[Council of Centers for Creative Economy and Innovation x IT Donga] The 'Council of Centers for Creative Economy and Innovation', a nationwide council of creative economy and innovation centers, has published the 'Regional Startup Ecosystem Report' in collaboration with the Science and Technology Policy Institute, introducing the startup ecosystem status in major cities of South Korea and the activities of the creative economy and innovation centers. IT Donga, together with the Council of Centers for Creative Economy and Innovation, introduces the regional startup ecosystem report.

Chuncheon in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province is also called 'Bomnae' in pure Korean, meaning a place where spring comes early. Now, the 'spring of startups' is arriving here, thanks to the efforts of startup support organizations, including the Gangwon Center for Creative Economy and Innovation. They have designated the bio and food tech industries as new growth engines, leveraging the region's strengths and characteristics. They are preparing various support policies to drive development and startups in these sectors.

The Council of Centers for Creative Economy and Innovation has compiled the growth foundation laid by Chuncheon's startup support organizations, their achievements, future development directions, and a blueprint for the future into the 'Regional Startup Ecosystem Report Chuncheon'.


Chuncheon's existing key industries were tourism and service industries. It is located close enough to reach within one or two hours by public transport from the metropolitan area, and it boasts a natural environment. Universities and companies naturally gathered in Chuncheon along with people. This directly translates into advantages for startups. Chuncheon is noted as a place where the startup infrastructure of the metropolitan area, such as investment and networking, can be smoothly utilized, and where university talent and corporate technology can be effectively leveraged.

The Council of Centers for Creative Economy and Innovation introduces the startup support organizations gathered in Chuncheon with the goal of making it known as a startup city. The Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Office and Chuncheon City Hall are responsible for creating a startup foundation that combines technology with the region's characteristics. They plan to establish a Gangwon-style strategic fund worth KRW 105.6 billion over three years for startup companies in Chuncheon, investing in fostering specialized industries.


The Gangwon Center for Creative Economy and Innovation is focusing on creating a technology startup ecosystem centered on regional specialized fields (bio-healthcare, food tech, tourism culture, climate tech). Since 2020, it has been strengthening its investment function, establishing a virtuous cycle structure that organically links incubation and investment, and is accelerating efforts to make Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province a favorable place for startups.

In particular, it operates various startup support programs such as the 'G Startup Youth Startup Support Project' supporting prototype production and commercialization for prospective entrepreneurs and companies, 'Startup BuS' to revitalize the regional investment ecosystem, and 'Open Innovation' in collaboration with large and mid-sized companies like Naver Cloud and Douzone Bizon. A fund of KRW 9.2 billion is also being operated to help the growth of early-stage startup companies. Gangwon Technopark, Chuncheon Bioindustry Promotion Agency, Gangwon Design Promotion Agency, and Gangwon Information and Culture Industry Promotion Agency are also exerting their capabilities to strengthen the regional startup foundation.


The movements of universities are also noteworthy. Kangwon National University performs startup support projects for all cycles, from prospective to initial and growth stages, as a startup-centered university. Based on this accumulated experience, it has expanded and reorganized its startup organization into the KNU (Kangwon National University) Startup Innovation Center, and is also supporting and nurturing technology startup companies as a TIPS operator (Kangwon National University Technology Holdings). Hallym University is also operating the Chuncheon city startup integrated brand 'Station C', branding Chuncheon as a startup city and establishing a foundation for regional startup companies and related organizations to collaborate and grow.

The Council of Centers for Creative Economy and Innovation recommends paying attention to the new growth engines of Chuncheon, the bio and food tech industries, created by these startup support organizations.


Previously, in 1995, Chuncheon designated the bio industry as a specialized industry and sequentially established a bio-industry nurturing city and a small and medium-sized research and development special zone. The Chuncheon Bioindustry Promotion Agency, which will be the center of the bio industry's revival, was also established. These institutions and companies have united to research and develop biological material cosmetics, health functional foods, pharmaceuticals, and in vitro diagnostic technologies.

As a result, today, bio companies located in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, have nurtured 3,682 experts and achieved sales of KRW 1.6112 trillion (as of 2024). Six companies have been listed on the KOSDAQ. In 2024, Chuncheon, along with Hongcheon in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, was designated as a national advanced strategic industry specialized complex. Subsequently, the two cities are expected to develop as hubs for AI-based new drug development and small and medium-sized CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization).


The food tech industry is also steadily growing. Thanks to Chuncheon City being the first local government in South Korea to establish an ordinance for fostering and supporting the food tech industry in 2023, the Gangwon Insect Industry Hub Complex, which will lead the commercialization, production, processing, and distribution industry of insects, is being smoothly established. LG CNS is building a smart factory farm here. It is an advanced factory that automatically identifies defective individuals with AI, checks the growth stage, and finds the most suitable shipment time. Kangwon National University has established a graduate school to nurture food biotech talents. A food tech research support center is being established at the Chuncheon Bioindustry Promotion Agency. It is expected to be the center of personalized food research as part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' food tech research support project.

Corporate officials give positive evaluations to the activities of Chuncheon's startup support organizations. This is evidenced by the results of a survey conducted by the Council of Centers for Creative Economy and Innovation on 121 corporate officials whose headquarters or main activity area is Chuncheon. 67.8% of respondents predicted that Chuncheon's startup ecosystem would be activated. The reasons cited were the increase in startup support from the government and local governments (63.4%) and active communication by startup support organizations (83.5%). They also stated that the competitiveness of Chuncheon's specialized industries (bio and food tech) is excellent and that they will continue to develop within Chuncheon's startup ecosystem.


The Council of Centers for Creative Economy and Innovation predicts that Chuncheon will become a hub of advanced convergence industries thanks to the capabilities of its startup support organizations and the autonomy, diversity, dynamism, and scalability of its entrepreneurs. It also introduced the vision of 'Chuncheon, a future city where diverse startup opportunities are dynamic', where bio, AI, information and communication, and content industries are integrated.

Park Soon-hong, Director of the Gangwon Regional Small and Medium Venture Business Administration, stated, “Chuncheon has a strong growth foundation with its bio base including medical schools, geographical advantage close to the metropolitan area, and various startup organizations. It is also suitable to play a central role in the bio industry, including the national antibody cluster in Hongcheon, digital healthcare in Wonju, and natural bio-materials in Gangneung. The Gangwon Regional Small and Medium Venture Business Administration will contribute to building a startup ecosystem throughout Chuncheon and Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province by revitalizing the investment ecosystem and attracting young talents.”


Lee Hae-jeong, CEO of the Gangwon Center for Creative Economy and Innovation, also stated, “We will create a startup support system centered on 3C (Contents, Cooperation, Customer) so that young talents can enjoy Chuncheon’s beautiful natural environment while demonstrating their capabilities. We will enhance the investment function to ensure that companies founded in Chuncheon contribute to regional development and activation, and strengthen collaboration with universities to foster new young entrepreneurs.”

IT Donga Cha Ju-kyung Reporter (racingcar@itdonga.com)

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