The basic type: companies apply directly, with no lead organization. You set the build scope yourself, so the quality of the business plan largely decides selection and results.
Figures below follow the 2026 call. They change by year, so check that year's call before applying.
Eligibility and conditions of the program
Processes and metrics to improve
Scope · cost · schedule
Follow the procedure in the call
Under the 2026 call, application periods are run as set out in each announcement. Check the portal's notices for the latest schedule.
The basic type of the smart factory deployment program run by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Agency. It supports builds that use ICT to integrate planning, design, manufacturing and sales and optimize the manufacturing process.
What sets it apart from the other types is that no lead organization is involved. You can apply directly without belonging to a large company's supply chain or waiting for a regional call.
In exchange, the company's share of the cost is larger than in the win-win type. Anything beyond the government support is paid by the company, so starting with the highest-impact area is more realistic than scoping wide from day one.
As of the 2026 call.
| Item | 2026 call |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | Korean SMEs and mid-sized manufacturers that need a smart factory build |
| Funding cap | Up to KRW 200 million |
| Duration | Up to 9 months |
| Applicant | The adopting company (the manufacturer) applies directly |
| Applications | Online via the smart factory programme portal |
The overall flow is the same whatever the type.
Start with the current year's call: the funding cap, cost-share ratio, eligibility and application window. Requirements differ by type, so read the call for that specific type rather than the combined announcement.
Decide what to build and prepare the business plan with your supplier. Survey equipment communication and the signals you can collect at this stage, or the plan will not be realistic.
Applications go through the smart factory programme portal. The adopting company is the applicant; for consortium types, both the company's and the supplier's details are required.
After evaluation and selection you sign an agreement and start the build. Changes outside the agreed scope need a separate procedure, so it is better to fix the scope at the planning stage.
The build is inspected and project costs are settled. Improvements and upgrades needed in operation continue in later stages.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Apply at | Smart factory programme portal |
| Organizer | Ministry of SMEs and Startups 044-204-7253 · 7262 |
| Operator | Smart Manufacturing Innovation Agency 044-300-0953 · 0957 |
| General enquiries | SME integrated call center 1357 |
With the information below, writing the plan goes faster.
The funding cap is fixed, so as the scope grows, the excess falls entirely on the company. Building and proving one area properly, then expanding the next year, often costs less in total.
If you write the plan without knowing which signals each machine can provide, you end up changing the scope during the build. Changes after the agreement are cumbersome.
The right program depends on your situation.
A lead organization such as a large company or public institution contributes funds and the government adds part of the build cost. The company share is usually the lowest, but not everyone can apply, so check the route first…
Gyeonggi ProvinceA regional program funded by Gyeonggi Province and its cities and counties. Only manufacturers with a site in Gyeonggi are eligible; the call usually opens early in the year and selection ends in the first half.…
Manufacturing AIIt is an AI program, but what really decides the outcome is data. Without accumulated process data, no AI has anything to learn from, which is why data collection and validation is a separate stage…
Smart ServiceIf smart factories cover manufacturing processes, Smart Service covers service delivery. Adopting companies and suppliers apply together as a consortium.…
The figures above are as of the 2026 calls and change every year. Always check the original call for the year in question for funding caps, cost-share ratios, schedules and eligibility.
Source: Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Agency, "2026 Integrated Call for Smart Manufacturing Innovation Support Programs", Bizinfo (bizinfo.go.kr). Checked 30 August 2026.
What companies most often check at the review stage.
Yes. The government type is applied for directly, without a lead organization, so you do not need to belong to any supply chain. If you are a large company's supplier, you can also consider the large–small win-win type, where your share is lower.
Up to KRW 200 million under the 2026 call; the actual amount depends on the build scope and evaluation. The cap changes by year, so check that year's call.
What matters more than the age of a machine is whether it can send signals out. Even without a communication port, there are routes such as contact outputs or added sensors. The equipment communication survey explains how to check.
The adopting company is the applicant, but the build scope and technical content are usually written together with the supplier. IYULAB provides grant-linked consulting.
After selection you sign an agreement and start the build. Because the support period is fixed, scope is often adjusted by working back from the agreement date.
Terms and procedures on this page follow the public standards and official sources below. Figures are as of each source's publication date.
| Topic | Government-type smart factory |
|---|---|
| Section | Smart factory grants |
| Standards applied | 1st Smart Manufacturing Innovation Survey (Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Agency, announced 28 April 2025) · Smart Manufacturing Innovation Agency, smart factory programme portal (smart-factory.kr) |
| Public record | GS certification grade 1 of 2 grades · 7 patents registered |
| Reviewed by | IYULAB engineering team |
| Last updated |
Public record: GS certification, grade 1 of 2 grades (U-CMMS 3.0, Telecommunications Technology Association) · 7 patents registered (10-2141840, 10-2141847, 10-2147747, 10-2354546, 10-2408497, 10-2408501, 10-2698341; searchable by number on KIPRIS) · Certifications and patentsReviewed by the IYULAB engineering team · Last updated:
Once we see your equipment and the scope you want to build, it becomes clear which program fits.
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