Busan Metropolitan City is publicly recruiting 21 companies to become the first tenants of its Maritime Science and Technology Industry-Academia-Research Cooperation Center, which is scheduled to open in July. The application deadline is 6 p.m. on the 21st of next month.
The center's establishment is part of a strategy to secure new regional growth engines through AI-based advancement of the maritime industry and the clustering of high-tech companies.
Located within the Dongsam Innovation District Marine Cluster in Yeongdo, the center will be Korea's first industry-academia-research cooperation platform based on maritime AI and data. Busan Techno Park and the Korea Maritime Institute will jointly operate the facility.
The city plans to leverage the research and industrial infrastructure of the Dongsam Marine Cluster to establish a one-stop support system covering everything from demand-driven R&BD (Research and Business Development) to demonstration and technology commercialization.
Eligible applicants include small and medium-sized enterprises in marine science and technology and maritime sectors as defined by the Framework Act on Marine and Fisheries Development. Companies in advanced industries such as marine AI data and marine deep tech will receive preferential treatment.
The initial lease term is three years, with possible extensions up to seven years based on performance evaluations. This long-term tenancy structure is designed to facilitate technology accumulation and business stabilization.
Tenant companies will have access to collaborative infrastructure including R&D laboratories, co-working spaces, and seminar rooms. Advanced facilities such as the Maritime Port AI Transformation (AX) Demonstration Center are scheduled for phased construction beginning in 2027, which is expected to positively impact revenue generation and investment attraction through demonstration-based results.
The city aims to develop the center into a core hub for the maritime digital industry, attracting high-level research talent and creating quality jobs. The strategy involves enhancing companies' technological competitiveness and growth through joint industry-academia-research R&D, technology development support, and cooperative project programs.
Busan Techno Park will form a tenant review committee to conduct first and second-round evaluations, with final selections to be announced in April. Selected companies will begin moving in from June.
"Through this corporate recruitment, we expect to accelerate the digital transformation of the maritime industry and create new jobs in the region," said Cho Young-tae, Director of the Marine, Agriculture, and Fisheries Bureau at Busan Metropolitan City. "We will develop this center into a global hub for maritime science and technology innovation."