
Aspiring entrepreneurs and those who have been in business for up to seven years who wish to participate in the 2nd Everyone's Startup Project can apply through the program's official website until Sept. 17. Applicants must designate the Gwanak Small and Medium Venture Promotion Agency as their mentor institution to take full advantage of the agency's expert mentoring and comprehensive startup support programs.
"I am very proud and delighted that the Gwanak Small and Medium Venture Promotion Agency, which launched last year, has achieved remarkable results in such a short time and earned recognition for its expertise," district mayor Park Jun-hee said. "Through this project, we will build a solid foundation where any resident of Gwanak-gu can pursue their dream of starting a business without fear of failure." He added, "Using this as a springboard, we will successfully complete 'Gwanak S-Valley 3.0' — where technology, talent and residents come together — and establish Gwanak-gu as Korea's own Silicon Valley."
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