Artificial intelligence (AI) is being fully introduced into the support system for climate tech startups. A data-driven nurturing model has begun operation, in which AI first analyzes a company’s growth stage and bottlenecks, and then connects them with experts and acceleration programs based on the results.
Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Creative Economy Innovation Center announced that they held a kickoff event called “In-Depth Networking” at Gonjiam Resort for two days starting on the 11th, targeting 34 companies selected for the 3rd cohort of the “2026 Gyeonggi Climate Tech Startup Incubation Project.” This event held added significance as it went beyond simple networking and served as the first stage for the actual operation of the “Value-up Studio” integrated acceleration system, which was introduced for the first time this year.
The Gyeonggi Climate Tech Startup Incubation Program is designed to identify companies within seven years of establishment that possess technologies to address the climate crisis and support their entry into global markets and scale-up. Companies from various fields, including clean tech, carbon tech, eco tech, food tech, and geo tech, are participating. Selected companies are provided with an average of 40 million won in commercialization funds, along with support for attracting investment, open innovation, and global expansion.
Advanced support system through data-driven acceleration
The core of this year’s business is a customized growth support system centered on AI corporate diagnostics.
Prior to the event, the Gyeonggi Innovation Center evaluated the growth stages and competitiveness of 34 participating companies by analyzing their business plans, financial status, and investment history using AI. Based on this, key tasks and areas requiring improvement were identified for each company, and experts were connected accordingly.
The event was attended by 17 participants, including MYSC, Danal Investment Partners, and SparkLabs, as well as investment firms, patent experts, and representatives from specialized institutions in the carbon neutrality sector. Companies engaged in in-depth consultations with experts in 30-minute intervals to discuss investment strategies, commercialization, technology advancement, patents, and global expansion plans. A total of 101 customized consultations were conducted over the two-day program, and the findings were organized into “Value-up Plans,” which serve as growth roadmaps for each company.
Based on this plan, the Center intends to refine individual company growth strategies by linking them with follow-up programs such as ‘815 IR,’ ‘Unicorn Bridge,’ and ‘Global Innovation Challenge.’ A key feature is connecting the entire process—from diagnostic results to consultation and follow-up support—into a single, seamless flow.
On the second day of the event, a separate acceleration agreement ceremony and networking program were held for 10 participating companies of the KB Unicorn Club. Through this, the plan is to expand the integrated acceleration system not only to the climate tech sector but also to all promising startups supported by the Gyeonggi Innovation Center.
Kim Won-kyung, CEO of the Gyeonggi Innovation Center, stated, “The AI Corporate Diagnosis and Value-up Studio focus on accurately identifying priority tasks for each company and connecting them to the creation of tangible results,” adding, “We will continue to discover global climate tech companies representing Gyeonggi Province by providing seamless support throughout the entire growth process.”
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