Korea Preps AI Unicorn Growth Plan After Visit to Wrtn

South Korea's Ministry of SMEs and Startups is close to announcing a strategy for turning AI startups into unicorns. First Vice Minister Noh Yong-seok visited Wrtn Technologies, an AI unicorn in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on October 29 and held a roundtable with founders.

The ministry says the plan is built around three tasks: support across the whole lifecycle from discovery to scale-up, faster innovation-led growth, and a push into global markets. It has been drafting the "AI Startup Unicorn Growth Strategy" since early this year together with the National AI Strategy Committee. The announcement is expected soon.

Founders' feedback on the draft

The meeting was meant to test that draft against real conditions and make the policy more effective. Wrtn, which reached unicorn status in August this year, shared its growth story, and the session closed with open policy discussion.

Founders gave specific feedback on the difficulties of scaling a company and on how existing support programs could improve. Two themes stood out: wider links between technology validation at AI startups and purchasing by government and public institutions, and stronger connections to domestic and overseas investors. They also described the support they need to enter global markets.

What comes next

The ministry says it will review the input closely, fold it into the strategy and flesh out policies meant to support growth and global competitiveness.

Noh described nurturing AI startups into global unicorns as "the starting point for Korea's leap to become one of the world's three AI powers." He added that the ministry will keep backing their challenges so they translate into results abroad and become a new growth engine for the country.

The ministry's framing reflects a broader view in Seoul that early AI adoption and fast commercialization now decide national competitiveness, with startups at the centre of that race.