POSCO's CHANGeUP GROUND in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province / Courtesy of POSCO

By Kim Jae-heun

The combined value of startups that moved into the CHANGeUP GROUND venture incubation center built by POSCO has exceeded 1 trillion won ($764 million), according to Korea's largest steelmaker, Tuesday. There are 87 companies operating out of the incubation center as of the end of June.

In July 2021 when POSCO invested some 83 billion won to open CHANGeUP GROUND in Pohang, 68 companies moved into the location and their total value stood only at 467.2 billion won. It has taken only one year for that number to more than double. Over the past year, the number of employees jumped 35 percent to 801 from 596.

CHANGeUP GROUND systematically supports local startups to grow into unicorn companies in the early stage and aims ultimately to build them into global firms. Its Startup Support Program helps new firms connect to investors, build networks, pioneer markets and provide care systems.

Specifically, POSCO supports professional consulting for startups in the fields of law, patents, taxes and accounting in the beginning stage. The steelmaker then connects them with its affiliates to manufacture trial products and sell them online.

CHANGeUP GROUND also has the country's best research firm infrastructure for startups to utilize. It is sponsored by Postech, Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, the Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology, Korea Institute of Robotics & Technology Convergence, Pohang Institute of Metal Industry Advancement, National Institute of Nanomaterials Technology and Pohang Technopark.

"CHANGeUP GROUND is an unprecedented experimental model of industry-academic cooperation supported by POSCO, which attempts to connect Pohang and Seoul while fostering venture companies to turn them into global firms. We will do our best to establish the venture ecosystem as a new business discovery scheme that increases sustainability," a POSCO official said.