Ministry of SMEs Sets Up Forum for Indian Venture and SW Talent

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) has stepped up to resolve the chronic software (SW) workforce shortage faced by Korean SMEs and venture companies. They successfully held large-scale 'Talent Matching Festivals' in Noida, India on November 26th and Pune on the 28th, actively supporting recruitment connections between Korean companies and excellent Indian SW developers. These events took place in Noida, a satellite city of New Delhi and home to Amity University, North India's top private university, and in Pune, where Indira University, a practical education institution linked to the industrial sector in west-central India, is located. This created a platform to effectively meet potential talent within the regions. Approximately 100 Korean SMEs and venture companies, along with around 1,600 Indian SW developers (including online participants), gathered to engage in active exchanges. The overseas (India) SW developer recruitment linkage program, introduced for the first time this year, is already showing remarkable results. To date, it has successfully connected 206 excellent developers to 41 companies. Notably, 201 of these were hired for local remote work, and 5 for domestic relocation, suggesting the potential for new employment models. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups plans to further expand the program, aiming for over 200 recruitment linkages in 2025 as well. To support these successful matchings, dedicated support desks are operated locally in India, providing comprehensive assistance, including securing SW talent pools, local HR consultations, and attendance management for hired developers. Following the desks opened in Noida (North) and Bengaluru (South) in 2024, a new desk was also opened in Pune (West-Central) on the 29th during this festival period. Furthermore, one additional location will be established in the eastern region in the second half of this year, expanding support bases across India. Furthermore, strategic partnerships are being strengthened for continuous talent linkage. Following the signing of an MOU with the IIT Alumni Association in 2024, the Korea Venture Business Association further solidified its cooperation foundation by exchanging an MOU with Amity University and an LOI with the IIT Startup Incubation Center under IIT Delhi during this event period. Kim Bong-deok, Director-General of Venture Policy, stated, "I hope this matching festival has been a great help in resolving the chronic SW talent shortage faced by SMEs and venture companies," adding, "We will continue to actively support Korean SMEs and venture companies in having a wider selection of global SW developers by continuously expanding our local network and excellent talent pool."