The Sports Industry Startup Support Center of the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation at Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) has been selected for the 10th consecutive year as an operating agency for the Sports Industry Startup Support Project, which is overseen by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and administered by the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation.

Since 2017, Kookmin University’s Sports Industry Startup Support Center has been operating this program to identify and nurture aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage startups in the sports sector. To date, the center has supported 142 sports startups, achieving results such as approximately 22.5 billion won in revenue, 272 jobs created, 347 intellectual property rights secured, and approximately 7.8 billion won in investment attracted.

Based on these operational achievements, Kookmin University has been reselected as the operating agency for the Sports Industry Startup Support Program for 2026. Accordingly, the Startup Support Center plans to support the launch and growth of aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage startups in the sports sector by receiving approximately 920 million won in annual funding through December 2028.

The Startup Support Center selects around 15 startups annually and provides commercialization funding averaging 45 million won, with a maximum of 58.5 million won per startup. Additionally, it operates various programs—including startup education, expert mentoring, customer validation programs, and investment linkage support—to help lay the groundwork for the growth of startups in the sports sector.

The Startup Support Center is currently recruiting companies to participate in the 2026 Sports Industry Startup Support Program. Eligible applicants include aspiring entrepreneurs and companies established within the past three years. Applications can be submitted through the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation’s Sports Industry Support website by 4:00 PM on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. Detailed information regarding the program is also available on the website.

Professor Kim Jongtaek of the Graduate School of Global Entrepreneurship and Venture Business at Kookmin University, who serves as the project director, stated, “Based on Kookmin University’s startup infrastructure, experience in supporting companies, and the expertise of our staff, we will continue to identify and nurture innovative startups in the sports industry.” He added, “We will strive to contribute to expanding the sports industry’s reach and creating jobs.”