The Gyeonggi Center for Creative Economy and Innovation has announced that the second round of the Everyone’s Startup Project attracted 12,166 applicants from Gyeonggi Province in the technology and general category. This represents an increase of 3,254 people, or 36.5 percent, compared with the first recruitment period. The result highlights a significant and growing appetite for entrepreneurship across the region.
Gyeonggi Applications Surge by 36.5 Percent
The second recruitment window drew 12,166 applicants from Gyeonggi Province in the technology and general category, according to the Gyeonggi Center for Creative Economy and Innovation. That number accounts for about 15.1 percent of all technology and general applications submitted across the country. Officials said the strong regional figure reflects both rising interest and the effectiveness of local outreach efforts.
Nationally, the Everyone’s Startup Project recorded 92,838 total participants during its second recruitment phase, with strong demand across both categories. Technology and general applications reached 80,765, while the local category attracted 12,073 participants. Compared with the first recruitment round, the total number of participants increased by 29,894, or 47 percent.
Mentor Institutions Strengthen Outreach
As the regional hub for the project, the Gyeonggi Center has established a cooperation network with 18 mentor institutions, including universities and startup support organizations. These partners work together to identify prospective entrepreneurs and promote the program throughout the province. Their combined networks help extend the project’s reach into local communities and university campuses.
Three partner institutions each secured more than 1,000 applicants during the second recruitment phase. They are Gyeonggi Daejin Technopark, Catholic University Startup Support Group, and Ajou University Startup Support Group. The 18 mentor institutions used their startup support infrastructure and local relationships to encourage broader participation among early stage founders and potential business owners.
During the second recruitment period, the Gyeonggi Center promoted the program through on-site counseling sessions, information briefings, and a mix of online and offline campaigns. It focused on identifying potential challengers by working closely with universities and entrepreneurship support organizations. This cooperative approach expanded the points of contact for residents who were considering starting a business.
From Ideas to Business Creation
Moving forward, the Gyeonggi Center will continue serving as the regional hub for second round applicants. It plans to work with its mentor institutions to guide participants through the next stage of the process. The center also intends to connect promising ideas with local startup support infrastructure so they can develop into actual businesses.
The Gyeonggi Center said the participation of more than 12,000 local challengers demonstrates the province’s strong entrepreneurial potential. It will maintain close cooperation with the 18 partner organizations to provide sustained support beyond the application phase. The goal is to help transform initial interest into concrete startup activity and long term growth.
The strong response to the second round of the Everyone’s Startup Project confirms that Gyeonggi Province has a large and motivated community of potential founders. The Gyeonggi Center for Creative Economy and Innovation sees this momentum as evidence of the region’s capacity to generate new businesses and innovative ideas. By building on its mentor network and local support resources, the center aims to convert this enthusiasm into measurable business creation and sustainable economic impact.