The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 26th that it held the 'AI Super Gap Challenge Kick-off Day' event at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul to promote the commercialization of artificial intelligence (AI) startups through demand-based collaboration between global giants such as LG Electronics and Qualcomm and promising AI startups in Korea.

 

Recently, the emergence of China's Deepseek, which launched a low-cost and high-performance large-scale language model (LLM model) in the global market, has intensified the competition for hegemony in AI technology between the United States and China, and accelerated the introduction of AI across industries.

 

Therefore, the importance of developing 'on-device AI'1) and 'vertical AI'2) technologies that can apply specialized AI technologies based on demand to specific devices and specific industries such as manufacturing and bio is expanding, and related policy support is crucial.

 

In July last year, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced the “Super Gap AI Startup Level-up Strategy,” which intensively fosters promising AI startups in five high-growth AI fields such as small language model (sLLM), AI semiconductor design company (fabless), and manufacturing AI (AI) based on demand linkage in line with the global market trend, and nurtures them into world-class unicorns.

 

As a major task of the strategy, we have been promoting the expansion of the “AI Super Gap Challenge,” which combines the needs of global conglomerates with the innovative capabilities of AI startups to strengthen growth and create results such as sales.

 

In addition to LG Electronics, which co-hosted the challenge last year, this year, Qualcomm, a global conglomerate, has also joined the challenge, and through continuous consultation, the collaboration areas, programs, and scale of the challenge have been greatly expanded.

 

This year's Challenge consists of two programs: On-Device AI, in collaboration with LG Electronics and Intel, and Vertical AI, in collaboration with Qualcomm and four promising deep-tech SMEs and venture companies that are Qualcomm's domestic partners, and the main contents are as follows.

 

① On-Device AI Program

 

In addition to LG Electronics' laptops, which were promoted last year, this year, LG Electronics will expand its collaboration with AI startups to six fields, including intelligent (smart) TVs, digital signage, and home appliances, which are expected to expand in the global market with creative AI technologies.

 

This year, a total of 15 companies will be selected through a joint evaluation with LG Electronics, and unlike previous years, LG Electronics will provide up to 100 million won in collaboration funds for AI model development and proof of concept (PoC) to the selected startups.

 

In addition, LG Electronics will support business division matching, proof-of-concept planning cooperation, and technology development, while intel will provide development software toolkits and training on utilizing AI chips. As a result of the collaboration, the AI technology of startups with excellent performance will be installed in LG Electronics' products (devices) to secure sales.

 

Vertical AI Program

 

New this year, the program supports collaboration with deep-tech SMEs and venture companies in four fields, including autonomous driving and drones, whose demand has been confirmed through marketability verification by international (global) conglomerate Qualcomm.

 

A total of four companies will be selected through a joint evaluation with Qualcomm, and the selected startups will receive up to 100 million won in collaboration funds for proof of concept (PoC).

 

Qualcomm will provide technical support such as artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors, access to Qualcomm's AI hub, 1:1 matching with demanding companies, and equipment utilization, and Qualcomm will help high-performing startups develop new customers and connect with international (global) partners to provide global (global) expansion and sales.

 

Startups interested in participating in each program will be able to apply from February 26th to March 18th through the K-Startup portal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 'Kick-off Day' event started with greetings from Minister of SMEs and Startups Oh Young-joo, President of the MS Business Division of LG Electronics Park Hyung-se, and Senior Vice President and General Manager of Asia-Pacific at Qualcomm Kwon Oh-hyung, followed by congratulatory remarks from Intel Korea President Bae Tae-won and Generation AI Startup Association President Lee Se-hyung, presentation of global AI technology trends, announcement of challenge programs by collaborating organizations, introduction of business announcements and schedules of the Korea Startup Agency, and ceremonies.

 

Prior to the event, Minister Oh held a luncheon meeting with representatives of six AI startups that participated in last year's On-Device AI Challenge, sharing their achievements and discussing improvements to the government's policies to support AI startups.

 

Starting with this challenge, MSS launched the “Fabless Challenge,” in which semiconductor design companies (fabless) startups and all semiconductor foundries in Korea collaborate, and the “Climate Tech Challenge,” which supports public procurement by utilizing public infrastructure such as KEPCO and other public institutions, The company plans to continue to support related policies to help deep technology (deep tech) startups in new industries create results through collaboration by holding challenges with regional signature companies (anchor companies) in each deep tech field, such as the 'SME-Startup Challenge' to discover new growth engines through collaboration with SMEs.

 

“To discover new businesses and commercialize AI startups, we plan to expand our collaboration fields to include all display products, home appliances, and smart home solutions,” said Hyung-se Park, President of LG Electronics' MS Business Division. “We will strive to quickly apply the AI technologies of startups that perform well after the challenge collaboration to their devices.”

 

“As an on-device AI leader, Qualcomm continues to introduce advanced on-device AI technologies and product portfolio to deliver differentiated performance in various industries,” said Oh-Hyung Kwon, senior vice president and general manager of Qualcomm's Asia-Pacific region. ”Starting with the Vertical AI Super Gap Challenge, we will expand our collaboration with domestic ISV partners to support promising startups in Korea.”

 

“As the pace of AI technology has recently accelerated in the global market, it is of utmost importance for AI startups to apply specialized AI technologies based on demand to specific devices and industries and commercialize them quickly,” said Minister Oh. ”We will fully support relevant policies to help promising AI startups commercialize innovative AI technologies with global giants through this challenge and accelerate their global expansion.”

 

[News source: Ministry of SMEs and Startups].