Korea's sports industry startup-leap support program, run by the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO), has driven a 114% increase in average sales for incubated startups in 2025. The program combines investment, R&D, and market expansion to scale sportstech ventures.
TL;DR
- KSPO's program boosts sportstech startups with AI, big data, and funding, driving 114% sales growth in 2025.
- The program has invested 5.4B won cumulatively, with 87% of capital from sports-focused funds deployed to incubated corporations.
- Startups like Bark, which develops smart sports footwear, have secured R&D funding and achieved significant growth.
What happened
The sports industry startup-leap support program, organized by KSPO and hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, aims to create an innovation ecosystem in the sports industry. It targets corporations in the leap phase that have been in business for at least three years but less than seven.
CNTTech has been selected as the program operator for six consecutive years, incubating a total of 47 corporations over the past three years. The program has directly invested 1.7B won in eight incubated corporations, and five corporations were selected for the TIPS program, securing 4.2B won in R&D funding.
In 2025, average sales of incubated corporations rose 114% from the previous year, and the amount of investment attracted reached 9.5B won. New hires increased 16% year over year, and 92 intellectual property rights were created.
Why it matters
The program's strength lies in its support system that organically links investment, technology, and sales channels. It executes direct investments using its own sports funds and connects follow-on investments through networks of venture capital (VC) and corporate venture capital (CVC).
For selected corporations, the program considers direct investments of more than 300M won, and for invested corporations, it links recommendations for TIPS and LIPS to support securing R&D and policy funds.
Market expansion and marketing support are also provided in tandem. Leveraging cooperative networks, it supports customer acquisition and business expansion, while working to raise corporate awareness through in-house promotional platforms.
Key facts
- The program has incubated 47 corporations over the past three years, with 18 in 2023, 16 in 2024, and 13 in 2025.
- It has directly invested 1.7B won in eight incubated corporations and secured 4.2B won in R&D funding for five corporations through the TIPS program.
- Cumulative investment from two sports-focused funds managed by the operator has reached 5.4B won, with 87% deployed to incubated corporations.
- In 2025, average sales of incubated corporations rose 114% from the previous year, and investment attracted reached 9.5B won.
- New hires increased 16% year over year, and 92 intellectual property rights were created.
- Bark, a sports smart footwear corporation, achieved annual sales of 10B won in 2025 and created 38 jobs, including 15 new hires this year.
- The program will strengthen AI-based growth support, leveraging cooperative networks with large and mid-sized domestic and overseas corporations and financial and investment institutions.
Context
The sports industry is increasingly embracing technology to enhance performance, prevent injuries, and improve fan engagement. AI and big data are playing a crucial role in this transformation, enabling startups to develop innovative solutions.
Korea has been actively fostering its startup ecosystem, with various programs and initiatives aimed at supporting innovation and growth. The sports industry startup-leap support program is a testament to this commitment, providing a comprehensive platform for sportstech startups to thrive.
As the program continues to evolve, it is expected to play a significant role in shaping the future of the sports industry, both in Korea and globally.