AI Startup Camp opens applications for new resident companies
The Gwangju AI Startup Camp is accepting applications from promising AI startups and prospective entrepreneurs nationwide to support the growth of companies with AI technology and ideas.
The South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Special City and the AI Industry Convergence Agency (AICA) announced Thursday that they are accepting applications for new resident companies at the 2026 AI Startup Camp until 6 p.m. on Oct. 30, aiming to strengthen the foundation for AI startups and invigorate the regional AI industry ecosystem.
The recruitment drive is designed to ease the burden of securing early-stage office space for AI startups, allowing them to focus their resources on technology development and commercialization.
A total of 39 office units are available, ranging from two-person to 20-person rooms, all provided free of charge and tailored to each company's size and stage of growth. Rooms for six or more people can accommodate two or more companies jointly, enabling collaboration and joint projects between firms. Companies wishing to share a unit must consult with the program coordinator in advance.
Eligible applicants include prospective AI entrepreneurs or teams, companies less than seven years old engaged in AI-related work, and companies under seven years old that have signed an MOU with the Integrated Special City on AI-related matters. AI companies from anywhere in the country may apply regardless of their registered location, and prospective entrepreneurs must be able to complete business registration during their residency period.
Resident companies will receive dedicated office space along with a range of shared facilities and amenities at no cost. These include work-related spaces such as training rooms, seminar rooms and meeting rooms, as well as amenities including a café, an office equipment room, a gym, shower facilities and a rest room.
The arrangement is expected to reduce the operational burden on companies while fostering exchange and collaboration among residents and generating synergies in technology development and commercialization.
However, office furniture and fixtures are not covered, and each company is limited to one unit. Companies already occupying other facilities operated by AICA are not eligible to apply.
The residency period runs from Dec. 1 through Nov. 30, 2027 — one year in total — and may be extended on an annual basis following an evaluation.
Resident companies will be selected through a two-stage process conducted by an external expert panel: an initial document review followed by a presentation evaluation. Assessors will examine the competitiveness of each business idea, the operational plan, the feasibility of performance targets and the applicant's capacity to execute.
Additional criteria include the applicant's potential contribution to the AI cluster ecosystem, job creation prospects and links to regionally specialized industries, with the aim of identifying promising AI companies with strong technology and growth potential.
Kwak Jae-do, acting head of AICA, said he hopes the AI Startup Camp will serve as a springboard for AI companies with innovative technology and ideas to turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality and grow into future industry leaders. "We will actively support promising AI startups so they can sharpen their technological competitiveness and achieve tangible commercialization results in a stable startup environment," he said.
sij@heraldcorp.com
