Korea Intellectual Property Office opens academy applications

The Korea Intellectual Property Office said it will open applications on Aug. 27 for its 2027 academy for next-generation entrepreneurs, selecting about 160 middle-school-aged students with creative problem-solving skills and a willingness to take on challenges.

The office has operated the academy with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, or KAIST, and Pohang University of Science and Technology, known as POSTECH, since 2009 to develop promising young inventors into intellectual-property-based next-generation entrepreneurs. This will be the 18th cohort.

"Young people's bright creativity can become the starting point for future innovation," Kim Il-gyu, director general for intellectual property policy at the office, said. "I hope many students with a spirit of challenge and creativity discover their potential at the academy and nurture their dreams of becoming future entrepreneurs."

Applicants born from 2011 through 2013 can apply through Sept. 23 at 5 p.m. Candidates cannot apply to both universities. Around 5 percent of places are set aside for social-integration admissions and another 5 percent for invention-education-center graduates.

Those selected will take two years of online and in-person courses at KAIST and POSTECH, covering intellectual-property understanding and use, future-technology trends, entrepreneurship and the humanities. Graduates can also receive advanced specialist education, take part in the ACCEL alumni network and access advisory opportunities.

Over 17 years, graduates have filed 6,255 intellectual-property applications, launched 117 startups and won 46 Korea Talent Awards.