DGIST, KAIST, GIST and UNIST launched GRAVITY 2026, a student startup competition designed to support science- and technology-based ventures through funding, mentoring and global expansion opportunities. Positioned as South Korea’s largest startup league among science and technology institutes, the program targets pre-startup and early-stage teams working in fields such as AI, biohealthcare, robotics and aerospace.
The competition includes separate undergraduate and graduate tracks and progresses through institutional rounds, semifinals and finals. A total of 140 teams will receive startup funding and tailored mentoring, while the top 10 teams will compete for prizes worth up to KRW 200 million and gain access to overseas acceleration programs connected to global venture capital firms.
For student entrepreneurs, GRAVITY 2026 provides a structured pathway from academic innovation to startup formation by combining capital, expert guidance and international market exposure. The initiative reflects a broader trend of universities expanding their role in venture creation and supporting the commercialization of deep-tech research.
