넥스트챌린지, '창구' 프로그램 100개 기업 선정 완료... 실질적 해외시장 진출 돕는다
- 넥스트챌린지 재단법인
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
[IT Donga]
Next Challenge Foundation (CEO Kim Young-rok), the official operator of the 2026 Global Corporate Collaboration Program – Google Play Changgu Program (8th Cohort) led by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development (KISED), has finalized the selection of 100 startups following document screening and presentation evaluations, officially launching the program’s full-scale support initiatives.
This year’s 8th cohort attracted a large number of promising startups in the mobile services (apps/games) sector.After a rigorous evaluation process, 100 companies were ultimately selected.
The selected startups represent a diversified portfolio spanning future industries, ranging from AI-powered education, finance, and commerce platforms to games and entertainment services targeting global markets.
According to the distribution of the selected startups by industry sector:
Gaming: 34%
EdTech: 16%
Healthcare: 14%
Lifestyle / Content / Media / Entertainment: 24%
B2B / Tech / Solutions: 5%
Beauty Tech / Food Tech: 7%
The Google Play Changgu Program is a public-private collaboration initiative designed to foster approximately 100 K-startups leading the future of the mobile app and gaming ecosystem.Selected companies receive up to KRW 200 million (~USD 150,000) in business development funding, along with a Google Play–specialized growth support package.
Since its launch in 2019, the program has supported a cumulative total of 660 Korean startups and has become the program with the largest number of alumni companies within the Ministry’s public-private startup support initiative, Around X.
One of the key changes in this year’s program is the strategic expansion of global market entry hubs.
Building on its previous achievements, Next Challenge has designated Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore as the “three core hubs of Asia” to further expand the global reach of Korean startups.
Selected startups will participate in:
Local PoC (Proof of Concept) projects tailored to each market
Regional roadshows
Market-entry and localization programs
These initiatives are designed to provide practical footholds for entering and establishing themselves in overseas markets.
In line with the rapid advancement of the AI era, support for AI-driven innovative startups has also been significantly strengthened.
Google Play plans to expand:
AI-focused education and workshops
Sessions on integrating Google’s latest AI technologies and tools into startup business models
The 100 selected startups will receive:
Up to KRW 200 million in differentiated business development funding
Google Cloud credits
Expert office hours
Featured store promotion opportunities
Global immersion programs directly connected to app/game scaling strategies
Outstanding participants will also gain opportunities to access:
Local market insights
Investor and institutional networking
through the global training initiative, Immersion Trip.
Google Play’s support package includes:
Growth seminars focused on monetization and marketing strategies
1:1 in-depth consulting for overseas market strategies and technology advancement
The networking event “Changgu Alumni Day”, bringing together alumni startups, VCs, and publishers
VC office hours for fundraising consultations
Next Challenge will additionally operate dedicated support programs to strengthen the global competitiveness of participating startups.
Through:
Expert-led 1:1 consulting
Overseas PoC project connections
Customized educational programs
Global networking support
the organization aims to drive practical growth for participating companies.
Next Challenge was also reappointed as the Changgu Program operator for 2026–2028, having nurtured 1,350 startups through support initiatives totaling KRW 110 billion (~USD 82 million) over the past seven years.
This year, the program will additionally launch the Malaysia Immersion Week initiative.
Recognizing Malaysia’s growing role as a regional hub for the backend infrastructure of global Big Tech companies, the program plans to provide:
Local business matching opportunities
Networking programs
Educational and lecture sessions
to help startups expand their presence in Southeast Asia.
CEO Kim Young-rok stated:
"The Changgu Program (8th Cohort) serves as a powerful launchpad for K-startups to leap into global markets. This year, by operating specialized expansion programs centered around Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore, we will focus all of our capabilities on generating tangible outcomes — including actual revenue growth and investment attraction — beyond simple local partnerships."
IT동아 이문규 기자 (munch@itdonga.com)
원문보기 : https://it.donga.com/108901/
