Chonnam National University (CNU), under the leadership of President Keunbae Lee, has been selected for the 2025 Lab-Based Startup Leading University Program, a prestigious initiative jointly supported by Korea’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Science and ICT.

This national program, overseen by the National Research Foundation of Korea and the Korea Technology Commercialization Promotion Agency, aims to turn high-impact university research into successful startups by enhancing commercialization infrastructure and supporting skilled talent. Dr. Yoonseong Lee, Director of CNU’s Office of Industry-Academia Cooperation, serves as the principal investigator of the project.

CNU was selected from among a highly competitive field of leading research universities across Korea. The selection highlights the university’s strong track record in fostering lab-based entrepreneurship and the maturity of its startup support ecosystem.

Over the past two years, CNU has identified 48 potential startup labs, with 19 successfully launching startups, achieving tangible results in investment attraction and job creation.

In 2025, CNU will form a consortium with the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST). Together, they plan to initially support 21 early-stage lab teams with business model development and pre-incubation support. Following a second-round evaluation, 12 labs will be selected to receive up to KRW 50 million in R&D and startup funding, alongside customized entrepreneurship training programs.

President Lee commented, “We’re proud to support the remarkable research capabilities within our labs and help them take the next step toward real-world impact through entrepreneurship. By aligning this initiative with CNU’s broader startup-focused strategy, we aim to foster competitive, high-growth ventures and strengthen the region’s startup ecosystem.”