Goals
Mission
To support the growth of SMEs and startups, and the ecosystems around them, through evidence-based policy research and academic cooperation.
Vision
A think tank for national policy and an entrepreneurial ecosystem research network that connects Korea with the world.
Core Values
- Rigour. We hold our research to the standards of academic theory and method.
- Evidence. We start from official documents and data, and let the evidence lead our conclusions.
- Practice. We test our findings against the realities of policy and business.
- Openness. We share our data and findings with researchers, policymakers and practitioners.
Management Goals
- Policy research that answers the needs of government, the National Assembly and the field
- Wider understanding of entrepreneurial ecosystem policy through the open sharing of research
- A research network that connects Korea with the world
Strategic Directions and Tasks
Build an evidence base for policy on SMEs and startups
- Publish four annual series: the Annual EE Policy Report, the Social Entrepreneurship Policy Report, the Inclusive Entrepreneurship Policy Report and the Digital Entrepreneurship Policy Report
- Compare Korean policy with the policy of the UK, the US, the European Union and other major economies
Share research and policy information openly
- Publish a weekly Policy Update on the largest change in entrepreneurial ecosystem policy, with links to the official sources
- Provide data on Korean government and National Assembly policy for SMEs and startups for academic use
Grow a network of researchers, policymakers and practitioners
- Hold conferences, forums, symposia and exhibitions on entrepreneurial ecosystem policy
- Recognise researchers and practitioners through the IFEED Fellowship, and work with partner organisations in Korea and abroad
Research Scope
Our research centres on the Korean government’s policy for SMEs and startups. We compare it widely with the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem policy paradigms of major economies, including the UK, the US and the European Union, and from this develop policy solutions at three levels.
- National. Policy set by central government and the National Assembly.
- Regional. Regional ecosystems, and policy linked to each region’s industries.
- Global. Startups, capital, talent and technology that move across borders.
Core Research Themes
Sustainable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
In line with global sustainability agendas such as climate tech, the circular economy and the ESG transition, we study systems for growing sustainable startups that build long-term resilience and create social and economic value at the same time.
- Climate tech startups
- Circular economy
- ESG transition of SMEs and startups
- Long-term resilience
Global and Transnational Ecosystems
We analyse open innovation ecosystem policy on the global stage: how born-global startups scale up, the inflow of cross-border venture capital, and the exchange of talent and technology across borders.
- Born-global startups and scale-up
- Cross-border venture capital
- Talent and technology across borders
- Open innovation policy
Digital and AI-Driven Ecosystems
We diagnose the structural changes that AI, deep tech and the platform economy bring to startups, investment and incubation, and propose data-driven policy for the next generation of startups.
- AI and deep tech startups
- Platform economy
- Startup investment and incubation
- Data-driven startup support
Inclusive and Place-Based Ecosystems
We look for an inclusive startup policy environment that eases concentration in the capital region and, through smart specialisation linked to each region’s industries, lets people and places across the country grow together.
- Regional ecosystems outside the capital region
- Smart specialisation
- Inclusive entrepreneurship
Ecosystem Governance and Policy Diagnostics
We test, from several angles, the direct and indirect effects of public policy and support schemes on the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and propose evidence-based improvements.
- Evaluation of support programmes
- Direct and indirect effects of policy
- Evidence-based institutional reform