South Korea’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be able to partner with global research institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Germany’s Fraunhofer Society to develop next-generation technologies in artificial intelligence, biotech, and semiconductors.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced Sunday that it will solicit proposals for its newly launched 2025 Global Cooperative R&D Program, aimed at enhancing international partnerships and supporting global market expansion.

The program will support joint research between Korean SMEs and top-tier research bodies such as MIT, Purdue University, Fraunhofer, and the Steinbeis Foundation.

Each selected project may receive up to 1.5 billion won ($1.07 million) over three years to foster world-class technological competitiveness.

The ministry identified 49 priority projects across 10 strategic sectors. It worked with global institutions to draft 215 R&D proposals, which applicants can select from.

Four grant types will be offered: pre-planned, demand-linked, open call, and exploratory. For the institutional tracks, which include pre-planned and demand-linked grant types, twice the number of target slots will be shortlisted as candidates, and top proposals will proceed to full-scale support after a six-month planning phase.

Applications can be submitted online through the national R&D coordination platform between May 16 and 30.

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