50 companies selected to provide tools for website building, promotional content and more; applications open Friday for first-round participants

Noh Yong-seok, first vice minister of SMEs and Startups, poses for a photo with participants at a talk concert promoting youth entrepreneurship under the second Modu-ui Changup project, held at Chungnam National University in Daejeon on Sept. 14. [Ministry of SMEs and Startups]
Noh Yong-seok, first vice minister of SMEs and Startups, poses for a photo with participants at a talk concert promoting youth entrepreneurship under the second Modu-ui Changup project, held at Chungnam National University in Daejeon on Sept. 14. [Ministry of SMEs and Startups]

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups said Monday it has selected 50 AI solution providers and 103 individual solutions to help participants in the second round of its Modu-ui Changup ("Everyone's Startup") program develop their ideas and refine their business models.

Modu-ui Changup is a government project open to anyone with a startup idea, offering education, mentoring and phased support. The AI solution component is designed to help participants use AI for market research, content creation and service development — turning early-stage ideas into actual products and services.

The ministry assembled an evaluation committee of AI and software technology experts who tested each solution firsthand and assessed it on versatility, technical quality, pricing and security. The review resulted in the final selection of 103 solutions from 50 companies.

The selected solutions cover a range of functions useful in the early stages of starting a business, from building websites and generating product images and promotional content to drafting contracts. Participants can use AI to create a website showcasing their products or services, produce marketing materials and reduce the administrative burden that typically weighs on new founders.

The ministry said it expects the tools to be particularly useful for aspiring entrepreneurs who lack startup experience or specialized staff, allowing them to develop their ideas without hiring separate developers or designers. The support is intended to cut the time and cost of preparing a business while improving the overall quality of their business models.

The full list of selected AI solutions will be available on the Modu-ui Changup platform starting Monday. Details on each solution's key features and how to use them will be posted Wednesday, with explanatory videos to follow Friday.

First-round participants in the second Modu-ui Changup program can use the solutions with up to 1 million won ($747) per person. Applications will open Friday on the platform, where participants can choose the services that best fit their startup ideas and business areas.

"AI solutions are an important tool for challengers to develop their ideas and bring them to life as products and services," said Jo Gyeong-won, director general for startup policy at the ministry. "We will strengthen support so that challengers can easily select and effectively use the AI solutions they need, helping them grow into startups with real potential."


boo@heraldcorp.com