Public Notice No. 2026-1279 Issued by Gwangmyeong City

2026 Gwangmyeong Startup Challenge Recruitment Notice

As Gwangmyeong City is recruiting participating companies for the Start-up Challenge in order to discover and intensively foster innovative domestic and international start-ups with strong potential for regional establishment in emerging business sectors, we look forward to your interest and active participation.

May 20, 2026

Mayor of Gwangmyeong City

□ Business Overview

❍ Purpose of the program : To revitalize the local economy by discovering, fostering, and supporting the regional establishment of innovative domestic and international start-ups in emerging business sectors

❍ Program period : July to December 2026

❍ Details of the program : Networking opportunities with regional and institutional investors, corporate establishment consulting, Demo Day events, and related support programs through IR consulting, business model optimization programs, one-on-one business matching sessions, etc.

□ Recruitment Overview

❍ Application period : May 20(Wed) to July 1(Wed), 2026

❍ Selection schedule

Announcement and application submission	▶	Eligibility review	▶	Notification of review results	▶	Online face-to-face assessment
May 20 (Wed) to July 1 (Wed), 2026		July 3 (Fri), 2026		July 7 (Tue), 2026		July 10 (Fri), 2026
Submission via e-mail		Verification of eligibility requirements		Individual notification		Selection of companies through diagnostic consulting by industry experts

Notification of face-to-face assessment results	▶	Online Demo Day	▶	Notification of final selected participants	▶	Orientation session
July 15 (Wed), 2026		July 21 (Tue), 2026		July 22 (Wed), 2026		July 30 (Wed), 2026
Individual notification		Final selection of companies through the online Demo Day		Notification of outstanding companies selected for final participation in the program (individual notification)		Online progress

❍ Number of Companies to Be Selected: Approximately 20 companies

❍ Eligibility Requirements (Detailed): Domestic and international start-ups in emerging business sectors established within the past seven years

- Emerging business sectors: AI & smart city, DX (Digital Transformation), healthcare & bio, content, etc.

- Companies capable of PoC (Proof of Concept) and commercialization collaboration

- (Overseas) Companies with a legally established corporation overseas as of the announcement date

❍ Exclusion Criteria

① Applicants with outstanding national or local tax liabilities

② Applicants who submit false information in the application form, business plan, or other related documents

③ Restricted business sectors: Industries excluded from start-ups under Support for Small and Medium Enterprise Establishment Act, including luxury and entertainment businesses, accommodation businesses, bars and nightlife establishments, financial businesses, speculative or inappropriate software development and supply businesses, etc.

□ Support Details

Support Stage		Support Details	Detailed Description
1		Online face-to-face assessment	Eligible participants: All companies applying for the program Key details: Selection of outstanding companies through expert diagnostic consulting and assessment
2		Online Demo Day	Eligible participants: Outstanding companies selected through the face-to-face assessment Key details: Selection of 20 outstanding companies through IR presentations
3		Orientation	Eligible participants: Final selected companies Key details: Introduction to the support program and operating organization, introduction of participating companies, etc.
		Gwangmyeong inbound program	One-on-one networking with regional companies, institutions, and investors On-site visits to local start-up support infrastructure Support for corporate establishment consulting
		IR consulting & BM(Business Model) optimization	IR consulting support consisting of storyline, redesign, and pitching BM optimization program suitable for Gwangmyeong City
		Glocal Demo Day	One-on-one investor matching and commercialization funding support for outstanding companies

□ Selection Method and Evaluation Criteria

❍ Evaluation Process

① Eligibility review	▶	② Face-to-face assessment	▶	③ Demo Day	▶	④ Final selection
Review of eligibility requirements		Online diagnostic consulting conducted by experts		Online Demo Day (7-minute presentation, 5-minute Q&A)		Announcement of final selected companies (individual notification)

① (Eligibility review) Review of compliance with eligibility requirements and related qualifications

② (Face-to-face assessment) Evaluation of the business plan through an online face-to-face assessment

③ (Demo Day) Selection of the final outstanding companies through evaluation of online IR presentations

❍ Evaluation Criteria and Scoring (*Applicable to both the face-to-face assessment and Demo Day)

Category	Evaluation Item	Score
Problem identification	Motivation for developing the product/service	20
	Purpose and necessity of the product/service
2. Feasibility	Development method of the product/service	30
	Strategies for addressing customer and market needs
3. Growth strategy	BM structure and differentiation	20
	Funding requirements and financing plan
4. Corporate competency	Competency of the CEO	20
	Competency of other team members
5. Eligibility for program participation	Potential for industrial collaboration with companies in Gwangmyeong City	10
	Willingness and suitability for participation in the inbound program
Total		100 points

❍ Judge

- The judges will consist of approximately three external experts in each division, including market professionals (AC/VC) with an understanding of the submitted technology start-ups.

(* The number of divisions may vary depending on the application status.)

❍ Selection Method

- Companies with an average evaluation score of 60 points or higher from the judges’ assessments will be selected in order of highest score. (*Applicable to both the face-to-face assessment and Demo Day.)

