The 'Everyone's Startup' initiative, a government-led project directed by President Lee Jae-myung, is set to resume operations. The government plans to double the number of participants in the second phase to 10,000 and significantly enhance platform security and personal data management systems to prevent a recurrence of the data breach that occurred during the first phase.
On August 13, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced the 'Second Phase of the Everyone's Startup Project' during an emergency economic meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yun-cheol.
Everyone's Startup is a nationwide startup audition launched this year under the Lee Jae-myung administration's 'National Startup Era' initiative. The first recruitment in March attracted over 63,000 applicants, the largest number ever for a government startup and idea competition.
However, the program was halted after a data breach on June 15, which exposed the personal information of all 5,000 selected participants from the first phase. The government has since been investigating the cause of the incident and implementing measures to address security vulnerabilities.
President Lee emphasized the importance of resuming the project during a briefing on the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' operations on August 4, stating, "I urge you to proceed with the Everyone's Startup project without hesitation, allowing anyone with an idea to challenge themselves without fear of failure."
The Ministry will begin recruiting participants for the second phase on August 20. The selection will include 8,000 from general and technology sectors and 2,000 from local sectors, doubling the number from the first phase. The eligibility criteria will also expand to include entrepreneurs who have started their businesses within the last seven years, up from three years. More than 80% of the selected participants will be prospective entrepreneurs, and at least 70% will be from non-metropolitan areas.
Opportunities for re-challenges will also be enhanced. Applicants who were not selected in the first phase will receive additional points based on their completion of mentoring and the improvement of their ideas.
New specialized leagues will be introduced, including a 'University League' for college startup clubs and a 'Youth League' for young entrepreneurs. A 'Social Innovation Social Venture League' will also be launched to select innovative technology ideas aimed at solving social issues. Additionally, a 'Global League' will be established in collaboration with local accelerators in Silicon Valley, New York, Singapore, and India.
New incubators, including Hana Bank, Shinhan Square Bridge, and Korea Water Resources Corporation, will join the initiative, increasing the total to over 170.
To enhance fairness and convenience, the selection process will incorporate joint evaluations by three mentors and mandatory review committees for each institution. An 'AI verification model' will be introduced to check for originality and plagiarism based on external data. The use of startup funds will also be expanded to include online payment processing sectors.
The security system will undergo a complete overhaul to strengthen operational stability. The platform's security will be improved based on analyses from external experts, and the personal data management system will be enhanced. A continuous security inspection system will be established in collaboration with external organizations. Regional hub institutions will be designated to manage and supervise local incubators, and a new communication system will be created between the Startup Promotion Agency and these regional hubs.
The Ministry plans to select 10,000 second-phase entrepreneurs by October and will connect them with step-by-step incubation, competitions, and public-private support to create a pathway to actual startups.
Noh Yong-seok, the acting minister of SMEs and Startups, stated, "The intense challenges observed in the first phase have revealed new possibilities for entrepreneurship. The second phase of Everyone's Startup will provide more citizens with opportunities to take on challenges, actively support re-challenges and startups in various fields, and create a foundation for growth within the entrepreneurial ecosystem after their challenges."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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