Seoul National University Cements Status as Startup Mecca with Campus Town Selection

## Seoul National University Opens the Future of AI Deep-Tech Startups: Accelerating Innovation by Securing 4.8 Billion Won Seoul National University has once again raised the banner of innovation. By being finally selected in the 2026 Seoul Campustown Project competition, it has achieved its fourth triumph in this project, which began as a unit-type in 2017. This result once again proves that Seoul National University is demonstrating unrivaled leadership in fostering a youth startup ecosystem and developing advanced technology. With this selection, Seoul National University and Gwanak-gu have presented an ambitious vision: 'First Mover, a global deep-tech youth startup innovation hub that changes the world with AI.' Going beyond simple support, they have expressed a strong commitment to providing full support, combining the university's research capabilities and the region's potential, to enable young entrepreneurs in deep-tech fields, including AI, to thrive on the world stage. The Seoul Metropolitan Government presented stringent evaluation criteria, including fostering AI-based startups, supporting the substantial growth and independence of promising companies, and linkage with the Seoul-type RISE project. Seoul National University met all these conditions, achieving the feat of securing project funds of 1.2 billion won annually for up to 4 years, totaling 4.8 billion won. This is a bold investment by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in future technology and talent, and a testament to its strong confidence in Seoul National University's potential. The Seoul National University Campustown Project Group plans to use the secured budget to focus investment on discovering and nurturing AIX startup teams, building a global deep-tech one-stop startup support system, and expanding startup support facilities to bring innovative ideas to reality. Through this, the plan is to establish a seamless startup ecosystem that encompasses all processes from idea generation to investment attraction and global market entry. The past achievements of the Seoul National University Campustown Project Group, which has already built a solid foundation, are remarkable. Since 2020, operating four hub spaces in the Nakseongdae-dong and Daehak-dong areas, it has nurtured a total of 316 teams to date, creating 2,407 new jobs, and remarkably attracted investments totaling 157.9 billion won. Kang Kun-wook, Director of the Seoul National University Campustown Project Group, evaluated this selection as "a golden opportunity to discover and foster unicorn companies that will lead the world by combining the university's unrivaled research and educational capabilities with advanced technological resources," and expressed the ambition to "actively support the bold challenges of young entrepreneurs striving for the future." The Seoul National University Campustown Project is now ready to leap forward as a hub for AI deep-tech innovation, not only in Korea but across the globe.