- In the event of a tie, companies will be selected based on higher scores in the following order : “Feasibility”→“Growth strategy”→“Corporate competency”→“Eligibility for program participation”→“Problem identification”

- If a selected company withdraws, the next highest-ranking company with a score of 60 points or higher will be selected.

□ Ineligible Applicants (Detailed)

□ Companies currently subject to sanctions or restrictions due to default or non-performance of obligations with financial institutions, etc.

※ However, companies falling under the following exceptions by the application deadline may apply for and receive support.

No.	Exceptions
1	Companies able to provide proof of debt repayment completion
2	Companies that have entered into a debt adjustment agreement under the Pre-Workout or Personal Workout programs of the CCRS (Credit Counseling and Recovery Service)
3	Companies that have received court approval for a repayment plan under the individual rehabilitation system, have been discharged from bankruptcy, or have obtained corporate rehabilitation approval

□ Companies with outstanding national or local tax liabilities

·  Among individuals or companies with outstanding national taxes (including income tax, corporate tax, value-added tax, etc.), those who satisfy the requirements set forth in Sub-paragraphs 1 through 5 of Article 99-6(1) of the Restriction of Special Taxation Act and are recognized as operating in good faith through a management integrity evaluation may apply for a deferral of tax delinquency disposition for up to 36 months (Related legislation: Article 99-6 of the Restriction of Special Taxation Act and Article 99-6 of its Enforcement Decree).

※ However, companies that submit a “Notice of Approval for Deferral of Tax Delinquency Disposition” or complete full payment by the application deadline are eligible to apply for and receive support.

□ Companies that are suspended or closed as of the project announcement date

□ Companies currently subject to sanctions, including participation restrictions, imposed by Gwangmyeong City or government-funded support programs

□ Notes

□ Detailed evaluation results will not be disclosed, and if the number of qualified applicants is insufficient, the program may be re-announced.

□ If submitted documents differ from actual facts, including false documentation or fictitious capital payments, the applicant will be excluded from selection, and the next-ranked company will be selected instead.

□ A reserve ranking system may be maintained, and additional companies may be selected sequentially if a selected company withdraws from the project or becomes unable to continue participation.

□ Results and outcomes generated through this program may be used for public-interest purposes, including promotional activities of the Gwangmyeong Start-up Support Center.

□ Obligations

□ Selected companies shall make their best efforts to achieve the objectives of this program.

□ Selected companies shall faithfully comply with all requests necessary for data submission, inspections, and performance management by the Gwangmyeong Start-up Support Center and the Program Operations Office.

□ Key Schedule

Category	Schedule	Remarks
Recruitment notice	May 20 (Wed) to July 1 (Wed), 2026
Eligibility and evaluation	July 3 (Fri) to 21 (Tue), 2026	Selected in order of highest evaluation scores
Announcement of evaluation results	July 22, 2026 (Wed)	Notifications will be sent via text message and e-mail.
Orientation	July 30 (Wed), 2026	Venue: Gwangmyeong Start-up Support Center

※ The detailed schedule is subject to change depending on internal circumstances.

□ Application Method and Required Documents

□ Application period: May 20 (Wed) to July 1 (Wed), 2026

□ Business inquiries: Gwangmyeong Start-up Challenge Operations Office (CNTTECH Co., Ltd.)

- TEL : 02-3152-5822, E-mail : gmstartup@cntt.co.kr

□ Application method: Submission via e-mail

※ In-person or postal submissions are not accepted, and only submissions received before the application deadline will be recognized.

□ Required documents (Mandatory)

Category	No.	Required Document	Remarks
Domestic	1	Application form	Must follow Form 1 template
	2	Business plan	Must follow Form 2 template
	3	Presentation materials	Must be prepared in PPT format
	4	Consent form for collection and use of personal information	Must follow Form 3 template
	5	Business registration certificate
	6	Corporate registration certificate	Issued after the announcement date
	7	Standard financial statement confirmation for the most recent three years (2023 to 2025)	Issued through Hometax
	8	Four major social insurance enrollment	Issued after the announcement date
	9	Certificate of full payment of national and local taxes	Issued after the announcement date
	10	Start-up company confirmation certificate * As issuance may take more than 10 business days, applicants who are unable to obtain the certificate within the submission deadline may substitute it with a self-diagnosis result upon consultation with the Operations Office.	Startup Company Confirmation System (https://cert.k-startup.go.kr/index.do)
	11	Other supporting achievement materials (related to contents described in the business plan)	Issued after the announcement date
Overseas	1	Application for Participation	Must follow Form 1 template
	2	Business Plan	Must follow Form 2 template
	3	Presentation Document File as a PDF	Must be prepared in PPT format
	4	Consent document for collecting, using and providing personal information	Must follow Form 3 template
	5	A copy of Business Registration Documents that proves itself to be a foreign enterprise from the Government.
	6	Certificate of Establishment of Local Branch in Korea, etc.	(If applicable)
	7	Financial Statement for the last 3 years

※ Application documents must be converted into PDF format and submitted as a single compressed (.zip) file.

(The file name must be formatted as “Gwangmyeong Startup Challenge_Company Name”.)

Attachment		Submission Document Forms

【Form 1】Application Form

【Form 2】Business Plan

【Form 3】Consent Form for the Collection and Use of Personal Information