BUSAN — The Busan Center for Creative Economy & Innovation has built an investment-focused growth platform that links the discovery of promising local startups to direct investment, selection for the government's TIPS program and follow-on funding.
The center said on the 21st that it is identifying local startups on an ongoing basis and strengthening stage-by-stage support through Startup-BuS (Build up Strategy for Startups), an investment-attraction program run by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.
Startup-BuS reviews a company's technology, business viability and team capabilities through regular investor relations sessions, then provides accelerating support, direct investment, recommendations for TIPS and connections to follow-on investors.
Between February and September this year, the program identified 103 startups, held 24 regular IR sessions — 20 on its own and four jointly with other organizations — and drew participation from 122 investment firms on a cumulative basis. It also produced direct investments in 17 companies, TIPS selections for 10 companies and 16 follow-on investment meetings.
Thirty companies selected from among the IR participants are now in a follow-up accelerating program. The center provides mentoring and consulting from investors and industry experts, assessments of each company's investment readiness and growth strategy, and corporate diagnostic reports. Based on those assessments, it continues tailored support at each stage, including reviews for direct investment and links to TIPS.
Reflecting Busan's industrial base, Startup-BuS focuses on promising companies in smart marine technology and fintech, while also broadening its reach to startups and investor demand in emerging sectors such as AI, IT, bio and healthcare.
The center is also moving to widen local investment channels through partnerships. Last month it held sector-specific IR events with Korea Venture Investment, the creative economy innovation centers of the southeastern region covering Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province, and the Korea Early-Stage Accelerator Association. In October it continued to expand follow-up support and investor networks through internal and external events, including a program tied to BOUNCE 2026 and SparkLabs office hours.
The center plans to keep holding regular IR sessions and matching startups with investment firms through the end of the year, firming up its support system so local startups can secure funding and growth momentum.
"The core of Startup-BuS is not simply holding IR events, but finding promising companies, connecting them to the investment market and building an investment pipeline that leads to actual investment and follow-on growth," an official at the center said. "We will continue to strengthen practical investment connections and follow-up support so local startups can quickly link up with investors and move to the next stage of growth."