A growing number of South Korean small businesses are upgrading their operations thanks to government-backed smart service programs that integrate technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data.

Seafood platform The Captain developed its app “SonSeonJang” with support from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ Smart Services Support Program. By using the app’s camera function, users can identify the types of sashimi and check expiration dates.

“Customer trust has increased thanks to the transparency our app provides,” CEO Song Han-woong told Maeil Business Newspaper on Tuesday. Launched in November 2024, the app attracted over 300,000 visits in its first month.

The program supports service-sector SMEs by offering up to 250 million won ($176,000) for joint projects and up to 100 million won for advanced tasks. Operated by the Korea Management Innovation Small and Medium Business Association, the aim for 2025 is to fund 143 projects with a total of 10 billion won.

The Captain used its grant to develop seafood sorting algorithms and automate processing. With the app’s success, the company has set a revenue goal of 12 billion won for 2025, which is triple the previous year’s figure.

Fellow participant HwaDam F&B, which runs barbecue restaurant chain “Pangyojip,” grew its number of stores from 15 to 47 and boosted revenue by 42.1 percent from 3.8 billion won in 2023 to 5.4 billion won in 2024.

The company developed an integrated platform for HQ and franchise communication, logistics, and inventory management. It plans to open 30 new franchise stores and three additional direct-owned locations in 2025 while also diversifying into meal kits and online sales.

[ⓒ 매일경제 & mk.co.kr, 무단 전재, 재배포 및 AI학습 이용 금지]