KT&G (CEO: Bok-In Baek) opens the application process for the 6th “KT&G Sangsang Startup Camp” for young startups and plans to receive applications until November 10th. 

“Sangsang Startup Camp” is a program that aims to discover and foster young startups aspiring to start socially innovative companies that provide business solutions to social agendas. It offers a 14-week real-life training that transfers the expertises of socially innovative startups, which will provide a practical opportunity for growth before young social and innovative startups launch their businesses. Entrepreneurs with previous or current startup-building experiences will become the designated expert mentors to provide training according to the needs of each team and sector. 

You can apply for the “Sangsang Startup Camp” at the website (https://sangsangstartupcamp.com/apply/). KT&G will launch a virtual pre-orientation day on October 26th on the KT&G Sangsang Startup Camp YouTube to help potential applicants. There will be a 3-day screening process from November 23rd, and the finalists will be announced on November 30th. The induction orientation will be held on the 6th of December, which will begin the training process until March 8th of the following year. Details about the pre-orientation, application deadline, and other schedules are available on the application website. 

The administrative cost for the program will be fully funded by KT&G. The winning team will have a chance to win residential support to move into “KT&G Sangsang Planet”, a young startup-only space established by KT&G in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, and other various forms of follow-up support such as being introduced to investment opportunities that will help strengthen its competitiveness. 

KT&G’s contribution to creating more jobs for the young generations began in 2017 when it launched the very first “Sangsang Startup Camp.” The program, now in its fifth year, has employed a total of 745 people while its participating startups have recorded an accumulated sale of 20 billion KRW. In addition, 37 teams from the camp achieved an excellent feat of entering the Korean government’s “Social Enterprise Acceleration Project.” The Korean Ministry of Economy and Finance has recognized KT&G’s contribution with a presidential commendation at the government award ceremony for the "2021 Social and Economic Merits."

Shim Young-ah, the Head of KT&G's Social Contribution Department said, “KT&G has continuously worked towards solving the young people’s unemployment by organizing “Sangsang Startup Camp” and building “Sangsang Planet” and announced that “We plan to launch diverse projects that will assist the young generation’s growth and development.”