The government is seeking prospective entrepreneurs and early-stage startups to innovate public services using advanced technologies such as AI and data.

The Ministry of Science and ICT said on Tuesday it will recruit participants for the "2026 GovTech Startup Competition" from Aug. 20 through Sept. 21.

Govtech is a field that promotes public services for citizens, solutions to regional and social problems, and innovation in public infrastructure by introducing private-sector advanced technologies such as AI and data into the public sector. Now in its third year, the GovTech startup competition was created to discover and support prospective entrepreneurs and early-stage startups with ideas and technical capabilities to innovate public services based on AI and digital technologies.

The competition will be held in two categories: an "idea planning track" and a "product and service development track". Participants can choose one of three themes — public services for citizens, solutions to regional and social problems, or innovation in public infrastructure — and enter with any topic.

Prospective entrepreneurs can apply to both tracks. Early-stage startups can participate only in the product and service development track. The ministry will select about 42 teams, about three times the number of eventual awardees, through a first-round document review next month. It plans to pick about 21 teams in each track.

First-round qualifiers will receive mentoring to support production of final deliverables. Following a presentation evaluation in November, the ministry will choose 14 final winners, 7 teams from each track. The final selected teams will receive a total of 70 million won in prize money and awards at a ceremony in December. Preferential benefits will also be provided when applying for next year's "GovTech startup AI demonstration and commercialisation support programme".

Choi Dong-won (최동원), director general for AI Infrastructure Policy at the ministry, said the competition is a starting point for public innovation that can identify strong private-sector ideas and technical capabilities. He added he hopes it will become a foundation for participants to start businesses and grow.