The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced it is recruiting participating companies for the second half of 'Rising Leaders 300,' a financial support program dedicated to mid-sized enterprises. The biggest change in this round is the restructuring of the existing 'DX Leap' category into an 'AX Leap' category. Jointly operated by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Woori Bank since 2023, the program supports four areas: exports (Global Leader type), R&D (K-TECH Leading type), ESG (Future Value Leading type), and AX (AX Leap type). AI transformation is one of these four categories.
First things first — applications close August 14
Applications will be accepted from July 27 to August 14 via Woori Bank's website and the websites of the specialized institutions for each category. Following recommendations from the specialized institutions and financial review by Woori Bank, the final list of selected companies is expected to be announced in early September. Selected companies will receive loans of up to KRW 30 billion per company, along with preferential interest rates of up to 1.0 percentage point, as well as non-financial services such as customized consulting. It's worth noting during the review stage that this is a loan program rather than a grant, and that these terms apply to the program as a whole rather than exclusively to the AX category.
What changes from a mid-sized enterprise's perspective
The shift in category name from DX to AX in a government support program carries symbolic weight. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy stated it will strengthen support for mid-sized companies pursuing AI transformation and technological innovation, including through participation in the M.AX Alliance. Companies that have been preparing for digital transformation should keep in mind that evaluation criteria may shift toward AI utilization capabilities, and review the detailed announcement accordingly. For reference, the program has supported a total of 225 companies with approximately KRW 2 trillion through the first half of this year, with 35 companies receiving approximately KRW 466 billion in the first-half round.
TECH2030's Perspective
What needs to be prepared before funding requirements in programs like this is a company's own roadmap for where and how AI will be applied. This is because what the review process ultimately assesses is not the intent to adopt AI, but the concreteness of the implementation plan. With less than two weeks remaining until the application deadline, companies considering participation are encouraged to compare the announcement requirements against their own AX initiatives now. For precise application requirements, please refer to the original announcement below and the official notices from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Woori Bank.