The government will train master's and PhD-level talent to connect AI technology to startup creation, using 4 universities as hubs.

The Ministry of Science and ICT said on Tuesday it held a plaque presentation ceremony and meeting for 4 lead universities selected for its "AI and digital-based startup talent development programme". The universities will run "AI transformation (AX) leading entrepreneur-type talent development centres".

The programme was launched this year to foster "advanced entrepreneur-type talent". It aims to go beyond researchers simply learning AI and digital technologies by helping them identify market and social problems, solve them with AI technology and move on to actual startups.

After evaluations in May and June, the ministry selected Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in the Chungcheong region, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in the Northeast, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in the Southeast, and Chosun University in the Honam region as lead universities.

KAIST will build a deep-tech startup support system that spans technology discovery, talent development, startup incubation, investment links and global expansion, focusing on semiconductors, power, sensors, electronic materials and healthcare.

POSTECH will set up a system to develop startup talent and provide full-cycle accelerating, focusing on semiconductors, defence, robots and bio, in cooperation with investment experts at POSTECH Holdings. UNIST will build a cooperation system with startups in the Southeast, focusing on battery process AI, industrial security AI, smart factory AI and medical data AI.

Chosun University will serve as an AI hub in the Honam region, linking regional industrial challenges to AX startups based on aerospace, renewable energy, power energy and medical AI.

The ministry plans to apply AI and digital technologies from university laboratories to regional industrial sites and connect them to technology commercialisation and startups. It will also pursue a virtuous-cycle ecosystem in which master's and PhD talent trained in the region conduct research and start businesses there to create jobs.

Park Tae-wan (박태완), director general for information and communications industry policy at the ministry, said, "AI technology is establishing itself as a key growth engine in industry and the startup field beyond laboratories." He said, "We will support regional hub universities to play a central role in AI startup innovation and help young talent challenge themselves in research and startups in the region."