BUSAN — Busan's startup scene has again shown its strength through a nationwide startup audition program.
The Busan Center for Creative Economy and Innovation said on the 21st that it had held the launch ceremony for the second round of the 2026 Startup for All program at Nongshim Hotel's Daecheong Hall in Busan's Dongnae District.
Organized by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Startup for All project is a large-scale public startup audition open to anyone, with the Busan center serving as the hub organization for the Busan region. The ceremony was held both online and offline, linking the main venue in Seoul with sites in all 17 metropolitan cities and provinces in real time.
For this second call for applicants, Busan drew 6,626 entrants, the second-highest participation rate among metropolitan cities and provinces outside the capital area. After screening of documents and presentation reviews, 749 applicants from Busan were confirmed as first-round selections. Those chosen receive tailored training and dedicated mentoring, along with practical commercialization support including 2 million won in startup activity funding and AI solutions.
The event opened with a nationwide simultaneous launch ceremony before moving to a regional orientation session. The orientation began with the Busan center's presentation of its stage-by-stage support schedule, followed by incubation plans from 11 regional incubators — Pusan National University, Pukyong National University, Tongmyong University, Dongseo University, Dong-A University, Dong-eui University, Busan Techno Holdings, Smart Farmer, Weepros, Zenaxis and Qnesty — and networking among participants.
In the first round of the program, already under way, 29 entrants from Busan advanced to the second round and are moving ahead with commercialization on the back of early-stage funding averaging 8 million won and support for GPU use. The city plans to announce on the 21st the final 12 entrants from Busan who will advance to the third round after a regional audition.
"The second-highest participation rate outside the capital area reflects the strong capabilities and enthusiasm of Busan's startup ecosystem," said Kim Yong-woo, chief executive of the Busan center. "As the hub organization, we will spare no effort in supporting these 749 entrants so they can take off beyond the region and onto the global stage."