KB Financial Group said on Sunday it is recruiting companies to participate in the 2026 KB Starters programme through March 6 to support capable entrepreneurs' challenges and global expansion.

KB Starters is a startup support programme KB Financial has operated since 2015 to discover and nurture promising startups with innovative technologies.

This year, KB Financial expanded the recruitment fields to future strategic industries such as deep tech and climate tech. It will select companies through an integrated process that combines the domestic and global (Singapore) tracks. The aim is to strengthen technology-based startups and support global expansion in line with the government's push for a leap into a "national era of entrepreneurship."

The recruitment covers seven areas: deep tech, risk and regtech, wealth tech, next-generation financial services, embedded finance, climate tech and management support for small business owners. It includes a wide range of technology-based businesses such as generative AI, data analytics, cybersecurity, wealth management and alternative credit scoring.

KB Financial plans to select promising companies to create an environment in which technology-based startups can grow and to develop them as collaboration partners for the group.

From this year, it will recruit through a single programme that integrates the domestic and global tracks. The domestic track will focus on selecting companies with high potential for collaboration with affiliates, while the global track will be run for companies pursuing expansion into Southeast Asia with Singapore as a base. Participating companies can choose one of the two tracks.

KB Financial's plan is to support the growth of domestic startups while systematising entry into global markets and efficiently linking opportunities to collaborate with affiliates.

Selected companies will receive support including dedicated office space, links to collaborations with affiliates, expert seminars and management consulting. Companies in the global track will also receive support to help them settle locally, including office space in Singapore, an accelerator programme and links to overseas partnerships.

KB Financial last month launched the KB Deep Tech Scale-up Fund worth 160 billion won and is also expanding investment in technology-based companies such as AI and robotics. Along with funding, it will offer opportunities to test technologies through collaboration with affiliates.

The selection process will involve affiliate investment managers as well as external experts from startup nurturing organisations and investment institutions. The final selected companies are expected to be announced in April.

A KB Financial official said, "KB Starters supports those with creative ideas and technological capabilities so their challenges lead to tangible growth, from providing dedicated office space and one-on-one meetups for collaboration with affiliates to linking investments through the group's CVC fund." The official added, "We will continue to serve as a reliable bridge so the growth of entrepreneurs can lead to growth for all."