SK Telecom introduced its environment, social and governance (ESG) startup discovery and nurturing programme 'SKTCH for Good' and said on Monday it will recruit participating startups through April 30.

SKTCH is a portmanteau of SKT and Tech, and is a platform run by SKT to discover promising startups and strengthen cooperation. It carries the meaning that SKT and startups draw the future together.

SKT will use SKTCH for Good to work with ESG startups to address social and environmental problems. It will select 15 startups with innovative ESG solutions, focusing on areas expected to grow in importance such as digital inclusion and care, climate disaster response and digital crime prevention.

Selected startups will be provided with tailored benefits including specialised mentoring and training for commercialisation, developing cooperation models with SKT, investment consulting and IR opportunities, opportunities to participate in exhibitions at home and abroad, and management infrastructure such as office space.

Startups seeking to participate can apply through the SKTCH website through April 30. SKT said it will run its accelerating programme on two tracks, 'SKTCH for Good' and 'SKTCH with AI', to strengthen performance creation based on cooperation as an AI partner for startups this year.

SKTCH with AI, to be introduced in July, will select an additional 15 AI startups that can generate synergy with SKT's AI strategy. Key areas of cooperation include full-stack AI innovation technologies and customer-facing AI solutions.

Eom Jong-hwan (엄종환), head of SKT's ESG Promotion Office, said innovative technologies and services from startups can create major change in society when they meet social value. He added SKT will work through SKTCH for Good so more startups can solve social problems and grow together with SKT.