Daejeon Innovation Center Launches Full

Open innovation, in which mid-sized companies and startups identify joint business opportunities based on technological demand, is spreading as a collaborative model that enhances regional industrial competitiveness. As programs that link proof-of-concept (PoC) and commercialization—going beyond simple technology introductions—become more common, inter-company collaboration is also evolving towards a demonstration-oriented approach.

The Daejeon Creative Economy Innovation Center held the '2026 Regional Mid-sized Enterprise Open Innovation Meetup Day with DVS' at the Daejeon Startup Park headquarters on the 23rd.

This event was attended by mid-sized companies such as Jokwang Paint, TYM, TYMICT, and Turtle Knowledge, as well as 10 startups selected through pre-matching. In addition, officials from partner organizations including the Korea Federation of Middle-sized Enterprises, the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund, and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute also attended to discuss follow-up cooperation plans.

The event was organized to connect the technology and business needs of mid-sized companies with the innovative technologies of startups, and to identify possibilities for proof of concept (PoC) and joint commercialization.

The participating startups met directly with working-level officials from each company to discuss technical compatibility and collaboration possibilities, and reviewed plans for future joint projects.

The Daejeon Creative Economy Innovation Center plans to make a final selection of startups to proceed with a Proof of Concept (PoC) by combining the results of this meetup and the evaluation of participating companies.

Selected companies will be supported with technology verification and commercialization cooperation with mid-sized enterprises, and commercialization will be further aided by linking them with programs from partner organizations, such as financial support from the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund and technology transfer consulting from the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute.

The Center operates a demand-based collaboration model through its proprietary open innovation program, 'Dream Venture Star (DVS),' which identifies corporate technology needs and connects them with suitable startups.

Last year as well, we supported collaborations between startups and large and mid-sized companies such as Hana Securities, Oracle, and Hyundai Polytech, generating results that led to technology verification and joint commercialization.

Park Dae-hee, CEO of the Daejeon Creative Economy Innovation Center, said, “This Meetup Day was a venue where the technology demands of mid-sized companies and the innovative technologies of startups met to concretize practical collaboration projects,” adding, “We will continue to enhance regional industrial competitiveness by fostering a private-sector-led open innovation ecosystem that leads to PoCs and commercialization results.”